Sindhi Cuisine:
Sindh is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, and it borders the Indian states – Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan. The history of Sindhi backs to the Indus valley civilization, and it is fascinating. If you love history, then I would recommend you all to read about it. Sindhi cuisine is native cuisine of the Sindh region, and due to its proximity with Indian states, it shares similar culinary traditions. I recently started exploring the Sindhi cuisine, and I am glad to share the very first recipe here today.
Sindhi Biryani & Sindhi Biryani Masala:
This famous biryani is on the spicer side yet delicious for sure. The unique and exciting ingredient that we use in this biryani is the prunes. I was so surprised to see that, but it adds a tangy flavor to this biryani. I was a bit hesitant to buy prunes because we don’t prefer it much in our house. (PS- This is not a sponsored post) When I was exploring the ready-made biryani masala for my eggplant biryani and achari ghost masala for the Delhi biryani, I found Shan brand Sindhi biryani masala and MDH Sindhi biryani masala as well. Both had the dried fruits, and on a whim, I picked both the masalas. You see, now I don’t need to buy prunes. :-) I first made the biryani with Shan masala, and it was bit tangy nevertheless it was super delicious and fragrant. Then I tried it with the MDH brand, and it was not tangy but bit spicy and of course delicious. We all enjoyed the spicer version than the tangy version. So I went with MDH brand for this recipe. Also, I used some dried cranberries for the toppings. I liked the subtle sweetness it added to the biryani. You can very well make the masala at home, but I took the easy route. Like Calcutta biryani, you can dry roast all the spices, don’t forget to add dried red chilies and grind them. And use dried fruits of your choice. You can add kewra water and rose water, or if you can find the biryani ittar, you can add that as well along with saffron. Making my Sindhi biryani masala is on my list already. So stay tuned.Now let me share, how I made this Sindhi veg biryani using store-bought masala in the Instant Pot. Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil One onion, roughly chopped One tomato, roughly chopped Two green chilies, slit 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste Three potatoes, cut into big cubes One carrot, peeled and cut into rounds Five beans, edges trimmed and cut into approx 1.5 or 2-inch pieces 2 tbsp Sindhi Biryani masala, heaped or approx 25 gms of the MDH Sindhi biryani masala 1.5 tsp salt 2 tbsp yogurt 1 cup basmati rice soaked for 20 minutes and drained 1.25 cups water
Steps:
Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and when the display shows hot, add the oil. After 30 to 35 seconds, add the chopped and green chili and cook for two minutes.
Then add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for one more minute. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook again for two more minutes. By now the onion would be soft and translucent.
Add all the vegetables – potatoes, carrot, and beans, also the Sindhi biryani masala and salt and mix.
Then add the yogurt and mix thoroughly. Make sure to scrape the bottom.
Now add the rice and water. Gently mix.
Close the Instant Pot lid and make sure the vent is in the sealing position.
Now pressure cook for 5 minutes in high pressure and release the pressure quickly after 3 minutes. (IP Formula – 5 mts manual at high pressure and QPR after 3 minutes)
Carefully open the lid after releasing the pressure and allow the biryani to cool for 10 minutes. Instead of fluffing with the fork in the Instant Pot, you can flip the rice onto a plate and let it cool and fluff too. That’s what I did this time.
Enjoy the Sindhi biryani warm with raita.
Recipe Notes-
Make sure you cut the veggies into big chunks. You can use vegetables of your choice but do not add more than 1 cup. Adjust the salt and biryani masala according to your preference. Green chilies are optional, but it adds a nice kick to the biryani.
📖 Recipe
