. . .and it is called qabooli, derived from the word qabool meaning ‘to accept’!
This is how it is made.
As most of you will remember, we made the vegetable stock last week and this week we’re using it in this wonderful biryani. There were 3 litres of vegetable stock (ganga jal) made.
So, now that we’ve got our vegetable stock ready, let’s get cracking with making the dish.
Ingredients:
1. 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2. 2 medium-sized red (Spanish) onions, finely chopped
3. 2 tablespoons salt
4. 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
5. 1 1/2 tablespoons ground garlic
6. 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
7. 1 1/2 tablespoons ground dried red chillies
8. 2 cups yoghurt
9. garam masala for biryani
10. saffron threads soaked in warm milk
ingredients, from left to right: vegetable oil, salt, ground ginger, ground garlic, turmeric, ground chillies, garam masala, saffron threads and chopped onions & yoghurt (centre)
11. 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
12. 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
13. 4-5 fresh green chillies, sliced
14. 1 medium-sized red onion, sliced and caramelised
ingredients, from left to right: caramelised onions, chopped coriander, sliced green chillies & chopped mint
15. 1 cup chana dal, or chick pea lentils, soaked in half the vegetable stock.
16. 3 cups Basmati rice soaked in 12 cups of water
ingredients: Basmati rice & chana dal
Method:
1. Soak the rice in cold water till the rice touches the surface of the water (approx. 15 minutes).
2. Soak the chick pea lentils in half the vegetable stock for about 15 minutes. Then cook on high heat till the lentils are soft but not mashed. Drain and set aside. Set the strained liquid aside.
chick pea lentils soaked in vegetable stock
bring to a boil & cook on high heat
cook till the lentils are soft but not mashed
strain the lentils & reserve the ‘pot liquor’
strained lentils
3. Heat oil in a pot till it smokes, add the chopped onions and reduce the heat to moderate.
heat oil
add the chopped onions
4. Add 1 tablespoon salt and fold the onions. Cook till onions are almost caramelised.
add salt
caramelise the onions
5. Add the ground ginger and fold. Cook till the ginger is caramelised.
add the ginger
cook till the ginger caramelises
6. Add the ground garlic and cook till caramelised.
add the garlic
cook for a couple of minutes
8. Add the yoghurt and cook till the yoghurt has completely cooked and the oil appears on the sides of the pot.
add the yoghurt
cook till the oil leaves the sides of the pot
9. Add the cooked and strained chana dal, fold and cook till oil leaves the sides of the pot.
add the chana dal
cook till the oil leaves the sides of the pot
10. Sprinkle the garam masala on top.
sprinkle the garam masala on top
fold into the dal
11. Add the chopped mint, chopped coriander and the sliced chillies to the lentils. cover and keep aside.
add the chopped mint
and the chopped coriander
followed by the chillies
cover & keep aside
12. In a pot bring the remaining stock and the drained liquid (kept aside after cooking the lentils) to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
boil the stock & drained liquid from cooked chana dal in a separate pot
add salt
cook till the rice is al dente
strain the cooked rice
layer over the fresh herbs on the chana dal
14. Sprinkle the soaked saffron threads on top of the rice. Cover rice with a moist cloth/ tea towel and place the pot in a pre-heated, fan forced oven, temp. 150 C, for about 20 mins.
sprinkle the saffron threads soaked in milk
layered biryani ready for the oven
cover with a wet tea towel
place the lid on top
place in the oven
top with caramelised onions
and fresh herbs
serve with roasted pappads & bhoorani
This is a superb vegetarian dish and I hope you enjoy making it. It’s often the simplest, and most straightforward things, that can often be the best.
Anah Daata Sukhi Bhava