You don’t need exotic ingredients to make a delicious recipe. This Rawther biryani is all about that. Call it Coimbatore biryani or Palakkadan biryani or Palakkad biryani or Rawther biryani – all you need is some simple and local ingredients to make this exotic dish. Just look at the ingredient list, and you will agree.
Jeerakasala Rice | Kaima Rice:
Rawther Biryani:
This biryani is famous in the Rawther Muslim community in the Palakkad district, and Coimbatore Districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu states. But these days it is getting quite popular outside these two districts as well. There are many version with meat and chicken, and traditionally it is served with a non-veg gravy called kaichar and melon halwa. I made the vegetarian version of the biryani and served it with my veg salna and raita. :-) I learned a lot about this biryani from the Dubai Delicacy and the Cookpad sites but adapted my version from the cookpad site. Now without any further ado, here is my vegetarian version of the Rawther biryani. Ingredients:
2 tbsp ghee One onion Five shallots ½ tsp ginger garlic paste Two green chilies 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped Ten mint leaves One tomato 1 tsp red chili powder ½ tsp garam masala ¼ tsp turmeric powder 1.5 tsp salt 1 cup mixed vegetables – I used carrots, cauliflower, peas, green beans and potatoes Ten soy chunks soaked in hot water for about 15 minutes and drained. 1 cup Jeerakasaala rice soak in water for about 15 minutes ½ tsp lemon juice 1.25 cups water
Prep-Work:
Chop the onion, peel the shallots and cut them into halves. Cut the veggies, tomatoes and slit the green chilies into two. Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes and drain the water. Soak the soya chunks in water for 15 minutes and drain it. Squeeze the soy chunks and remove as much water as you can.
Steps:
Heat the pressure cooker or pressure pan and add the ghee. Let the ghee melt and then add the chopped onion, shallots, ginger-garlic paste, and the slit green chilies. Cook until the onions turn soft and tender.
Then add the mint leaves and cilantro. Cook until they wilt or for a minute over medium heat.
Next add the chopped tomato and the spices – red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, and salt — Cook for two minutes.
Now add the veggies and soy chunks. Mix thoroughly and cook for two more minutes.
Then add the rice, water and also the lemon juice. Mix gently and make sure to scrape the bottom.
Close the pressure cooker lid and put the weight on. Cook for one whistle and after one whistle, reduce the heat to low(on a number scale it is 2) and cook for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally. After opening the pressure cooker lid, allow the rice to cool for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with raita and kuruma or salna.
Recipe Notes-
Adjust the spices according to your preference. I went with a minimal amount of lemon juice; you can add up to 1.5 tsps for this biryani or skip the lemon juice and add one more tomato. If you can source Jeerakasala rice, then go for that. If you can’t source both jeerakasala and the seeraga samba rice, then use basmati rice. The taste will be different though. If you are using basmati rice, turn off the heat after one whistle — no need to cook over low heat for five mts. If using Instant pot, then cook the rice for 3 minutes over high pressure and release the pressure after 5 minutes like in Ambur biryani.
📖 Recipe
