Quick (Beef) Biriyani

The biriyani goes out for my sis and lybucha who're one of the most spontaneous biriyani-lovers i've come across. and GC, you too, for embracing Islam. i too love it; one of the few food that you want to go on eating but cannot coz you sadly recognise you're full...way too full for a morsel more. the only problem i've encountered with my biriyani is that it's too heavy and then i start burping...and burp my way to the following day. well, the only solution i've found is to use oil and not ghee. it does wonders...just like the salted-and-dried-fish-stink-(or-fragrance)-is-neutralised-by-brewing-coffee wonder. and let me tell you this is the easiest and the best biriyani recipe i've come across. on second thoughts it's my friend priya who makes the best biriyani and i still haven't been able to pinch her recipe!!

beef or chicken or mutton-1/2 kg
basmati rice-2 cups
tomato-1-11/2 cup finely chopped
onion (sliced lengthwise)-2 cups
water-4 cups(including the stock)
green chillies-3-4 (slit lengthwise)
garlic-2 pods (don't make it any less)
ginger-2 1" pieces
cinnamon-6 pieces or bits
cardamom-10
cloves-10
all-spice leaves (dried)-1-2 (absolutely optional; taste doesn't suffer by its absence)
coriander leaves-1 bunch
mint leaves-1/2 bunch
oil or ghee-1/4-1/3 cup
vinegar-11/4 tbsp
chicken masala (any brand)-1 tsp
pepper powder-1/2 tsp
garam masala-1 tsp
cinnamon powder-1/4-1/2 tsp
turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
biriyani essence (optional)-1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Soak rice in water for 30 min. then strain it and keep. boil meat with salt and vinegar (20 min on sim after the first whistle on full flame for beef; 15 min on sim after the first whistle on full flame for mutton; 1 whistle on full flame for chicken). add the ghee or oil in the pressure cooker and splutter the spices in the oil. then add the onions, green chillies and turmeric powder. fry it well. add the ground garlic and ginger paste. fry again for sometime and then add the tomato. fry it well. add the masala powders and the all-spice leaves if you're using them. fry for some time. drop the meat pieces in it. fry again for a while. pour 2-3 cups (max 31/4 cups) water including the meat stock and when the water boils add the coriander and mint leaves and rice. add the essence and the required salt. close the cooker and keep on full flame. turn it off after the first whistle and let it release the pressure naturally. garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts, raisins and dribble some ghee on it. serve with onion-tomato raita, pickle and papad. follow the steps exactly; don't be complacent and do it your way. it makes a difference.

When you add salt make sure you add the adequate final amount into the cooker before closing it. taste the water to make sure. it's OK if you feel the water is a little too salty. it'll be fine when it is absorbed by the rice.

I noticed something funny which can be the contribution of the rice. when i used four cups of rice i used including the meat stock 71/2 cups of water. i made chicken biriyani today with five cups of rice and found 9 perfect. i guess the various types of basmati rice has an effect in this.

Making a biriyani may sound cumbersome. so do it in steps. fry the masala and the meat and keep. and an hour or two before the meal time do the rice part. beef needs an extra bit of vinegar and tomato. for chicken and mutton the tomato can be one cup and the vinegar 1 tbsp. this biriyani doesn't have the boiled eggs that some people relish. that goes for dum biriyani recipe. but you can always boils two eggs and after you tranfer the pressure cooker content to a dish, bury the eggs and pile the matter, keep it closed with a lid that the eggs remain in the steam and go in for the garnish finally. i love those eggs. oh i love everything about biriyani and tomorrow i'm making chicken biriyani (thomas loves it too). the one made with ghee is defo tastier but heavier too.