BACKWARDS BIRYANI w/ MINT RAITA

BACKWARDS BIRYANI w/ MINT RAITA

This dish sums up conscious cooking very well, nutritious, affordable, flexible, no allergens, FULL IN FLAVOUR. Classic biryani are made a little bit differently to this version but I think this is easier and takes on more flavour. All you need is a couple veggies, some rice and spices and you have a fantastic family meal. 

Serves 2-3

Biryani Mix

• 2 spring onions

• 2 handfuls spinach

• 6 mushrooms

• 1 pepper 

• 1 handfuls peas

• 2 garlic cloves

• handful fresh coriander. 

• thumb ginger

• 2 tablespoons curry powder

• 1 tablespoon cumin powder 

• 1 tablespoon turmeric

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• himalayan salt

• cracked black pepper 

• fresh chilli (optional)

Rice

• 1 cup white basmati rice (2 cups boiling water)

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds

• 4 cardamom pods

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil

• 1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt

Coconut Raita 

• 4 heaped tablespoons yogurt (preferable COYO, Any dairy free yogurt is fine)

• 2 tablespoons dry mint 

• few sprigs fresh chopped mint

• pinch sea salt

• squeeze lemon juice

Garnishes

Mixed seeds, spring onion tops, olive oil, lemon juice

Method

In this recipe we will be using the absorption method to cook the rice. 1 mug of rice feeds two / three people and you need double the amount of water to rice. 1 cup of rice = 2 cups of boiled water, always double the amount of water for the absorption method. 

First step is to wash your rice in cold water, a few times in a bowl, then wash it in fine siv under cold water. Get a kettle boiled with filtered water. Put a saucepan on medium heat add coconut oil, let it melt and then add salt, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and cardamom pods and let this take on some heat and release their natural oils and flavour. Add the rice then give it a good stir so they take on some oil, flavour and heat. Add the boiling water give it a good stir and bring the water up to a boil quite quickly, put the lid on and turn the heat down to medium heat. Follow your rice cooking instructions for time, usually around 8 minutes. When the rice is coming to its cooking time, look for wholes forming in the rice when the water is evaporated then run a fork through it, make any final seasonings, then put the lid back on and let it steam for a few minutes. 

Meanwhile mince garlic and ginger and finely chop coriander keep the stalks for cooking and heads for garnishing and chop the rest of your veggies. Add coconut oil to deep frying pan or wok, add your pepper with some salt, I like to caramelise the pepper down for 5 minutes on a high heat. Then add your spices and let these take on some heat for 1 minute or so. Add ginger and garlic, fry this off for a couple mins until they soften then add the other tablespoon of coconut oil along with spring onions and mushrooms cook these further for a couple minutes. Finally turn the pan down to a low medium head and add spinach and peas and cook these for a 5 minutes.

While the veggies are finishing make your coconut raita. Finely chop the mint, add yogurt to a bowl along with the other ingredients and give it a good stir. Drizzle on top with some olive oil and a sprinkling of dry mint. 

To bring the biryani together, turn the pan of veggies off the heat, spoon the rice into the frying pan and give it a good stir, add some chopped coriander and a dash of rapeseed oil and a squeeze of lime. Give it all a good mix through making sure the rice takes in all of the spices and flavours from the pan. To plate up spoon the rice into a bowl add a dollop of raita and dress with coriander heads, some seeds and some chilli if your feeling spicy.