Recipe- An Unusual Yet Perfect For Dinner Kathal Biryani

An unusual biryani that not many might have heard of, Kathal Biryani or Jackfruit Biryani is made using raw jackfruit cooked with a variety of spices. Here is how to make Kathal ki Biryani.

Ingredients

For the Rice

2 cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
2 tsp Salt
4 cups Water
2 Tej patta
2-3 Green cardamom
2 inch piece Cinnamon
3-4 Cloves

For the Masala

3 tbsp Vegetable oil
3 tbsp Ghee
500 g Raw Jackfruit / Kathal
1 tsp Shahi zeera
1 and 1/2 cup Onions Thinly sliced
2 tsp Ginger Finely chopped
3-4 Green chillies
1 cup Yogurt
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
2 tbsp Fresh mint Chopped
2 tbsp Fresh coriander Chopped
Salt To taste

For Garnishing

1/2 cup Golden fried onions
2 tbsp Mint leaves Chopped
10-12 Cashew nuts Fried until golden
15-20 Raisins
10-15 strands Saffron Soaked in 1 tbsp milk

Method

For the Rice

* Wash the rice and soak in enough water for 30 minutes.

* Drain the water and add the rice in a heavy bottom pan along with 4 cups of water, salt, tej patta, green cardamom, cinnamon and cloves.

* Cook the rice until it is 80% done.

For the Masala

* Heat oil in a pan.

* Once the oil is hot, add jackfruit and fry until golden brown.

* Remove from the pan and keep aside.

* In the same pan, add ghee.

* Once the ghee is hot, add shahi zeera and onion and fry until onion is golden brown.

* Add ginger and green chillies and fry for a minute.

* Add yogurt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and fried jackfruit and fry for 3-4 minutes.

* Now add mint, coriander and salt and cover and cook the jackfruit until it is done.

* Add little water if required.

Assembling the Biryani

* In a heavy bottom pan, add the jackfruit masala.

* Sprinkle some golden fried onions, mint leaves, cashew nuts and raisins.

* Cover with cooked rice.

* Top with the remaining golden fried onions, mint leaves, cashew nuts, raisins and saffron soaked in milk.

* Cover the pan tightly and cook on very low heat for 10-15 minutes.

* Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for another 10 minutes.

* Fluff with a fork and serve hot with raita.