Hello, it's been a while. Speaking of summer, it's curry! Speaking of curry, it's Katori!
It's been several months since I wrote this.
Curry is delicious no matter when you eat it. Am I the only one who wants to eat curry when I get tired of osechi cuisine? Let me introduce it to you in the cold winter.
Recently, "spice curry" has been featured a lot in magazines and the media, and there are even curry maniacs who eat curry 365 days a year. I secretly feel like there is an unprecedented curry boom, but I can't lose out either (lol).
I eat curry almost every day.
At Monosus' anniversary parties and year-end parties, my husband, who is from Pakistan , has served authentic Pakistani curry (Indian curry) on several occasions.
I was asked to introduce the recipe for the curry that has been well received every time, but this time I would like to introduce the "Biryani" that only a few people know about.
If you like Indian curry, you might get the idea.
Once you try this delicious biryani, you'll definitely be hooked!
What is Biryani?
Simply put, biryani is a type of rice dish eaten in countries surrounding India.
Alongside Spanish paella and Japanese matsutake rice, Indian biryani is said to be one of the three great rice dishes in the world.
This dish is made by frying and cooking rice (basmati rice), spices, meat, vegetables, beans, eggs, etc.
According to the Japan Biryani Association , the roots of biryani lie in the Persian Empire (present-day Iran). It is said to have been introduced to India when the Persians invaded South Asia with the spread of Islam, and developed during the Mughal Empire. However, my husband said that there is also a theory that biryani originated in Pakistan.
The ingredients and preparation methods seem to vary depending on the country and region, but while in India there are many vegetarian and chicken biryanis, in Pakistan biryani made with meats other than pork such as beef, mutton, and chicken are popular.
Encounter with Biryani
My first encounter with biryani dates back seven years ago.
I've always loved Indian curry, but it was my husband who got me into it.
Before we got married, the month-long Islamic holiday of Ramadan had ended and I was invited to my husband's family's home for the celebration day known as Eid.
When I opened the door, I was greeted with an exotic smell. It was exactly the smell of an Indian curry restaurant. And in the kitchen, there were many spice bottles neatly arranged.
I feel kind of excited.
My mother-in-law and sisters were busy going back and forth in the kitchen. At my father-in-law's signal, everyone gathered together.
On the table were two kinds of curry, fried fish, salad, and a large plate of brown rice that I had never seen before. Looking closer, I could see chunks of meat. There was a bowl of white sauce on the side. Everyone seemed happy.
As I watched them eat, they put rice on each plate, poured white sauce on it, and started to eat skillfully with their right hands.
This was my first encounter with biryani.
The first biryani I tried was beef biryani.
I followed everyone else's lead and put the white sauce on top of my rice. I couldn't eat it with my hands, so I had to eat it with a spoon.
The curry-flavored rice was long and slender, with a unique aroma. The beef was tender and infused with the curry flavor, and I immediately felt that it was a favorite flavor.
The sauce is actually made from yogurt and is called "raita."
Yogurt on rice?! It was a combination I'd never tried before and it was quite a shock.
Those who don't know about it can't imagine it. I quickly realized that the combination of curry-flavored rice and yogurt is the best.
There are many different types of raita, and I will show you how to make it next.
And so, as soon as I encountered biryani, the national dish of Pakistan, it quickly rose to the top of my list of favorite things.
Pakistanis even bring biryani to picnics.
I want to be able to make it myself, so I've been making it with my husband and his family many times,
I haven't had the courage to complete it on my own until now.
This time again, with my husband's support and while taking notes, I put together a chicken biryani recipe, so please do give it a try.
Let's cook!
Here are the ingredients you will need. In my house, we mostly just eyeball it! So the amounts are rough, but don't be afraid to make it. If you're missing something, just add more along the way and you'll be fine.
<Biryani> 5-6 servings 2 cups basmati rice 1 whole chicken (about 1 kg)
1 tomato, 1/2 onion, 5 green chillies (as spicy as you like)
Coriander 1-2 stalks Salt (to taste) Oil (more than you might think) The key is to use it generously Grated ginger, grated garlic (to taste) 1/2 lemon Spices (to taste) Cloves Cardamom Whole black pepper Turmeric Chili powder Cumin Coriander seeds Cinnamon stick Indian bay leaf Biryani masala (Masala is a mixture of various spices, a powerful ally when making Indian curry. Using a masala made specifically for biryani will add depth to the flavor!
Yogurt (appropriate amount) Red powder for coloring *I used what I had at home. It's like a food coloring. It's not that easy to get in Japan, so you don't need it.
A little cumin 1/2 to 1 box of yogurt (approximately 300 to 400g)
1/2 onion, 1/2 tomato, coriander (optional), 1/2 cucumber, a little salt
Time taken at home: About 1.5 hours
1: Wash the basmati rice
In Pakistan, we often eat basmati rice. It is a long, thin, fluffy rice, and is essential for biryani. (Thai rice, which is also an indica rice, cannot produce the same flavor.)
