PRESSURE COOKER BIRIYANI

This is a good lunch box recipe. It does not have the Malabar biriyani taste. More of a Tamil cuisine taste. I make this when I have no mint and coriander leaves in stock. I serve it with boiled egg and salad.

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 cups of chopped onions(240 gms)
2. 2 tomatoes(150 gms)(pureed)
3. 500 gms chicken( I have used boneless chicken thighs)
4. 1-1/2 cup basmati rice
5. 1-1/2 tsp cumin powder
6. 1-1/2 tsp star anise seed powder
7. 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
8. 1/2 tsp clove powder
9. 1-1/2 tsp chili powder
10. 1 tsp turmeric powder
11. 2 Tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
12. 4 Tbsp. oil
13. 1/4 of a medium size capsicum(optional)
14. 2-1/2 cups boiling  water(3 cups if using sona masoori rice)
15. salt as per taste (3 tsp)
16. 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

METHOD

• Soak the rice for 20 minutes.
• Prepare all the ingredients and keep them aside. Heat a pressure cooker on medium-high heat. When warm, add oil; when the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, turn the heat high, and sauté the onions until translucent. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Then add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté on high heat until the paste starts sticking and browning at the bottom. Then turn the heat to medium-high and add in the spice powders, give it a quick stir, and add in the pureed tomatoes. Turn the heat to high and sauté for about 5 minutes. When the pureed tomatoes are added, it will deglaze the pan. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Then add in the chicken. Keep sautéing on high heat. When the chicken is heated through, add salt and cook the chicken. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• If the bottom of the pan burns, reduce the heat to medium-high. Sauté the chicken well. The chicken should be cooked well before adding the rice. This is important.
• Meanwhile, wash and drain the rice, and heat 2-1/2 cups in the microwave on high power. 
• Add this to the chicken, turn the heat high, add salt(this is for the rice), taste the liquid, and check for salt, then boil. Add lemon juice. Stir well, then add the drained rice. After adding the rice, do not stir. Just spread the rice so that it is evenly distributed on the top. You can add the capsicum at this point(if using).
• The water should be at the same level as the rice. Bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-high, close the lid, put the weight on, and pressure cook for 3 whistles. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                                                    

• Open the lid only after 20 minutes. Stir gently so that the rice separates. This should be done when the rice is hot. Once cold, it's difficult to separate. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

NOTES

• If you want to cook the rice separately, bring 7 cups of water to a boil, wash and drain the soaked rice, and bring the rice to a boil. Turn off the stove after boiling. Add 3 tsp salt and keep covered for 4 minutes. It will cook in the heat retained. After 4 minutes, bring the rice to a boil and then drain. Keep for 5 minutes. In the interim, cook the chicken as usual in the cooker without adding the water. Reduce the salt to 1-1/2 tsp. Add the rice and cook/steam on the lowest heat possible for 30 minutes when the chicken is cooked with gravy. After 30 minutes, stir and check for doneness; if required, cook/steam until the rice is cooked. 
• Skip the chicken and just make the biriyani rice. Adjust the salt and chili powder per the amount of rice. Serve with boiled eggs.