Rajma Biryani

Rajma dal (Kidney beans) With their deep red color, cooked red kidney beans can liven up a wide range of meals including salads, soups, stews curry and biryani. Packed with protein, soluble (and insoluble) fiber, folate (vitamin B9), magnesium, potassium and a number of other health promoting nutrients, red kidney beans, are a true super food.

Rajma chawal is a popular dish in North Indian Cuisine, but Rajma biryani is quite unusual. The taste and texture of Rajma Biryani is very different and much better than usual Rajma chawal. The process of making it and uses of spices makes a lot difference. 

Ingredients:

Rajma : 150 gms (I used kashmiri rajma)

For Biryani Rice:

Basmathi rice : 1 cup

Water : 2 cup to soak rice 2 cups to cook rice

Tadka for Biryani Rice

Oil : 1 tblspn

Elichi /Cardamom : 2

Laung / Cloves : 2

Bay leaves : 1

Shajeera / Caraway seeds : 1/2 tspn

Dalchini / Cinnamon : 1 inch

Green Chilies : 1 or 2 slit

Salt : As per taste

Javithri / Mace petal : 1

Biryani flowe : 1

Mint leaves : Few

Ramja masala

Tomato puree :  1 cup

Masala powder : cumin, coriander seeds, dried anardhana, onion seeds

Butter : 1/2 tblspn

Oil : 1/2 tblspn

Turmeric : 1/4 tspn

Ginger garlic paste : 1/4 or more

Salt : As per your taste

Red Chilly powder : 2 tspn or as per your taste.

Garam Masala : 1/4 tspn

For layerings

Mint leaves : Hand full

Coriander leaves : 1/4th cup chopped.

Fried onions : 1/2 cup

Rose water or kewra water : 1 tblspn

Safron milk : 1 Tblspn (Add 1 pinch of saffron in 1 tblspn of milk and let it rest)

Method :

• Soak rajma over night. Cook rajma uptp 90 % in a handi or in a cooker with out lid.

•  Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 mins.

• Now place a deep bottom utensil on medium flame and add water. Let it boil.

• Place one more pan on medium flame, add oil to it.
• Now add shajeera, elaichi, dalchini, laung, bay leaf, javithri, biryani flower and slit green chilies.
• Let them splutter and fry for 3 to 4 mins.
• Now pour entire tadka including oil in boiling water.

• Add basmati rice to boiling water and stir gently.
• Turn the flame to high and let it cook.

• Once rice is cooked to 80%, strain water using a sift.
• Keep cooked rice aside.

• Take a handi or lagan, add oil and butter and let it heat on medium flame.
• Add green chilly and whole masala. Saute and let them fry for 2 mins.

•   Add onions and sauté. Let them fry until they become translucent.

• Add turmeric, ginger garlic paste and sauté.

• Add rajma and sauté. Let rajma fry for 2 mins on medium flame.

  

• Now add tomato puree and mix

• Close the lid and let it cook for about 4 to 5 mins.
• Now add masala powder, salt, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and mix.

• Close the lid and let it cook on medium flame for about 3 mins
• Now add boiled rice over it.

• Add little butter or ghee / clarified butter, pour 1/2 tblpsn rose or kewra water, spread half of the fried onions, half of the chopped corinder leaves, half of the mint leaves, half of kesar milk, few drops of lemon juice.
• Now spread remaining basmati rice and repeat the above process.

• Close the lid and let it cook cook on high flame for 3 mins.

• Now remove biryani handi or lagan from flame and place a tawa on flame.
• Place biryani handi or lagan on tawa and reduce the flame to low to medium.
• Let it cook for about 5 to 6 mins. 
• Check if biryani is cooked by gently moving rice away from the walls of handi or lagan. If it is Perfectly cooked the bottom of the pan will be semi dry, if it is overly cooked, bottom of handi or lagan may burn, if it is not cooked, you can see moisture from gravy on bottom of the pan.

• Serve it hot with raitha.