IngredientsFor Gatte:1 cup Besan
to taste Salt
½ tsp Fennel seeds
For Rice:
1½ cups Basmati Rice – soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
3 Cloves
3 pods Cardamom
1” Cinnamon stick
1 Bay leaf
to taste Salt
For the Curry/ Masala:1 Onion – large, thinly sliced
1 tsp Ginger + garlic paste
1 Tomato – large, chopped
½ cup Mint leaves – lightly packed
½ cup Cilantro – lightly packed
¾ cup Yogurt – well beaten
¼ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp Ground coriander
1 tsp Garam Masala/ Rajastani Garam masala (recipe follows)
to taste Salt
Method 1. Make the Gatte: Combine besan, fennel seeds and salt. Add enough water to make a stiff dough almost like roti dough. Then divide the dough into 8-10 3? long logs.
2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the besan logs gently into the boiling water. Lower the heat a little and then simmer these logs for 10-15 minutes or until they are cooked through. You can check the doneness by inserting a sharp knife right into the middle of the gatte and if it comes out clean, then the gatte are ready.
3. After cooking, the outer surface of the gatte gets quite rough and bubbly. Let the gatte cool, then using a sharp knife, cut the gatte into bite size pieces. Keep aside until ready to use.
4. In a microwave safe bowl, add rice and all the whole garam masala listed above along with 1½cups of water and salt. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until all the water is evaporated and rice is 70% cooked through. Alternately rice can also be boiled until 70% cooked on the stove top.
OR
You can cook rice on gas in your normal procedure.
Make the Curry/ Masala: 1. Heat 2tbsp ghee and 1tbsp oil in a saute pan; add onions and cook until lightly browned around the edges.
2. Add ginger+garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. Next add chopped tomato and cook covered until it turns mushy.
3. Add yogurt along with turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Next add the gatte, half of the chopped mint and cilantro leaves and ½cup of water. Let this mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes.
4. To Assemble Gatte ki Biryani: Add a layer of the masala in the bottom of a heavy bottomed pan; next add 1/3 of the rice, followed by half of the remaining masala, followed by 1/3 of the rice and rest of the masala. Finally add the remaining rice and top it with the rest of the chopped mint and cilantro.
5. Cover the pan and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked through and flavors meld.
6. Serve hot with raita and papad.