Kolkata Style Raw Jackfruit Biryani

Biryani is arguably the most popular Indian dish across the vast and diverse cuisine, there are many variants of this popular dish, almost every region and state within India has its own version of the Biryani with tweaks native to that area or region. From the rice to the spices including the procedure and the utensils used to make this complex dish matters and renders itself to the variations. Today I am trying the Kolkata Style Biryani which is very unique and in its own league. This Biryani variant was introduced to Kolkata when one of the nawabs from Lucknow was exiled and had to live in Metiabruz. The nawab brought his khansama along with him and they would cook him his favorite dish - The Biryani with ingredients available locally. The Kolkata Biryani uses potatoes along with meat and vegetables, I have made a Kolkata style Biryani with Raw Jackfruit, another very popular vegetable native to West Bengal. This version I am making is a time-tested and traditional family recipe from my friend Piyali S Mutha, her Baba (father) would make this for their family and was very passionate about his creation and Piyali made sure that I followed it to the T. 

Please visit this link to review her original and amazing creation : http://mytrystwithfoodandtravel.blogspot.com/2017/06/kolkata-style-chicken-biryani-recipe.html. 

The heart and soul of this biryani lies in the freshly made and hand pounded Biryani Masala, I will show you how the biryani masala is made the traditional way. If you want to follow Piyali's blog for many more mind blowing recipes, please follow this link and subscribe to her blog to keep pace with her culinary escapades : http://mytrystwithfoodandtravel.blogspot.com/ 

Kolkata Style Raw Jackfruit (Echorer) Biryani

Ingredients for the Biryani Masala

• 4-5 Sticks Cinnamon (Dalchini)
• 4-5 Pods Green Cardamom (Hara Elaichi) 
• 2-3 Pods Black Cardamom (Kala Elaichi)
• 8-10 Cloves (Laung)
• 1/2 Cup Dried Rose Petals (Gulab ki pankhudi)
• 1 Tbsp Cubed Pepper (Kabab Chini) 
• 1 Tbsp White Peppercorns Whole (Shah Morich) 
• 2 Tbsp Black Cumin (Shahjeera)
• 1-2 Mace Strands (Javentri) 
• 1 Nutmeg Whole (Jaiphal)

Ingredients for the Biryani

• 3 Cups Onions (sliced thin)
• 2 Cups of Oil 
• 1 Cup Ghee (Clarified Butter, I used traditional Gawa Ghee) 
• 3 Cups Raw Jackfruit (Cubed) 
• 2 Medium Potatoes (Alu) 
• 2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Cup Yogurt 
• 1 Tbsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder 
• 1/2 Tbsp Turmeric (haldi) 
• 1/2 Cup Mint Leaves (Pudina)
• 1 Cup Cilantro (Dhaniya Patta) 
• 1 Tbsp Rose Water (Gulab Jal) 
• 1/2 Tsp Screwpine Water (Kewra) 
• 1/2 Tsp Meetha Attar (Sweet Edible Perfume)
• 1 Tbsp Dried Rose Petals 
• 1/2 Cup Solid Milk (Khoya) 
• 1/2 Cup Dried Plums (Alu Bukhara)
• 3-4 Cups Basmati Rice (Use fragrant long grain Basmati Rice)
• 1-2 Tbsp Biryani Masala 
• 2-3 Bay Leaves (Tej Patta) 
• 1 Tbsp Shahjeera 
• 5-6 Green Cardamom (Hara Elaichi)
• 2-3 Cinnamon Sticks (Dalchini) 
• 5-6 Cloves (Laung) 
• 6-8 Saffron Strands 
• 4-5 Green Chillies (Hara Mirch)
• 10-12 Cubed Pepper (Kabab Chini)
• 1/2 Cup Milk 
• 2 Tbsp Salt  

Procedure for Biryani Masala

• Assemble all your masalas on a plate 

Assemble all your spices for the masala 

• Dry roast all the masalas on a slow flame (make sure you do not burn your masalas or else you will ruin your biryani)
• Masalas will start emitting a very nice aroma, you know your masalas are done  

