Qabuli Biryani#Alphabet Challenge

Qabuli Biryani is a vegetarian layered rice dish from Andhra, this biryani has layers of basmati rice, chana dal in a yogurt gravy and saffron milk & kewra water! I made this for our friends get together and they all were amazed with the flavor and taste.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For The Chana Dal Gravy
150 grams Chana Dal / Bengal Gram Lentil - soaked
1½ Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
½ Cup Oil
1 Cup Thick Yogurt - whisked
3 Green Chilies - slit
3 Tablespoons Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Kitchen King Masala
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ Cup + ½ Cup Brown Onion - crushed
1 Teaspoon Salt
A Juice of One Lemon juice
1 Large Potato - boiled and fried
Whole Spices
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Bay Leaf
2 Cloves
4 Whole Black Peppercorns
1" Stick Cinnamon
1 Brown Cardamom
2 Green Cardamoms
For The Rice
300 Grams Basmati Rice
2 Tablespoons Sea Salt
Whole Spices
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1" Stick Cinnamon
3 Cardamoms
5 Cloves
8 Black Peppercorns
1 Brown Cardamom
Method
To Boil The Rice

Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15 minutes
Boil 6 -8 cups of water and salt. Add the whole spices. Drain the excess water from the soaked rice. When the water comes to roll boil,add the rice and boil for about 10 minutes on medium flame. Remove the rice when it is just cooked but the grains should be firm. Drain the water, let it cool completely.
For The Chana Dal Gravy
Wash and soak the chana dal for 2 hours.

Heat oil in a kadai / pot fry add all the whole spices and sauté for a minute then add ginger garlic paste, and sauté till the raw aroma vanishes. Switch off the flame, add then ½ cup room temperature water and then the whisked yogurt mix well. Place the pot back on to the flame and on high flame stirring continuously with a whisk, whisk this till it comes to a rolling boil, then reduce the flame ( the yogurt will not curdle if you try this method, this is a tried and tested method). Now add the dal mix well, ½ cup crushed brown onions and place this on the flame and cook covered on low flame till the dal is just done but still whole. Add green chilies and half the coriander leaves, give it a stir. 

This gravy should be thick, do not dry this completely. Switch off the flame add lemon juice. Keep aside. 

Assemble The Biryani 

In a heavy bottom pan add ¼ cup water, & ¼ cup oil mix well and then half of the boiled rice with a sprinkle of pinch of salt and then add all of the cooked dal mixture. 

A sprinkle coriander leaves, potatoes cubes and brown onions.

Then the remaining rice top it with yellow color, fried onions, coriander leaves, slices of tomatoes and few drops of kewra and a few dollops of butter all over. Cover it with a foil tightly and leave it on dum on high flame for 5 minutes then very low flame for 15 minutes. Switch off the flame. 

Let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Lightly mix the rice and serve hot. We enjoyed this with raita.
Labels: Alphabet Challenge,Chana Dal, Biryani, Rice, Indian, Andhra Pradesh,Main course, Vegetarian

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