Hyderabadi Bagara Biryani

Hyderabad is the city for biryanis and bagaras and Bagara biryani is one of the few vegetarian alternatives from the city’s avid biryani platter. Simply delicious is the most modest description of this recipe.

Thank you Sphurthy for this awesome recipe and picture.

Preparation time: 20-30mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Raw long grained rice 2 cups (200gms)
Green chillies 4
Onions 2
Tomatoes 2
Bay leaf 1
Cloves 6
Cinnamon 1 stick
Cardomom 4-6
Curry leaves 4-5
Ginger paste 1tsp
Refined cooking oil 2-4tbsp
Food color

Salt to taste
Coriander to garnish

Method:

Finely chop 2 large onions, 2 tomatoes, slit the green chillies and set aside.

Wash and Soak long grained rice for 15 mins.

In a pan/kadai/wok, heat oil. Add a bay leaf, green chillies, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and onions and fry till the onions are golden brown. Add a tsp of ginger paste and stir 2 mins.

Now add finely chopped tomatoes, salt to taste and cook till soft. Add this mixture to the soaked rice, add water as required and pressure cook up to 1 whistle. Generally 2 cups of water will do. If cooking in the wok itself, add the rice, water, cover and cook for 20 mins i.e. till the rice is done.

Take 2 tsps of the preferred food color and mix in a few drops of milk. Pour the milk and color mixture over the cooked rice so that the rice absorbs the color.

Garnish with coriander and serve. Bagara biryani is a simple rice recipe that can be served with any of the gravy curries, dals, raithas or just plain yoghurt. It is the Hyderabadi flavor that touches the heart and makes the tongue go slurrrrp.