Amira Vegetable & Cashew biryani
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Level: Easy
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Cooking Time: 45-60 Minutes
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Preparation Time: 40 Minutes
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Serves 8
What You Need
- 500 g Amira basmati rice
- 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 tbspn sunflower oil
- 1 thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, shredded
- 65 g Korma curry paste
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 green cardamon pods
- 3 star anise
- 250g diced potatoes
- 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
- 250 g Greek Yoghurt
- 225 g frozen peas
- 2 pinches saffron
- 1/2 tspn rosewater
- butter for greasing
- 100 g roasted, salted cashews nuts
What to do
Rinse the Amira basmati rice in several changes of water to remove excess starch, then put in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for ideally 30 mins. If you can only soak for 10mins this just means extra cooking time is needed in step 4.
In a large saucepan make your curry veg mix. Start by frying the onions in the oil until soft and starting to colour. Add the ginger and cook for 2 more mins. Stir in the curry paste and follow this with the whole spices. After 1 min more add in the potatoes and cauliflower. Pour in 300ml water, cover and boil for about 5-7 mins until the veg are just tender. Stir in the yogurt and peas with 1 tsp salt.
Mix the saffron, rosewater and 3 tbsp boiling water together and stir well.
Drain the Amira basmati rice and tip into a pan of boiling salted water until almost tender. If you managed to soak the rice for 30mins it will only need to be boiled for 5mins. Drain rice for the final time.
Butter the base of a large ovenproof dish with a lid, add the curry sauce into the base, scatter over the roasted cashew nuts, then top with the rice. Drizzle over the rosewater mixture, cover with foil and the casserole lid. This can now be chilled overnight or you can proceed with the final fanfare...
Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the Basmati Rice Biryani Recipe in the oven for 45 mins-1 hr until thoroughly heated through.
TIP: To check it’s ready, test a spoonful from the centre of the rice. GARNISH: top with crispy fried onions and/or coriander.
source: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5083/fragrant-vegetable-and-cashew-biryani
