Vegetable Biryani / Vegetable Pulav / Brinji Sadham

Yield: For 5 persons

Brinji sadham is a common Tamil name for vegetable pulav.
'Brinji' refers to Brinji Elai which means Bay leaf & 'Sadham' means Rice.



Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 500 gms (2 ½ cup)
Onion (Thinly sliced) – 3
Tomato (Finely chopped) – 6
Potato (small) – 1
Vegetables (chopped) – 1 ½ to 2 cup
(Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Green Peas)
Soya nuggets / chunks – ½ cup
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Mint leaves – ½ cup
Coriander leaves – ½ cup
Water – 4 cup
Clarified butter / Ghee – 1 tbsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder – 2 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Biryani masala powder – 1 tsp
Salt – 3 tsp or to taste

Dry Masala:

Bay leaf – 2
Cinnamon (small stick) – 2
Cardamom – 3
Clove – 4

Preparation:

Soak the rice for half an hour.
Heat some water in a vessel. When the water boils, switch off the flame.
Put the soya chunks and close the lid. After 10 minutes, rinse the chunks in cold water and squeeze out the water.
Keep the soya chunks aside.
Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker and fry all the dry masalas.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry till it is slightly brown in colour.
Now add the onions and sauté.
Stir fry the vegetables and the soya chunks.
Later add the tomatoes with mint and coriander leaves.
Fry for 2 minutes.
Then add chilly powder, turmeric powder, biryani masala powder and salt.
Add the rinsed rice and fry till the rice is coated with the masala.
Pour water and mix well.
Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
Garnish with paneer crumbs or coriander leaves & cashew nuts.
Serve with Onion Raita.



Note:

Potato and soya chunks are optional.
Use water as per the quality and quantity of the rice.

Egg Biryani

Yield: For 5 persons

This will make a wonderful dish on a cold Sunday afternoon.
I specially thank my friend Ruth for this delicious recipe.



Ingredients:

Egg – 6
Onion (Thinly sliced) – 5
Tomato (Finely chopped) – 3
Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Coconut milk – 4 cup
(Not too thick)
Basmati Rice – 2 ½ cup
Coriander leaves – ½ cup
Mint leaves – ½ cup
Curry leaves – ¼ cup
Garam Masala powder – 2 tsp
Pepper powder – ¼ tsp or to taste
Chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp or Green chilly – 5 to 6
Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
Lemon Juice – 2 tsp
Oil – ½ cup
Salt – to taste

Whole Masala:

Bay leaf – 2
Clove – 2
Cinnamon – 2
Cardamom – 2
Fennel seed – 1 tsp

Preparation:

Boil the eggs, Remove the shells and keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and fry the whole masalas.
Add onions and sauté it.
Add the tomatoes and cook them till the oil separates.
Now add chilly powder, pepper powder, garam masala powder and cumin powder.
If you are using green chillies, put them as whole. Do not slice them.
Add curry leaves & ginger garlic paste and Fry.
Then add rice and mix well.
Add lemon juice, eggs, coconut milk and salt.
Finally add mint leaves and coriander leaves.
Keep the flame high and close the lid.
After one whistle, lower the flame.
Switch off the flame, after the second whistle.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Note:

For additional taste, garnish with some sautéed onions and roasted cashew nuts.
Keep the eggs as whole. Do not cut them.
You can also use some ghee for frying.
Add water with coconut milk in the ratio 1:3, totally making 4 cups.



We had this biryani along with Dum Aloo and Onion Raita.
The mild flavour of egg biryani and the spiciness of dum aloo make a very good combination.