Kofta Biryani

Fragrant grains of rice cooked in an aromatic spice mixture in  heavenly layers of vegetable masala and koftas.

The  rice used in this recipe were courtesy of tilda, the lovely long grains of fragrant  tilda basmati  rice cooked really well and gave the Biryani a wonderful flavour. Basmati means the "Prince of Fragrance" or the "Perfumed one"  and this rice truely lived up to this description. The long fragrant grains of rice cooked to optimum perfection and released a wonderful aroma.Perfect separate pearls of rice, made my biryani absolutely delicious and tasty to savour.I am not surprised at this considering the rice is grown and nurtured at the foot hills of the Himalayas, watered by the water from the pure melting snows of the mountains. Grow to perfection using traditional methods Tilda basmati gets the best care before it is harvested and reaches your tables.
Rice at its best, it is healthy and gluten free and a perfect accompaniment to curries and dhals and of course desserts such as rice pudding, phirni and other mouthwatering sweets .With the wonderful celebration of diwali upon us,I believe Tilda Basmati is the perfect choice  for any meal.
Tilda not only grows this wonderful rice but it  also provides support for the local community in more ways than one.You can read more about their story here. On this auspicious occasion of Diwali, for those that are less fortunate than us lets get together and support Tilda with their Free Rice Campaign Click here to play for free Rice.For each answer you get right Tilda will donate rice to United Nations Worlds food programmme.

Ingredients:

Rice:

240 grams / 8oz tilda basmati Rice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
Few drops red food colouring
Few strands saffron
1 tablespoon milk warm milk

Vegetable masala:

120 grams / 4 oz baby corn sliced
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 potato peeled and diced
60 grams / 2oz peas
1 small onion finely diced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-3 cardamom pods
1 stick cinnamon
2-3 cloves
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red dried chilli
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon natural yoghurt.

For Kofta:

90 grams / 3oz besan (chickpea flour)
1 small zucchini finely grated with skin on
2 tablespoons fresh fenugreek chopped
½ teaspoon fresh ginger paste
½ teaspoon green chilli paste
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sunflower oil

Sun flour oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour.
2. Place the rice in a large pan and add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Turn heat to medium and cook till rice is ala dente. Drain the rice in a colander, when drained spread rice on a tray and sprinkle with few random drops of red food colouring and leave aside to cool. Do not mix the colour in.
3. Soak the saffron in the warm milk and keep aside.
4. In a bowl add the besan, zucchini, fenugreek, and chilli and ginger paste. Add the teaspoon of oil, salt and mix.
5. Add 1-2 tablespoon water to make a stiff batter.
6. Heat the oil in a pan when it is hot drop small teaspoonful drops of batter into the hot oil, deep fry on medium heat till Kofta’s are golden brown.
7. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat for remaining batter. Keep aside.
8. Place the corn, peas, carrots and potatoes in a microwaveable dish and add two tablespoons of water, cook on high for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
9. Heat oil in a pan when it is hot add the onion and sauté till translucent. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, red dried chilli and sauté till the flavours release. Add the tomato paste and salt and the turmeric and black pepper and sauté for few more minutes.
10. Add 4 tablespoons of water and the precooked vegetables.
11. Cook the vegetables and spice mixture till all flavours infuse together. Turn off heat and stir in the yoghurt.
12. In a deep oven proof dish, add a layer of rice, next add a layer of vegetable masala and next a few Kofta’s.
13. Repeat with a layer of rice followed by the vegetable masala and more Kofta’s.
14. Finish with a final layer of Rice and few Kofta’s on top for decoration.
15. Sprinkle the top of rice with the saffron soaked milk. Cover and place the rice in a hot oven 200 º C for 15 minutes.

Serve Kofta Biryani with Cucumber raita.

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Fennel Pilaf Rice
Submitting to Flavours of Punjab event by simply.food hosted by Pari of Foodelicious.