Brinjal Biryani | Ennegai Biryani | Eggplant Biryani

After a real long gap I bring to you a delicious Biryani made with Ennegai.(baingan/brinjal/eggplant). Ever since I had seen making of Brinjal biryani on YouTube, I was delighted to cook this as brinjal is my favourite vegetable.

So one fine Sunday, I picked fresh brinjals – baby sized, from the local market and all the necessary ingredients and set on a mission to cook biryani. Well, this idea did not go well with my wife, but I was certain and determined!

In a brinjal biryani the brinjal masala was that of gothuvankaya or ennegai masala. I did not want to make this, as it would not seem any different from the original, but just layered with rice. So I made my own masala inspired from the original, tweaking it as I liked and the biryani was too good for my palate.

Follow the recipe below and this dish can easily be a star on the menu.

Steps.

Preparation of Brinjal

Heat 4 tbsp ghee in pan, fry cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon,cloves, cashew nuts for 1 minute. Add finely chopped garlic, green chilly, onions and ginger . Sauté for 2 minutes.

 

Now add coconut and sauté for 2 minutes . Grind all fried ingredients by adding little water and make a thick paste.

 

Wash baby brinjals.Slit the Brinjal from base and fill ground masala . Repeat for all the brinjals and keep the remaining masala aside.

In a pan heat 3 tbsp oil and heat it. Add brinjal and roast it in high flame for 6-7 minutes.

Biriyani .

Heat 4 tbsp ghee in pan, add bay leaves, cardamom , cinnamon, cashew nuts, cloves  and sauté it. Add finely chopped garlic, green chilly and ginger . Sauté it for 2 minutes. Now add handful of finely chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves. Add finely chopped onion and sauté it until onions become golden brown. Then add finely chopped tomatoes and cook it for 3-4 minutes in high flame.

 

Add vegetables mix well and cook it for 10 minutes.Now add remaining brinjal masala paste and mix well .Into a bowl remove half of the masala . (For layering)Reduce the flame . Layer half portion of  par boiled rice on top of the masala. Place roasted brinjal, Remaining masala and add remaining rice on top of it.

 

Put caramelized onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves 2 tbsp of ghee. Close the lid tightly . Keep this on another pan and then keep it on flame.Cook it in low flame for 25-30 minutes.

 

Switch off the flame and open the lid after 5 -10 minutes. Serve it hot with raitha or gravy of your choice. Or you can have it as it is.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Masala Paste

• Ginger 1/2 inch finely chopped
• Garlic 4-5 cloves
• Green cardamoms    4-5
• Cinnamon 1 inch
• Onion  half chopped
• Cloves 4-5 
• cashew nuts 4-5
• Green Chillies
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Salt
• Oil

Masala for biryani

• Basmati rice 1 cup
• Potato 1 large
• Green beans 250 grams
• Green peas 1/2 cup
• Onions, finely Chopped 2
• Tomatoes finely chopped 2
• Ghee 6 tbsp
• Ginger 1/2 inch finely chopped
• Garlic 7-8 cloves
• Green cardamoms    5-6
• Cinnamon 1 inch
• Cloves 4-5
• Bay leaves 2
• Star Anise 1
• cashew nuts 4-5
• Red chilli powder    1 tsp
• Turmeric powder    1/2 tsp
• Green chillies 1-2
• Salt to taste
• Curd 1/4 cup
• Fresh mint leaves 50-60
• Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped

Method

Preparation of Brinjal

• Heat 4 tbsp ghee in pan, fry cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon,cloves, cashew nuts for 1 minute.
• Add finely chopped garlic, green chilly, onions and ginger . Sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add coconut and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Grind all fried ingredients by adding little water and make a thick paste.
• Wash baby brinjals.Slit the Brinjal from base and fill ground masala .
• Repeat for all the brinjals and keep the remaining masala aside.
• In a pan heat 3 tbsp oil and heat it.
• Add brinjal and roast it in high flame for 6-7 minutes. Keep flipping it slowly. Keep it aside.

Biryani Rice

• Boil 5 cups of water . Add cinnamon,bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, star anise, pinch of salt ,and ghee.
• Add basmati rice and par boil it . Drain excess water and keep it aside.
• Caramelize 1 finely chopped onion and keep it aside.
• Heat 4 tbsp ghee in pan, add bay leaves, cardamom , cinnamon, cashew nuts, cloves  and sauté it.
• Add finely chopped garlic, green chilly and ginger . Sauté it for 2 minutes.
• Now add handful of finely chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves.
• Add finely chopped onion and sauté it until onions become golden brown.
• Then add finely chopped tomatoes and cook it for 3-4 minutes in high flame.
• Add coriander powder , red chilly powder, turmeric, salt to taste ,curd  and 100-150ml water and mix it well. Sauté it for 2 minutes.
• Add vegetables mix well and cook it for 10 minutes.
• Now add remaining brinjal masala paste and mix well .
• Into a bowl remove half of the masala . (For layering)
• Reduce the flame . Layer half portion of  par boiled rice on top of the masala.
• Place roasted brinjal, Remaining masala and add remaining rice on top of it.
• Put caramelized onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves 2 tbsp of ghee.
• Close the lid tightly . Keep this on another pan and then keep it on flame.Cook it in low flame for 25-30 minutes.
• Switch off the flame and open the lid after 5 -10 minutes.
• Serve it hot with raitha or gravy of your choice. Or you can have it as it is.

Note

1. Cooking basmati: You can refer the rice packet for the method and follow that one that suits you. I usually take 1:2 rice and water proportion. First, bring water to boil and add rice, cover and cook until water evaporates. Then spread the rice in a large plate for it to cool. 

2. Birista/golden fried onions: You will need 2 large onions, sliced finely. In a pan, heat 1/2 cup of oil or enough to cover the onions. when the oil is heated, add the onions and fry for 4 minutes on high heat. Turn the flame to medium and continue to fry until golden brown, keep stirring. Switch off the flame and remove the onions onto a kitchen towel to drain off the excess oil. Spread it and let it sit for 8-10 minutes.