Pakistan – Kofta Biryani

by Dahiza Umar

INTRODUCTION

Whenever you are talking about biryani, is a thing. Biryani is the most cooked and most favorite dish of Pakistani. There are huge types of biryani by adding different main ingredients to the rice. The recipe is the same, spices are the same, but the main ingredient is changed. Like we can have chicken biryani, vegetable biryani, potato biryani, Chana biryani, etc. Biryani is actually made up of spicy rice with any meat content, vegetable content, and lentils can also be added like beans, chickpeas, etc.

The spicy mixture of meat or vegetables is prepared by adding lots of spices, onions, tomatoes, etc. Then this mixture is mixed with semi-cooked rice. Many other crunchy vegetables are also added like ginger, fried onions, green chilies, fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves are added at the end of the biryani.

Biryani is basically originated from the Sindh province, but it is famous throughout Pakistan. It is also very famous worldwide. The use of special spices in making biryani makes it aromatic to the next level. Then adding the color to biryani makes it look more exotic and invites someones to eat. Whenever there is a gathering, wedding, festival, occasion, Biryani is the thing must cook in that event. Biryani is the symbol of special occasions and special meals.

TYPES OF BIRYANI

There are huge varieties of biryani sold, cooked throughout Pakistan. We can mix anything complementary to the rice and cook in a similar way to admire the taste of biryani. There are many unique additions of things like EGG to the biryani and loved by many people.

• Mutton biryani
• Beef biryani
• Fish biryani
• Chicken Biryani
• Channa Biryani ( Chickpea )
• Aloo biryani ( Potato )
• Egg biryani
• Mince biryani
• Kofta biryani ( Mince balls )
• Kabab biryani
• Mix vegetable biryani
• Peas biryani

COMPONENT OF BIRYANI

MEAT/ VEGETABLES MIX MASALA

The main component cooks separately in the pan with the addition of all powdered spices. The meat or vegetable cook by adding lots of onions, tomatoes, garlic ginger paste, spices like cumin, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, chilies, etc. The gravy type mixture is prepared. Then this is mixed with rice and cook them together. This masala when mixed with semi-cooked rice, makes it aromatic, spicy, and soft. The flavor of meat or vegetable is absorbed into the rice.

When mutton or beef is cooked, the cooking timing is large like 45 minutes to 1 hour. Then we have to make beef cooked completely. When chicken is mixed with biryani it only takes 15 minutes to tender and then mixed with rice. The next step after mixing with rice is to cook further them together to assemble the flavors and taste of gravy with rice.

Vegetables are also added to biryani and even you can cook meat and vegetable together. The known dish of biryani in which meat and vegetables are cooked together is ”CHICKEN POTATO BIRYANI”

When egg biryani is cooked, a mixture of spices is prepared and then hard-boiled eggs are added to the mixture. The eggs must be hard-boiled so they may not be dissolved into the rice.

RICE

Rice is simply boiled in water with some oil, salt, whole spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, etc. These spices make the rice full of aroma and nice in color. The rice is cooked only 50%, so the remaining will cook with the gravy of meat or vegetable. Gravy has moisture and water that will cook the rice when mixed and also makes it spicy, colorful, and tasty.

This is the way to mix gravy and rice together with other things like onions, green chilies, etc, and cook them together.

SERVED WITH

Biryani is served with different sauces and salads

• Yogurt chutney
• Sliced cucumber and tomatoes
• Mint chutney
• Green chili chutney
• Mint sauce
• Kachumbar mixed salad
• Chopped onions, tomatoes and lemon
• Green chili pickle
• Mixed vegetable pickle

NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF THE DISH

• Calories: 550
• Fats: 35 grams
• Total carbohydrates: 50 grams
• Protein: 65 grams
• Fiber: 10 grams

TIME REQUIRED

• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 40 minutes
• Total time required: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR RICE

• Rice : 500 grams
• Cloves : 4
• Black pepper cones : 6
• Cinnamon stick : 1
• Mint leaves : 6 to 8
• Salt : 2 tsp
• Oil : 6 tbsp
• Water to boil

COOKING OF RICE

• Take a pot full of waterin which rice is cooked / boiled.
• We need to soak the rice for 45 minutes before cooking.
• Add whole spices, salt and oil into the water and let them boil.
• When water started boiling, add soaked rice into the water and cook them for 10 minutes.
• Water must be simmering so the rice is separated and cooked well.
• We need to cook 50% of rice so when they mix with gravy cooked completely.

INGREDIENTS OF KOFTA GRAVY

• Mutton mice : 500 grams
• Salt : 1 tsp
• Red pepper : 1 tbsp
• Cumin powder : 2 tbsp
• Coriander powder : 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
• Cardamon powder : 1/2 tsp
• Star anise : 2
• Oil : 1 cup
• Onions : 3 large
• Tomatoes : 3 large
• Green chilies : 4
• Yogurt : 2 cups
• Garlic paste : 2 tbsp
• Ginger paste : 2 tbsp
• Orange food color : 1/2 tsp

COOKING OF GRAVY

• In a bowl add mince, salt and pepper and mix them together.
• Make small balls of this mince and fry them in oil.
• These balls are koftas, they cooked hafl done when fried in oil.
• Now in a separate pan add oil with onions, and fry them completely.
• When onions are brown in color add garlic ginger paste with tomatoes.
• This makes the mixture soggy and soft, then add spices like salt, pepper, turmeric, etc.
• Let them cook for 10 minutes.
• When water dried out, add yogurt and let them cook for 2 minutes.
• Now add half done koftas / meat balls into yogurt masala and cover the lid to tender them with masala.
• After 15 minutes, meat is cooked and ready to assemble with rice.

ASSEMBLING

• Fried onions : 1 cup
• Slices lemon : 2
• Mint leaves : 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves : 1/2 cup
• Green chilies : 4

• Now we have to layer the rice with gravy by adding this condiment.
• On the assembling pot, add half of he gravy then add half of the rice, and these fried onions, etc.
• Now repeat the step until the pot is full.
• Kept this full pot of rice and gravy layering on low heat with cover lid.
• After 15 minutes, mix them and serve.