POTATO BIRYANI

The once vegetables hater girl enjoys her choice of vegetarian dishes in the present day. Perhaps too much of non-veg diet is the reason. I remember, our parents did not like having non-vegetarian food while on the tours. They felt it is not safe to have fish /meat in the hotels or in the outdoors considering the hygiene part. It was a kind of punishment to me. Even my obedient self refused and used to say I cannot go vegetarian for 10-15 days. I clearly visualise the teen sitting beside the Dal Lake and demanding for fish..... the father walked down from here to there and got a fish fry. That I did not like it is a different story. Back to the present, I do feel sorry for putting them in trouble. In the pursuit of cooking a tasty vegetarian dish, I prepared this Potato Biryani and served it with chicken kebabs and raita. This is one way of satisfying myself and keeping my religiously non-vegetarian men happy. You see I have used khoya in the preparation as told by the person who gave this recipe. Back in Kolkata, there are a number of biryani outlets in my neighbourhood, I have learnt about this use of khoya / semi-solidified milk in biryani from a cook who happens to live in the locality. He happens to be my Kolkata help's elder son-in-law. Let us do it.

INGREDIENTS : [for instant khoya]

Milk Powder : 1small cup
Ghee[clarified butter] : 2tsp
Whole milk : 1/2 cup

INGREDIENTS : [for the rice]

Basmati Rice : 1big cup
Green Cardamom : 3-4
Cinnamon : 1inch stick one
Cloves : 3-4

Mace : 2-3

Star Anise : 2-3

Black Cardamom : 2
Bay Leaf : 2-3
Salt : As required
Water : As required

INGREDIENTS :[for cooking the potato]

Potatoes : 2-3
Plain Yogurt : 3-4 tbsp
Whole Spices :[ 5-6 black peppercorns, 2 one-inch cinnamon stick, 3-4 cloves, 3-4 green cardamom, 1 star anise]
Salt : As required
Ginger Paste : 1tsp
Garlic Paste : 2tsp
Onion Paste : 2tbsp

Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp

Black Pepper Powder : 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon Powder : 1/4 tsp

Green Cardamom Powder : 1/4 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Oil : 2tbsp
Ghee : 1tbsp

INGREDIENTS : [final round]

Ghee : 2-3 tbsp
Khoya : 1/2 small cup
Rose Water : 4-5 drops I do not use Kewra Water or Meetha Atar]

METHOD :

Lets prepare the khoya first. Mix together the milk powder, whole milk and ghee in a bowl and microwave at high for 3 minutes stirring every 30 seconds.

Boil enough water in a vessel to prepare the rice. Add salt and a teaspoon of ghee to the water. Take a clean cloth, add the whole spices mentioned, tie and put into the boiling water. The rice has to be washed and soaked for 1/2 an hour. Add it to the boiling water and cook until 70% done. Drain the water and discard the whole spices.

Peel and wash the potatoes. Marinate with salt & turmeric and fry in the oil, take them out. I forgot to click this part.

Mix together the turmeric, salt, onion-ginger-garlic pastes. Heat oil and ghee together in a wok, add the  spice paste and fry for 3-4 minutes. 

Beat together the plain yogurt, cumin-coriander-red chilli powders and add to the wok. Stir cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the potatoes with the marinade and cook till they are 75% done. Add the 2-3 drops of rose water, cinnamon, green cardamom powders, a little of the khoya and fold in well. Take down.

Now we are to do the final step. Add the khoya / semi-solidified milk, 4-5 drops of rose water and ghee to the rice, mix lightly. This ensures less consumption of ghee.

In a deep bottomed pan arrange bayleaves to avoid burning of the rice. But you should grease the bottom of the vessel with ghee and oil, I did not like the smell of slightly charred bayleaves in the biryani.

Add half of the rice first. Thereafter, add the potatoes with gravy, then again the rice and the rest of the gravy. You can make three such layers too. The top most layer should be rice. 

Place a frying pan on the top of the gas stove. Place the vessel on it. Cook at low heat for 50-55 minutes, shaking 2-3 times in between.

Its done, serve hot. I served the Potato Biryani with some chicken kebabs and plain yogurt.