Dad's Biryani Rice

This is  dad's method of cooking briyani rice, simple and straightforward to the point but  definitely taste good. He uses loads of onion and that's what takes it one level up. 

Give it a try. I paired it with my sought after mutton/lamb paratel and cucumber raita. (See link below).

5 cups of basmati rice - washed  and soak for 1/2 hour and drained.

6 cups of water

2 screw pine leaves - knotted 

1 tsp salt

A

4 tbs of ghee (clarified butter)

2 cinnamon stick

3 star anise

5 clove

2 cardamom - crushed

B

4 large onion - sliced thickly
1 green chili -sliced into half
1 red chili

C

Handful of yellow raisins and cashew nuts - break into small pieces

3 tbs of evaporated milk
some yellow coloring 

In your large wok , heat the ghee and add A and stir for 30 seconds in a low fire. 

Add B and cook till the onion turns golden.  
Add the cashew nuts first and then the raisins, just for a minute. 
Add the drained rice  with the screw pine leaves and gently toss it around  with the onion spice mix, taking care not to break the rice grains.

Remove from heat and transfer the content gently into the rice pot.  Add the measured water, enough salt. Press cook.

Almost at the end , you may add some yellow coloring if you want your rice looking yellow. Just gently spike few drops all over and cover the lid.

Open the lid again and pour about 3 tbs of evaporated milk all over the rice. At this point the rice is cooked.

                                  
Serve rice in a serving dish and sprinkle some coriander leaves and fried shallots.

Enjoy...jue