Watch: Formula Food – Biryani attempt no.2

Ingredients

• Enough potatoes that when sliced, will cover the base of your pot. Have one extra washed and ready, just in case
• Butter, about 35g
• 1 large brown onion, finely sliced
• 1 pepper, sliced
• 2 carrots, finely cubed
• 2 fresh chillis, finely sliced
• 5 medium closed cup mushrooms, finely sliced
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• Any other veggies you want to put in, again slice these fairly finely.
• If you want you can add in Quorn/similar chunks.
• 1 teaspoon Chilli flakes/Crushed dried chillis
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 3-5 Cardamom pods (vary depending on how big your pot is)
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala/curry powder/paste
• 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 3 Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 3-5 pistils of saffron
• 800ml vegetable stock
• 300g soaked basmati rice

Instructions

Preparation

1. Weigh out the rice and set it aside in a bowl filled with enough water to cover the rice.
2. Chop all the vegetables, leaving one potato uncut.
3. Make up the vegetable stock and stir in the saffron pistils

Cooking

1. Add some butter to the pan and fry off the vegetables, you want crisp and firm not soft and mushy so take care. Season as you go with the herbs and spices.
2. Add in Quorn or similar at this point, or even chicken if you want.
3. Once this mix is cooked set it aside and add more butter to the pan.
4. Toast the drained, soaked rice until each grain is glistening.
5. Set the toasted rice aside and add the remaining butter to the pan.
6. Layer on the potato slices, add a dash of the stock to start the potato off, then add the vegetables (and meat/Quorn) and top with the rice.
7. Turn the heat up and add the remaining stock and saffron.
8. Top with the bay leaves, and keep an eye on the rice. Check regularly, once the rice if cooked, serve. Be sure to not overcook the rice otherwise you end up with a mushy mess.

Recipe Notes

Patience is key, use a big cast iron pan/pot if you've got one. Equally, once you put the stock in, you can take the pan from the hob and place in a preheated oven at about 160°C and cook it in there. As always, make sure the dish is hot through and all meat is cooked properly. Serve with a beer.

Recipe by

I did.