Hike through it

Epilogue

While Shrek, Amir and I hiked through the Arboretum in Michigan, I wasn't just improving my second wind and the persistence to non-compromising mediocrity, instead we talked about the creation of perfect articles. The first time I experimented Biryani was through an inspiration of Karachi biryani prepared by Ahsen where the flavors sparkled the hidden crevices beneath my tongue, but also motivated me to create a best of my own. Through years, the major ingredients have changed with the demand of the audience, however, despite those deflating innuendos about time-wasting in lieu of other talents, I have managed to create some mouth tingling flavors in a modified version of biryani. The layers structuring process has remained quite similar, though the final baking utensil has changed its form factor from a vertical ceramic coated pan to a much flatter teflon coated non-stick I used for the biryani above in Chandigarh.

Process:

-> Par Boil rice with condiments

-> Fry Onion 

-> Prepare major ingredients 

-> Prepare saffron milk and layering utensil 

-> Layer utensil with par-boiled rice, fried onions, ingredients and saffron milk

-> Bake the layered recipe for 60 mins

-> Add garnishing if required

Recipe:

Rice Ingredients:

Rice - 250 gm

Cardamom - 10 pieces

Cinnamon - 5 full portions
Star Anis - 5 pieces
Cloves - 8 portions

Par boiling rice lends the opportunity to give it a taste buzz while giving the 'DUM' the steam cooking opportunity during its stint while layered in the oven. To par boil rice, put the ingredients except the rice in a soft cloth and let the rice boil in water and the wrapped ingredients till rice gets half-boiled. The rest of cooking gets done in the oven upon layering with the ingredients.

Vegetarian version ingredients :
Julienned onions - par fried till crispiness
Slant cut Green beans - pan fry till slight crispiness is added to the beans.
Cauliflower florets - 1/2 in x 1/2 in - caramelized in tomato puree and brown sugar, add a pinch of salt to flavor later on
Julienned potatoes - fried in a two-pass process to ensure pure crispiness, ensure light Golden brown texture/color and not the burnt brown color. The julienned crisp potatoes form the top and contributes partially to the layering.
Mint

Cashews - light brown roasted

Lemon wedges - 8-10
Saffron milk - A few strands which can lend the fragrance of saffron and line the pan and slightly sprinkle through the layered dish.

Layering of biryani - 


The entire beauty and the complexity of the biryani is through the various layers and textures of vegetables (in this case) which amalgamate to produce a unified aura, flavors and a holistic experience. I still believe that cooking the biryani in an earthen pot would produce flavors without any commercial precedence and possibly leave the audience perplexed. From the point of deciphering the apt degree of saltiness which evokes the latter crevices of the palate, to the creative indulgences of flavor ushered while sautéing separately the vegetables, get ready for the roller coaster of this dish which capacitates itself for eternal surprise!


Credits:

Sous Chef: Pravin

Tournant: Andrea

Photograph: Sorab. The photograph has been later modified with a layered AlFragment font.

Font: AlFragment font. The font itself is copyright protected.

Note: 

The contact info of various credits can be shared if at all required.