Biryani is the language of my heart. The perfect balance of spices in the meat and vegetables, the parboiling of the rice to ensure each grain is cooked long and distinct and the layering of everything are all things I love. This small amount of attention results in a delicious, aromatic pot that’s a pleasure to share.
The best biryanis have three main components: rice, meat, or vegetables, flavored with a spicy curry, and fried onion. Eggplant Biryani is one of my favorites. It takes its flavor inspiration from Indian regional biryani and features large, chunky pieces (marinated with yogurt, seasoned cumin, coriander and chilli powder), fragrant basmati, lots of fried onion, cilantro and just a hint of saffron. No matter what recipe you use, these tips will make sure your biryani comes out fluffy, flavorful and delicious every time.
1. Find the best rice
Rice is the first and most important ingredient in biryani. You want to use aged Basmati rice for this dish. The rice is typically aged for two years. This dries it out and produces fragrant, long and discrete grains. You can buy Royal Brand at your local Indian grocery store or online.
2. Frying onions in batches
The fried onions are next. It takes a while to do this step. You have to thinly cut a few large onions, and then fry them in batches until they are golden brown. But the caramelized sweetness and depth of properly cooked onions is worth it. The onions will cook more evenly if you fry them in batches. This way, they won’t end up as a caramelized jam. You can use the onion oil to flavor meats or vegetables.
3. Get saucy
Masala, which is the spice mix used to season meats or vegetables, creates a rich, deep sauce. Many types of biryani are available in India and South Asia, with varying spices and flavors. This vegetarian eggplant version draws flavors from my favorite regional biryanis: it’s rich with chili powder, similar to Hyderbadi, with a base of fennel, which is similar to Lucknowi, and fragrant, with warming spices like mace, nutmeg and Kolkata biryani.
When you are new to spices, start by cooking a recipe that you enjoy. Once you feel more confident, you can experiment. Increase the amount of chiles, add cinnamon to your dishes if they have a sweeter taste, or use black cardamom if it has a woody, smoky flavour.
4. Pick a cook method
There are two methods of cooking biryani: kacchi or pukka. The kacchi method involves layering raw meat or vegetables with rice that has been soaked in water and then slowly cooking them together. In the pukka technique, the eggplant and the rice are par-boiled separately, and then combined, before being steamed.
It’s up to you which method you prefer, but the pukka method is my favorite because I can control the ingredients better (read: more foolproof for beginners). Once you have mastered the basics, you can experiment with different vegetables and proteins to create your own biryani.
5. Select your own biryani adventure
Not an eggplant fan? You can substitute other vegetables for the masala layer. Try chunks of winter squash or Yukon gold potatoes. This recipe is great for meat lovers. You can use a few pounds of bone-in drumsticks and thighs, lamb stew meat or herb-flecked beef meatballs. Keep in mind that cooking times may vary depending on the filling you choose.
6. Watch your liquid levels
Remember: too much liquid will result in mushy, soggy rice grains. To avoid this, reduce the gravy, that full-flavored sauce made with tomatoes, onions, aromatics and spices, until it is thick and sticky, similar to tomato paste.
7. Take the initiative to get ahead of the game
Although I enjoy spending an afternoon in my kitchen preparing biryanis, if I am entertaining guests and also preparing other meals, I like to get some of the preparation done in advance. You can fry the onions and make the masala the day before. Both can be refrigerated overnight (the crispiness of the onions is not important, as they will eventually get steamed). You can then layer the ingredients the next day. All you need to do is heat up the masala and parboil rice.