Rinse thoroughly with water and soak in water for about 30 minutes.
2: Cut the material
Cut up 1/2 a tomato, 1/2 an onion, and then the chicken. Cutting up a whole chicken is a lot of work for me, so I ask my husband to do it for me.
When I make biryani at home, I always use a whole chicken with the bone. It's also better to use a whole chicken with the bone when making beef or mutton biryani. The bones give off a broth that makes it so much tastier.
3: Fry the spices
The key to Pakistani cuisine is to use plenty of oil. Don't hesitate to pour in plenty of oil and heat it up, then add whole spices (cardamom, black pepper, cumin, coriander seeds, and Indian bay leaves).
By the way, the clay pot we use at home is called "Handy," which is hard to find in Japan, but any pot you have at home for making curry will be fine.
It's a clay pot with a slightly narrower opening like this, and ever since my husband brought back one that he used at his parents' house in Pakistan, we've been using it when making curry at home. When you cook stews in a clay pot, the food cooks quickly and the meat and beans come out soft and delicious.
4: Add the onions to make fried onions.
Fry the onions slowly over medium heat, being careful not to burn them, then add the salt, chili powder and turmeric and continue frying.
Once it has mixed with the oil, add the grated ginger and garlic. Fry until browned, then remove a pinch of onion. We will use this later.
5: Add the tomatoes
Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until they lose their shape.
6: Add chicken
Now it's time for the chicken. Put the cut bone-in chicken into the pot and fry slowly until the spices are well combined, being careful not to burn it.
7: Adjust the flavor with masala
Pakistani home cooking uses a minimum of spices, salt, and mixed spices to adjust the flavor. Taste and adjust the amount of salt. This time, I used this masala. You can get a variety of masalas at the Islamic Yokocho that I introduced before, but you can also buy them online, so please look for them.
There are three main types of biryani in Pakistan. The most popular is Sindhi Biryani, but there are also regional variations such as Bombay Biryani and Hyderabad Biryani. This time I used Sindhi Biryani Masala.
8: Add yogurt and boil down
To finish the curry, add yogurt and chopped coriander to the pot. Stir gently and fry over medium heat until the meat is tender.
The chicken curry is now done. It's delicious as is, but we'll have to wait a little longer until the biryani is complete.
9. Boil the rice
Basmati rice is boiled, not cooked. Use more water than you would for cooking Japanese rice, add a small amount of oil, and boil for about 7-8 minutes. Pakistani style is to boil with lemon and cardamom for flavor. Mash the rice with your fingers and it's OK if it's a little firm. Transfer to a colander and drain well.
Unique nice scent
10: Layer the curry and rice alternately and steam.
Now comes the main part of making biryani. Prepare a separate large pot.
Chop up the tomatoes, coriander, and lemons as well.
First, spread the chicken curry you made earlier, then add the half-boiled basmati rice on top. Sprinkle on the chopped coriander, sliced fresh tomatoes, green chilies, and the fried onions you saved earlier.
Then add chicken curry on top.
After making two layers of rice and curry, finish by sprinkling more coriander and tomato on top, and finally adding lemon and red food coloring on top.
I feel there is an art to this process of biryani. Why do they bother to make so many layers like this?
I wondered if there was some deeper meaning to it, but when I asked my husband, he said it was because it made it easier to mix at the end and allowed the curry to soak into the rice.
11: Seal and steam
All that's left to do is heat the rice and curry and let it steam.
The key here is to seal it tightly so that the lid doesn't open.
Place newspaper or kitchen paper on top of the rice, wrap the lid in newspaper as well, and then place a weight on top.
At home, we steam it like this, using a pot as a weight and steaming it over low heat for about 30 minutes. It's a bit scary that it might burn, but just wait patiently until it's done.
12: Making the final sauce
While the biryani is being prepared, make a yogurt sauce called raita. Chop the ingredients and mix until it tastes how you like it.
I'll enjoy having this!
After about 30 minutes of boiling and steaming, it's finally done. An appetizing aroma wafts from the pot.
Open the lid and gently mix the mixture vertically with a rice spoon into even layers, then serve on a plate.
No doubt about it! The biryani my husband makes is absolutely delicious.
The process is more complicated than Japanese-style cooked rice, but it's well worth the hour or so it takes to make.
Another rice dish that looks similar to biryani is pulao. This is made by mixing raw rice with curry, and can be done in a rice cooker, so it may be suitable for beginners.
I too can make pulao by myself.
When we eat biryani at home, we serve it from a large platter, so we end up having seconds.
It's so tasty that you can barely tell how much you've eaten, making it almost like you're drinking it... it's a terrifying food (lol).
When it comes to Indian curry, it is typical to eat it with naan, but there are also some restaurants where you can eat biryani. (However, be careful as it can be hit or miss...) Please give it a try!
The process from "layering curry and rice and steaming them" to finishing is also included in the video. If you find it a little difficult to understand, please take a look! It also captures the artistic aspect of layering the colors beautifully.