TOMATO BIRYANI | TOMATO BIRYANI RECIPE

During childhood days biryani is a very rare thing and i hardly remember amma making biryani. She regularly makes Tomato Rice for Lunch box . Tomato biryani our neighbour aunty makes so well and those days we don’t get Mint leaves , so whenever we demand aunty to make , aunty will call up uncle and tell him to buy mint leaves from a particular market in the city and the next day she makes yummy Tomato biryani which we will feast with simple raita. After i got married , when we both visited my mom’s place aunty made the Tomato biryani for both of us and we both enjoyed it.So i am sharing the recipe of Tomato Biryani – Jamuna aunty’s version.

INGREDIENTS: [SERVES 3-4]

*Generally jeera samba rice is used to make tomato biryani, if u want u can use basmati rice too.

METHOD:

• Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes in 1 cup of water.
• Puree 2 tomatoes in mixer and keep aside.
• Grind the shallots(small onion),garlic,ginger and fennel seeds into a fine paste using little water.

• Chop the onions and mint leaves finely.
• In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee. Add the sliced onions and mint leaves.
• When onions turn brown, add the grind paste to this and saute in a low flame till the raw smell goes off.

• Add the tomato puree.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for few minutes in a medium low flame till the raw smell goes off and the oil oozes out on sides.
• Add the green peas. If u don’t get get green peas you can skip it else u can add Butter beans too.

• Mix well and add the coconut milk. I added the sTore bought one.If making at home add the first milk. You can dilute the first milk  little by adding 1/4 water water to 1/2 cup thick coconut milk.
• Add the rice now.
• Close the lid of the cooker and keep the flame to medium.
• When it gives one whistle, keep the flame low and let this be like this for 10 minutes.
• Switch off the flame after 10 minutes.

• Fluff it with a fork once the pressure is released. Serve hot with any raita.
• We had with Potato fry, onion raita and i served Curd Rice and Fruit custard.

Note:

• If using basmati rice, reduce the water to 1/2 cup.
• do not skip mint leaves and coconut milk.
• While grinding the masala you can saute the shallots in oil and grind, which will enhance the taste.
• you can add a tsp of cashew nuts while grinding.
• Bay leaves can be added while adding onions.