Dry Roast all the spices on a slow flame

• Allow the masalas to cool down 
• Now pour your masalas into a mortar and pestle 
• Slowly hand-pound the masalas (this allows the spices to release the flavors and oils)

• Bring the masalas to a coarse texture and set aside 

Hand-pound the spices to a coarse masala powder

Procedure for the Biryani Korma Marination

• To start with begin marinating the raw jackfruit with biryani masala
• In a glass bowl add the jackfruit pieces, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, freshly hand-pound biryani masala, salt, kashmiri red chilli powder, rose water, kewra water, 1 tbsp mustard oil 
• Finely slice onions and set them aside
• In a pan heat oil and add the onions, fry the onions on a slow flame until they are golden brown and set aside on a paper towel (to absorb the excess oil) 
• Add the crispy fried onions to the biryani masala 
• Mix the batter well, cover the glass bowl and set to marinate overnight in the refrigerator 

Prepare the Biryani masala and marinate it overnight Add caption

• The next day, peel and chop potatoes into halves and boil them till they are 60-70% cooked
• Add salt, turmeric and kashmiri rec chilli powder to the potatoes and let it marinate for 10 minutes
• In the same pan that you sautéed the onions, sear the potatoes till evenly golden

Marinate the potatoes with salt, turmeric and Kashmiri lal mirch before searing them in the pan

• Set aside along with the fried onions 
• Slit the green chillies and set aside, Crumble the khoya and set aside, Keep all your masalas ready
• Remove the marination from the refrigerator and set aside

Biryani Masala after overnight marination

• In a sauce pan add some gawa ghee and heat 
• Once the ghee is melted and hot, add the marination mixture and allow the mixture to cook for 7-8 mins
• Pour water and mix well, cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 7-8 mins or until the mixture starts to leave oil on the sides 
• The raw jackfruit korma is done, remove it from the flame and set aside  

Cook the Biryani masala well until the mixture stars leaving oil to the sides

Procedure for the Rice

• Soak the long grain basmati rice for 30 minutes to an hour (make sure you pour enough water in a bowl to cover the rice and 1 inch above the rice) 

Soak Basmati Rice for 30 mins to 1 hour prior to cooking

• Drain the water and set the rice aside  
• In a sauce pan heat water, add bay leaves, kabab chini, green cardamom and bring to boil
• Add the soaked rice to the boiling water and cook it till it is 70% done
• Drain the water and spread the rice on a plate to dry

Cook you rice with some spices to 70% done, drain and spread on a plate to dry

• In a smaller sauce pan, boil water and add few strands of saffron and allow it to come to a boil
• Cool this mixture and set the saffron infused water aside
• Divide the rice into two halves, to one half sprinkle the saffron infused water and mix gently to coat each grain with the saffron water (every grain of rice must turn golden yellow from the saffron color)   

Saffron and Ghee infused rice and Plain rice ready for layering

 

Procedure for the Biryani

• Take a glass bowl and smear it with ghee, on all four corners and the walls
• Place the raw jackfruit pieces on the bottom of the glass bowl, then place the potatoes carefully 
• Now layer the fried onions, solid milk (khoya), dried plums (alu bukhara) 

Add Solid Milk or Khoya to enhance the richness of the Biryani

• Sprinkle the saffron rice and layer on top of this mixture 
• Pour the remainder of the korma gravy on top of the saffron rice 
• Layer the white rice on top of the this mixture and top with fried onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves
• Soak some saffron strands in warm milk, allow the saffron to leave its color in the milk 
• Pour the saffron infused milk in the center of the Biryani     

Assemble your Biryani carefully layering it and adding the toppings

 

Cover the glass bowl with an aluminum foil and seal the Biryani air tight

Preheat the over to 350F and place the glass bowl inside the over for dum 

Allow the Biryani to cook for 30-35 mins on dum

 

Give the Biryani dum for a good 30-40 mins 

 

Remove the glass bowl from the oven, carefully unwrap the aluminum foil

Serve hot, make sure you remove the Biryani from one corner carefully

Each layer of the Biryani should be included in every serving and enjoy 

 

Kolkata Biryani is ready to be served