Replacing the rich base for biryani, which is usually made with onion, ginger, and garlic, the trick to make Jain-friendly biryani is the use of khade masale (whole spices). Scroll through this recipe to know how to perfect the one-pot meal without adding onion and garlic.
For millions of people, food is not simply a fuel for sustenance. It’s an expression of devotion and faith. Whether it’s avoiding certain grains while fasting or completely abstaining from certain foods, Indian cuisine is diversely divided into recipes for every community. When it comes to the Jain community, they’re known for their strict adherence to non-violence and the abstinence of not only meat and eggs but also root vegetables like onion, ginger and garlic.
If you are a Jain or hosting the community, it’s important that you know how to substitute the root vegetables to make the dishes just as delicious as their vegetarian counterparts. Just like how you would make vegetable biryani, filled with spices, layers of rice, and a generous amount of dry fruits and nuts, you can follow a similar process for the Jain version. All you need to do is follow this step-by-step guide, learn the tricks to moderately add whole spices, and you’ll not be able to tell that the Jain vegeta
Read MoreWash the Basmati rice and soak it in water for at least half an hour. Drain the water and set aside.
Boil some water, add salt, and whole spices like bay leaves, cloves, and cardamom pods. Add in rice and cook till the rice is 70% cooked (al dente). Drain the rice and spread it on a plate to prevent the grains from sticking.
Take another pan, heat some oil and add the remaining bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pods. Let them sizzle till aromatic. Stir in green chillies and sauté for about a minute.
Pour in the tomato puree and cook till the oil starts to separate. Mix in biryani masala, haldi powder, red chilli powder, dhaniya powder, and salt. Cook for another two minutes, letting the spices toast.
Rinse and chop the vegetables like capsicum, cauliflower, beans, and peas. Add them to the pan and sauté for five to ten minutes. Make sure the vegetables are well-coated with the mixture of spices.
Add yoghurt to the mixture and cook till the vegetables are softer. After about five minutes, your masala will be ready.
Spread half of the cooked rice over the vegetable mixture. Chop the mint and coriander leaves and spread half of them over the rice. Fry cashew nuts and raisins, and spread some of them over the rice.
Spread the remaining rice over the toppings as the second layer. Top it with the remaining mint leaves, coriander leaves, fried cashew nuts and raisins.
Steep strands of saffron in a spoonful of milk and rose water and drizzle over the topmost layer of rice.
Cover the pot with a lid. You can seal it tightly using kneaded atta around the edges. Since biryani is best when dum-cooked, let it simmer on a low flame for 20-25 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest for about ten minutes before you open the lid.
Gently fluff the biryani using a fork to mix the layers. Transfer the biryani to a plate, serve with a bowl of raita and a side of papad, and dig in.
#1 Only parboil the rice. Don’t cook the rice more than 70-80% as they’ll be cooked again after the layering. If overcooked, the grains will be sticky.
#2 Since you’re omitting onion, ginger, and garlic, don’t skimp on the spices. Add whole spices and masalas generously. You can adjust the levels of red chilli powder and salt as per your taste and spice tolerance.
#3 While picking up the biryani masala, make sure to read the ingredients and only choose the Jain-friendly spice mix.
#4 Use fresh curd or yoghurt. Ensure that there isn’t any underlying sour taste, which can impact the overall flavour of the biryani.
#5 Patience is key whenever you’re making biryani. Give it time to slow-cook to perfection and let the biryani sit before opening the lid.
Yes, if you want to omit dairy products, you can use coconut milk or a thick cashew nut paste.
For a Jain-friendly biryani, you’d not use root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, ginger, and garlic. So, you can add options like beans, peas, cauliflower, capsicum, and even paneer.
If you don’t have a readymade biryani masala, you can always make it at home. Simply grind and mix garam masala, red chillies, coriander powder, and a pinch of turmeric powder. You can also add small amounts of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
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