Minty Baby Alu Biryani

The aroma that wafts across the home while Amma prepares Minty Baby Alu Biryani is simply heavenly! I visualize myself like Pluto in the Disney Animations...floating across the rooms being tempted by this aromatic beckon of the in-process Biryani! A mouth watering tempting biryani and due to its minty freshness...is out of this world!

Ingredients:

20 nos. Baby potatoes

2 cups Basmati rice 

2 nos. Bay leaf      

1 Onion, finely sliced

A sprig Kadhi Patta | Curry leaves 

2 tblspn Oil  

1 tblsp Homemade Ghee | Clarified butter

1/4 tspn Lal Mirchi | Red Chilli Powder 

1/4 tspn Haldi | Turmeric Powder 

2 Elaichi | Cardamom

3 cups Water

To taste Salt 

For Minty Paste:

1/4 cup Pudina | Mint leaves 

1 Onion

3 Hari Mirch | Green Chillies

4 Lasun | Garlic

1" Adrak | Ginger

1/2 tspn Saunf | Fennel seeds

2 Lavang | Cloves

1 tblspn Dahi | Curd

Method:

• Wash the  baby potatoes and par boil them. We pressure cooked it for 1 whistle.Peel and let it cool.
• In a pan add oil and when its hot add the  finely chopped onion, green chilli and garlic. Make it golden brown. While sauteing the onions for grinding, saute them till nice golden brown. Never miss this as this adds to the taste. Allow it to cool.
• Grind this along with mint leaves, cloves, fennel seeds and ginger. Add the curd while grinding.
• Mix this minty paste to the boiled potatoes and add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
• Add half of the salt and  marinate the minty paste mixed potatoes for 20 minutes.
• Wash the rice and keep it aside for 20 minutes. 
• In a pressure cooker, add oil and ghee and add the curry leaves, cardamom, and thinly sliced onions. Saute till the onions becomes brown.  
• Add the marinated potatoes. Saute in a medium low flame for 5 minutes.
• Add the rice to this and cook for 3 minutes in a medium flame. Stir once in a while to avoid this getting burnt.
• Add 3 cups of water and cover the cooker and cook till 1 whistle. Keep in a very low flame for 10 minutes and switch off the gas.
• Once the pressure is released, fluff the biryani with a fork and carefully mix it without breaking the potatoes.
• Serve it  hot with any Raita and Papad.

Today we served it with Cucumber Raita and Arushi | Rice Karuvadams. This is usually a Sunday lunch item...when we can relish and savour without being in any hurry! We do hope you  love this and savour it just as we do...

We have used:

1. Indiagate Classic Basmati Rice

2. Tata Salt Lite
3. Borges Olive Oil - Light

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About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.