Lajjatdar Handi Biryani Video by Tarla Dalal

Lajjatdar Handi Biryani Video by Tarla Dalal

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Handi Biryani is absolutely superior to those made with other methods like open or pressure cooking, even though it appears to use similar ingredients. The simple process of sealing the lid with chapati dough and allowing the ingredients to cook within a covered environment makes all the difference. Basically, what happens in this process is that no moisture is lost. Water evaporates but keeps condensing inside the pot itself, so practically nothing leaves the pot – including the flavours and the aroma of the ingredients. This is what you call a pucca flavour lock! Relish this Lajjatdar Handi Biryani, allowing every spoonful to rest on your palate, and you will be able to discern the flavours of all the ingredients right from the whole spices used to flavour the rice and the tangy chana masala mixture, to the saffron and herbs used to top the layered rice. Lose yourself in the experience...

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Recipe Description for Lajjatdar Handi Biryani

Ingredients

For The Rice
1 1/4 cups long grained rice (basmati) , soaked for 10 minutes and drained
1 tbsp oil
3 cardamoms
1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1 small stick of cinnamon (dalchini)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
1 1/2 cups milk
salt to taste

For The Chana Masala Mixture
1 1/4 cups soaked and cooked kala chana (brown chick peas)
1/4 cup ghee
2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 cup par-boiled potato cubes
4 tbsp whisked curds (dahi)
salt to taste

To Be Mixed Together Into A Curds Mixture
1/4 cup curds (dahi)
1 tsp garam masala
a pinch of cardamom (elaichi) powder
salt to taste

Other Ingredients
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander (dhania)
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves (phudina)
1 tsp ginger (adrak) juliennes , optional
3 thinly sliced green chillies
1/4 tsp saffron (kesar) strands
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp deep-fried onions
1/4 cup chapati dough for the dum

For Serving
raita

Method

For the rice

1. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the green cardamoms, big cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
2. Add the rice, milk and salt, mix well, cover with a lid cook on a slow flame for 5 to 7 minutes, or till the rice is cooked and all the liquid has evaporated, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.

For the chana masala mixture

1. Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.
3. Add the green chillies, chilli powder and turmeric powder, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 30 seconds, while stirring occasionally.
4. Add the potatoes, kala chana, curds and salt, mix well, lower the flame and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Combine the saffron and milk in a small bowl, mix well and keep aside.
2. Take a deep handi, pour the chana masala mixture and spread it evenly using a spoon.
3. Sprinkle the coriander, mint leaves, ginger and green chillies evenly over it.
4. Spread the prepared curd mixture evenly over it.
5. Spread the rice over it and spread it evenly using a back of a spoon.
6. Sprinkle the saffron-milk mixture and deep-fried onions evenly over the rice.
7. Cover with a lid and seal the handi edges with the chapati dough and flattern it lightly.
8. Keep the handi to cook on a slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
9. Switch off the flame, allow it to cool for 5 minutes and remove the chapati dough from the edges.
10. Serve hot with raita.

See step by step images of Lajjatdar Handi Biryani recipe

RECIPE SOURCE : Mughlai Khana