Kathal biryani

INGREDIENTS:

1 can green jackfruit (drained weight 250 gm) - cut in to bite size
1 cup non-fat yogurt (curd)
Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Ginger paste-1 tbsp
Cloves-4
Green cardamom-4
Cinnamon stick-1 (1 inch)
Bay leaf-1
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1 ½ tbsp
Cumin powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
A pinch of Saffron (soaked in water)
Red chili powder-1 tbsp
Garam masala-1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves-1 tbsp
1 large onion (roughly chopped)
1 medium tomato (chopped)
1 medium size red onion (cut in to slices)
4 tbsp butter/ghee/olive oil
4-5 tbsp olive oil/vegetable oil
8-10-cashew nuts
8-10- dry grapes
8-10-almonds
1 ½ cups white basmati rice (soaked in water for 1 hr)
Salt to taste


METHOD:

Drain water from soaked rice in a colander and let it be in it for 20 minutes. Now place the rice in a heavy bottomed vessel with 2 ½ cups of water, 1/2 tbsp of salt and few drops of oil. Cover it and bring to boil over high heat. Uncover it and cook without stirring on medium heat for about 7-8 min or until rice becomes just tender (take a few grains and chew them. Are they cooked??). Remember, rice should not be overcooked otherwise rice grains won’t remain separated from each other. Turn off the stove and cover it.
Now heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil. Add jackfruit pieces and sauté them for 10 min on medium heat. (Traditionally, we should deep fry the jackfruit pieces, but I prefer to sauté them for health reasons.) Turn off the stove.
Take a bowl and place sautéed jackfruit, yogurt, cumin powder, bay leaf, garam masala powder, 2 cardamom pods, 2 cloves and garlic-ginger paste in it. Mix them well and keep this bowl in refrigerator for 1-2 hr for marinating jackfruit.
After that, heat a pan with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add cumin seeds, 2 cardamom pods, 2 cloves and cinnamon stick. When they crackle, add coarsely chopped onion and salt. Fry on medium heat until onions turn translucent. Now add chopped tomato and fry for another 2-3 min on medium heat. After that, add marinated jackfruit, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and mix well. Fry them for 4-5 min on medium high heat and stir occasionally. Add 1 cup of water and cook till jackfruit pieces get cooked and become tender. Turn off the stove.
Again heat a pan with butter/ghee/oil. Add cashews, dry grapes & almonds and fry them for 1 min on medium heat. Now add red onion slices and sauté them till they turn to golden brown. Remove this pan from heat.
After that, take a heavy bottomed pot. Spread a layer of nuts and onion mixture (1/3 of the mixture prepared in the previous step) in it. Now, spread a layer of cooked rice (1/3 of total rice) over it and sprinkle saffron water. After that, spread 1/3 of jackfruit mixture prepared .
Repeat this procedure for rest of the nuts & onion mixture, rice, saffron water and jackfruit mixture.
Cover the pot with lid and cook on low heat for 25-30 min or until steam starts coming out of the lid. Turn off the stove.
Place it in serving dish or bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with raita.