Day 4 of 12: Pom! Pom! Biryani
Looking for an elegant, flavorful side dish that's just a little bit different? This vegetable biryani with pomegranate really fits the bill. If you've never had biryani in your favorite Indian restaurant, it's basically a cross between fried rice and rice pilaf. This jewel-studded biryani is a beautiful accompaniment to your holiday feast or is a perfect nest for grilled chicken, pork, lamb, shrimp, or tofu.
Before I go any further, I must confess that I adore Indian food and I am actively trying to convince each and every one of you out there to love it as much as I do. Why do I love it, you ask? Indian recipes call for all of these amazing spices that aren't used much in the traditional American household like saffron, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, curry, fenugreek, coriander, garam masala. And c'mon, when's the last time you used cinnamon or cloves in anything besides pumpkin pie?
The serious Indian cook will demand that you only use whole spices, toast them as needed, and grind them afterwards in a "for spices only" coffee grinder. And I whole heartedly agree that this is the absolute best way to get the full flavor from your finished dish. I'm going to admit that for this recipe, knowing that most people don't have a full pantry of whole spices, I just used ground spices (but hey, I toasted them first!)
If there are some spices that you don't have in your pantry, I recommend that you check out your local Indian market or International market before hitting up the regular grocery store. Who knows how long they've been sitting on the shelf at some of these places, so inspect the spices for vibrant color before tossing them in your basket. I think the freshest are spices that are shipped to your door from Penzey's Spices.
Yes, this rice dish takes a bit of prep time and yes, there are plenty of steps to keep you occupied for awhile. But trust me, this gorgeous biryani really packs a punch. This is one you'll want to make when you've got company coming, when you really want to pull out all the stops--just practice it first on your family and friends to make sure you've got it right. The pomegranate seeds are thrown in at the end just before serving, and they provide such a pleasant and surprising burst of flavor and texture to the finished dish. I promise, you will not be disappointed!
Pom! Pom! Biryani
Serves 6
1 pinch saffron
hot water
2 c basmati rice
6 c water
4 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp ghee (Indian clarified butter*)
seeds of 4 green cardamom pods
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of red chili flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 c green peas
1/2 tsp salt
6 twists black pepper
1/2 cup water
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1. Steep saffron threads in 4 Tbsp boiling water in a small bowl for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse 2 cups of basmati rice until water runs clear. Fill large pot with about 6 cups of water, add whole cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, salt and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook for 5 minutes, only until rice is 3/4 done. Drain rice well in a fine mesh colander and pour out onto a sheet pan. Toss rice lightly with 2 Tbsp ghee, pull out and discard whole spices, and let rice cool.
3. Heat a large skillet to medium heat and toast garam masala, turmeric, seeds of green cardamom pods, ground cloves, and chili flakes for about 2 minutes, shaking pan frequently. When you can smell the spices intensely, the oils are being released and the spices can be poured out onto a plate to cool.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat and heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cook for about 1 minute, until the seeds start to pop and sizzle. Add onion and carrots and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for another minute. Then add green peas, toasted spice mixture, salt and pepper and stir to coat vegetables evenly with the spices. Add 1/2 cup water and let cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 more minutes.
5. In a separate skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and saute sliced onions on medium heat for about 20 minutes or so, until onions are caramelized.
6. To assemble the biryani, prepare an 8"x 8" casserole dish by drizzling a small amount of olive oil on the bottom of the dish. Spoon 1/3 of the rice on bottom, then add a layer of vegetables, caramelized onions, another layer of rice, another layer of vegetables, caramelized onions, and finally top off the dish with one final layer of rice and caramelized onions, pressing entire mixture down lightly.
7. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of ghee and the saffron with the steeping liquid over the top of the rice. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until rice is done.
8. Spoon rice out onto a serving platter and top with fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Season to taste. Serve immediately.
Before I go any further, I must confess that I adore Indian food and I am actively trying to convince each and every one of you out there to love it as much as I do. Why do I love it, you ask? Indian recipes call for all of these amazing spices that aren't used much in the traditional American household like saffron, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, curry, fenugreek, coriander, garam masala. And c'mon, when's the last time you used cinnamon or cloves in anything besides pumpkin pie?
The serious Indian cook will demand that you only use whole spices, toast them as needed, and grind them afterwards in a "for spices only" coffee grinder. And I whole heartedly agree that this is the absolute best way to get the full flavor from your finished dish. I'm going to admit that for this recipe, knowing that most people don't have a full pantry of whole spices, I just used ground spices (but hey, I toasted them first!)
If there are some spices that you don't have in your pantry, I recommend that you check out your local Indian market or International market before hitting up the regular grocery store. Who knows how long they've been sitting on the shelf at some of these places, so inspect the spices for vibrant color before tossing them in your basket. I think the freshest are spices that are shipped to your door from Penzey's Spices.
Yes, this rice dish takes a bit of prep time and yes, there are plenty of steps to keep you occupied for awhile. But trust me, this gorgeous biryani really packs a punch. This is one you'll want to make when you've got company coming, when you really want to pull out all the stops--just practice it first on your family and friends to make sure you've got it right. The pomegranate seeds are thrown in at the end just before serving, and they provide such a pleasant and surprising burst of flavor and texture to the finished dish. I promise, you will not be disappointed!
Pom! Pom! Biryani
Serves 6
1 pinch saffron
hot water
2 c basmati rice
6 c water
4 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp ghee (Indian clarified butter*)
seeds of 4 green cardamom pods
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of red chili flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 c green peas
1/2 tsp salt
6 twists black pepper
1/2 cup water
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1. Steep saffron threads in 4 Tbsp boiling water in a small bowl for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse 2 cups of basmati rice until water runs clear. Fill large pot with about 6 cups of water, add whole cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, salt and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook for 5 minutes, only until rice is 3/4 done. Drain rice well in a fine mesh colander and pour out onto a sheet pan. Toss rice lightly with 2 Tbsp ghee, pull out and discard whole spices, and let rice cool.
3. Heat a large skillet to medium heat and toast garam masala, turmeric, seeds of green cardamom pods, ground cloves, and chili flakes for about 2 minutes, shaking pan frequently. When you can smell the spices intensely, the oils are being released and the spices can be poured out onto a plate to cool.
4. Return the skillet to medium heat and heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cook for about 1 minute, until the seeds start to pop and sizzle. Add onion and carrots and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook for another minute. Then add green peas, toasted spice mixture, salt and pepper and stir to coat vegetables evenly with the spices. Add 1/2 cup water and let cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 more minutes.
5. In a separate skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil and saute sliced onions on medium heat for about 20 minutes or so, until onions are caramelized.
6. To assemble the biryani, prepare an 8"x 8" casserole dish by drizzling a small amount of olive oil on the bottom of the dish. Spoon 1/3 of the rice on bottom, then add a layer of vegetables, caramelized onions, another layer of rice, another layer of vegetables, caramelized onions, and finally top off the dish with one final layer of rice and caramelized onions, pressing entire mixture down lightly.
7. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of ghee and the saffron with the steeping liquid over the top of the rice. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until rice is done.
8. Spoon rice out onto a serving platter and top with fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Season to taste. Serve immediately.
Labels: indian, pomegranate, rice, vegetarian-option
posted by Margaret at 10:36 PM
1 comments
