Tomato Biryani/Thakkali Biryani

Tomato Biryani/Thakkali Biryani - an easy recipe with stepwise pictures. Biryani recipe is usually made in all households once in a week. Some people think that it is a very tough process and even afraid to try. I'm also a beginner in cooking, i was also nervous to try biryani recipes especially using chicken/mutton. I used to get flops , then slowly i learnt myself the mistakes everytime . Now i'm confidently making biryanis. Not only that i used to try new varieties of biryanis and my mom helped me a lot. I'll post one by one of all the biryani recipes i've tried. This Tomato/Thakkali Biryani was usually made in our home , whenever we want to eat biryani and if we have lack of veggies we used to make this. It doesn't require any veggies other than onion & tomato . It is also lazy people biryani, people who don't want to spend a large amount of time in kitchen can try this . It gives a different taste and easy too. I used readymade Biryani Masala here.

Tomato Biryani/Thakkali Biryani - Recipe with Stepwise Pictures

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Tomato - 2 big
Onion - 1 medium
Green Chilli - 1
Ginger - 1 tbsp
Garlic -  1 tbsp
Mint leaves - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 6
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Biryani Masala - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Curd - 1 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Water - 2.5 cups

To Temper:

Oil + Ghee - 2tbsp
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 3
Bay leaf - 1
Stone flower /Kalpaasi - a small piece
Star anise - 1
Cinnamon - 2" piece
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Thinly slice Onion and tomatoes, finely chop ginger, garlic and crush it. Slit the green chillies, Soak the coriander and mint leaves in water
2. Heat oil and ghee, add the items given under 'to temper'
3. Add the crushed ginger , garluic and slit green chillies, Add the onions, saute well till it gets brown
4. Add the tomatoes
5. Add the spice powders and salt,saute well
6. Wash rice and add it to the Rice Cooker
7. Add the cooked gravy to it and add 1 tbsp of curd, few curry leaves
8. Then add the required amount of water to the kadai on which the gravy is made, heat it and scrap the sides so that the flavour will be more in the biryani.( It is called as "deglazing" in french cooking)
9. Add the heated water to the rice cooker and add a tsp of ghee to it
10. Cover the Rice Cooker and cook
11. Once done gently fluff up the biryani and Serve hot with Onion Raita

With Stepwise Pictures:

Thinly slice Onion and tomatoes, finely chop ginger, garlic and crush it. Slit the green chillies, Soak the coriander and mint leaves in water

Heat oil and ghee, add the items given under 'to temper'

Add the crushed ginger , garlic and slit green chillies, Add the onions, saute well till it gets brown

Add the tomatoes

Add the spice powders and salt,saute well

Wash rice and add it to thr Rice Cooker, Add the cooked gravy to it and add 1 tbsp of curd, few curry leaves

Then add the required amount of water to the kadai on which the gravy is made, heat it and scrap the sides so that the flavour will be more in the biryani.( It is called as "deglazing" in french cooking)

Add the heated water to the rice cooker and add a tsp of ghee to it

Cover the Rice Cooker and cook

Once done gently fluff up the biryani and Serve hot with Onion Raita