Sindhi Biryani

I was born in Karachi, which is located in the province of Sindh. Even though, that my family roots belong to other regional cuisines, being born in karachi, helped me to gain knowledge about other cuisines which become part of karachi's melting pot. So, to me, the sindhi biryani meant actual biryani that was according to my taste and liking. To me eating biryani meant sindhi biryani along with the potatoes and tasty masalas and aromas of mixed ingredients.

I have analyzed other people's biryani and ingredients over years and read and watched several recipes of this popular biryani.

Even my mother said that it's just tastes like the biryani that she makes by using packet spices.

Over the years, I have been using my own ingredients because it's fresher and free from chemicals and doesn't give me heart burns like packet masalas that my mother used.

I think that people use packet masala because they don't know how to make the same things without the packet. So, this recipe is for folks who want to get away from using packets and to make fresher choices.

Following is the recipe that I created that suited my needs. Feel free to amend it according to your needs.

2 pounds beef (you can use chicken also)
2 tbsp yogurt
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
3 cups rice (I use basmati rice only)
2 onions
5 potatoes (cut into 6/8 pieces each)
4 big tomatoes
half bunch fresh mint
half bunch fresh coriander leaves
oil
salt 1.5 tsp for masala (1.5 tsp for rice)
dried prune 4 to 5
1 green chilli
1 red chilli
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp mango powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 bayleaves dried
1 tsp zeera
2 cardamom small and big each
few laung
food colouring yellow/red

Add yogurt, beef and ginger garlic paste and leave it overnight in the fridge to marinate. Next day boil the beef on a regular utensil or pressure cooker. I used regular utensil because my pressure cooker isn't working properly. Cut potatoes, onions, tomatoes, mint and coriander leaves. Soak the rice for 30 minutes to one hour.

Fry the onions and potatoes separately and keep them on the side. Also take the green chilli, red chilli, a bit of mint and coriander and grind them together.

Now take some oil, put the onions, meat and tomatoes together and stir fry. Add salt, garam masala, mango powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder with the beef. After few minutes add the green chilli, red chilli, mint and coriander paste to the gravy. Cook it for 10 minutes and then add some water to improve the consistency. Now add dried prunes and potatoes. Cook it for 5 minutes. Remove it from the stove.

Add zeera, bay leaves, cardamoms and laung with a bit of oil. After one minute add the rice without water to stir fry. Then add water for rice to boil. Do add salt to the boiling water. Keep the boil aside after boiling.

Now the process of layering starts. Add some meat mixture to the bottom of the utensil. Then add some rice, food colouring, fresh coriander and mint leaves. Continue the process until everything is added in.

Cook it on low heat for one hour or until done. Mix the layers before serving.

Enjoy the biryani with raita and salad.

:)