Kolkata Biryani

After trying and tweaking many recipes, I think I finally nailed the Kolkata Biryani. Here is the recipe:

What you need:

• Basmati Rice – 1kg, soaked in water for 30 mins to a couple of hours (Important to have good quality rice)
• Cloves – 5
• Cardamom – 5
• Cinnamon stick – 1inch
• Juice of half a lemon
• Potatoes – 1 kg (medium sized) – Peeled (If too big, cut into halves)
• Goat meat , bone in- 1 kg (You can make with Chicken also)
• Ginger-garlic paste – 2 tsp
• Onion – 3-4 medium sized, finely sliced
• Mustard oil – 5 tbsp
• Bay Leaves – 2-3
• Yoghurt – 3/4 cup
• Red chilli powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Turmeric powder – 3 tsp
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Milk – 1 1/2 cup
• Kewra Water – 2 tbsp
• Meetha Attar – 5 drops (Don’t worry if you can’t find it, as I have found it to be available in Kolkata only)
• Rose water – 1 tsp
• Saffron – a generous pinch
• Sugar – 1 tsp

For Biryani masala:

• Black pepper corns – 1 tsp
• Mace – 3
• Cloves – 10
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Black cardamom – 3
• Green cardamom – 10
• Cinnamon stick – 2 inch
• Shah jeera / caraway seeds – 1 tsp
• Nutmeg – 1/2
• Kabab chini / Cubeb or tailed pepper – 1tsp

How to make the biryani:

1. Dry roast all the spices required for Biryani masala. Grind to a fine powder in a coffee friner.
2. Cook goat meat or chicken with ginger and garlic paste, salt, a tsp of turmeric power in just enough water in a pressure cooker. (Cook for 5-6 whistles if using goat meat, 2 whistles if using chicken). Once cooked, set aside the cooked meat pieces and reserve the water left behind. It’s called Yakhni. It is full of flavours and we will use it to cook the star of our Biryani, the potatoes.
3. In a pan, add 2 tbsp mustard oil. Once it gets heated, add potatoes, a tsp turmeric and chilli powder. Toss till the potatoes are nicely roasted all over and turn golden. Now pour the Yakhni and cook on low flame with lid on till they are almost done. Remove the lid and cook till most of the Yakhni is absorbed.
4. In another pan, heat 3 tbsp mustard oil till smoking hot. Add bay leaves and onions. Saute till translucent.
5. Mix together a tsp turmeric powder, red chilli powder and half of the biryani mix. Add yoghurt mix to the onions and cook till oil starts leaving the sides. Add the cooked meat, mix well and adjust salt if required.
6. In a thick and wide bottom pan and spread the cooked meat. (I used an aluminium tray)
7. Add the potatoes and arrange them to evenly spread over the meat.
8. At this stage, take a huge pot and fill it with 1.5 -2 ltr water. Add salt, 5 cloves, 5 cardamom, 1 stick cinnamon and bring to a boil. Strain and remove the whole spices.
9. Drain the soaked rice and lemon juice. Cook till 80% cooked.
10. Drain and spread the rice over the potatoes.
11. Pound saffron with sugar in a mortar pestle, add milk and remaining biryani masala. Pour evenly over rice
12. Pour kewra water, rose water, meetha attar (if using) and melted ghee evenly all over.
13. Seal the tray or pot with aluminium foil (traditionally a flour dough is used to seal the edges) so that the steam doesn’t escape.
14. If cooking on gas stove, cook on lowest flame for 35 minutes. If using oven, cook in oven mode for about the same time.

Note: The biryani tastes the best the next day. If you are entertaining, try to make it a day ahead if possible.