Hyderabadi Sofiyani Biryani
by Tarla Dalal

Hyderabadi cuisine in general is marked by its richness, and this biryani tops the charts! There is a rich dimension to every component of this biryani.

The koftas are made of potatoes and paneer perked up with dry fruits, nuts and cream, while the rice itself is flavoured with whole spices and herbs and enhanced with a rich paste of cashewnuts and melon seeds.

The Hyderabadi Sofiyani Biryani has sweet, hot and spicy dimensions, which make it a dashing treat for your taste buds. While many of the ingredients like ginger, green chillies, etc. add to the pungency of this rich preparation, dairy products give it a luxuriant feel.

However, a cup of pineapple cubes added to the biryani makes all the difference because its juicy, tangy, sweet taste helps to highlight all the other flavours of this dish.

Enjoy it hot and fresh with a garnish of fried onions. You will also enjoy other Hyderabadi delicacies like the Khubani ka Meetha and the Mirchi ka Salan .

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Hyderabadi Sofiyani Biryani recipe - How to make Hyderabadi Sofiyani Biryani

For The Koftas
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
1/2 cup crumbled paneer (cottage cheese)
2 tsp fresh cream
1 tbsp chopped cashewnuts (kaju)
1 tbsp raisins (kismis)
1/2 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp cornflour
salt to taste
oil for deep-frying

For The Biryani Rice
1 cup long grained rice (basmati)
1/2 tsp saffron (kesar) strands
3 tbsp warm milk
1/2 cup cashewnuts (kaju)
3 tbsp melon seeds (charmagaz)
3 tbsp ghee
2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
1 small cinnamon (dalchini) stick
4 cardamoms
4 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
2 cups sliced onions
1 tbsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
2 slit green chillies
salt to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves (phudina)
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
1 cup pineapple cubes

For The Garnish
1/2 cup fried onions

Method
For the koftas

Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well.
Divide the mixture into 14 equal portions.
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, and deep-fry a few koftas at a time on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.

For the biryani rice

Combine the rice and enough water in a deep bowl and soak it for 1 hour. Drain and keep aside.
Combine the saffron and warm milk in a bowl, mix well and keep aside.
Combine the cashewnuts, melon seeds and 1 cup of warm water in a bowl, cover with a lid and keep aside for 20 minutes. Drain.
Boil 4 cups of water in a deep non-stick pan, add the rice, 1 tbsp of ghee, mix gently cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Drain and keep aside.
Combine the soaked and drained cashewnut and melon seeds along with 5 tbsp of water in a mixer and blend till smooth. Keep aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of ghee in deep non-stick pan, add the bayleaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black cardamom and onions and sauté on medium flame for 8 minutes.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
Add the cashewnut- melon seeds paste, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the cooked rice and salt, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the mint leaves and coriander and mix gently and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the saffron-milk mixture and pineapple, mix gently and keep aside.

How to procced

Just before serving, put the biryani in an oven safe bowl and spread it evenly.
Arrange the koftas over it, cover with an aluminium foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200ºc (400ºf) for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately garnished with fried onions.

Nutrient values (Abbrv) per serving

Energy	445 cal
Protein	8.5 g
Carbohydrates	42.3 g
Fiber	3.6 g
Fat	26.7 g
Cholesterol	1.2 mg
Sodium	18.4 mg

Click here to view calories for Hyderabadi Sofiyani Biryani

PRANITA DESHPANDE

on 23 Dec 17 08:15 PM

very nice but hard to do this recipe.

Tarla Dalal

25 Dec 17 05:05 PM

But this biryani is worth the effort.. Do try the recipe and give us your feedback..

Annapurna

on 06 Apr 17 02:19 PM

Vry nice recipe

06 Apr 17 03:37 PM

Hi, Thank you for your kind words. Do try more and more recipes and let us know how you enjoyed them. Happy Cooking !!

Shakira Bedi

on 30 Mar 17 09:13 AM

This biryani is extremely rich in taste and texture... with pineapple in it it become more delectable... When i tried this birayani for my kitty party, my friend couldn''t resist from taking 2 more serving''s...