Beetroot Biryani

Wash the basmati rice thoroughly under cold running water 2 to 3 times until the water runs clear. Soak the washed rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. This soaking step is very important as it helps the rice cook evenly and gives you long, fluffy, separate grains in the final biryani. Drain the rice completely after soaking and set it aside.

Peel the beetroots and grate them finely using a box grater. Grating the beetroot rather than chopping it into cubes ensures it blends evenly into the rice and colors every grain beautifully. Keep the grated beetroot ready in a bowl. You should have approximately 1.5 cups of tightly packed grated beetroot from 2 medium-sized beets.

Heat ghee and oil together in a heavy-bottomed deep vessel or pressure cooker over medium flame. Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, and fennel seeds. Fry these whole spices for about 30 seconds until they sizzle and release their fragrance into the oil. This tempering step is the foundation of a deeply aromatic biryani.

Add the thinly sliced onions to the pot and fry on medium heat, stirring regularly, for 8 to 10 minutes until they turn golden brown. Properly caramelized onions add a natural sweetness and depth of flavor to the biryani. Do not rush this step by cooking on high heat as the onions may burn and turn bitter. Once golden, add the slit green chillies and fry for another minute.

Add the ginger garlic paste to the golden onions and sauté on medium-low flame for 2 to 3 minutes until the raw smell of ginger and garlic completely disappears and the paste turns a light golden color. Stir continuously during this step to prevent the paste from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and cook on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes, mashing them gently with the back of your spoon, until they become completely soft and mushy and the oil begins to separate slightly around the edges of the masala. This tomato base gives the biryani a lovely tang and body.

Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and biryani masala powder to the tomato masala. Mix everything well and cook the spice powders for 1 to 2 minutes on low flame so that the raw smell of the spices cooks out and they integrate fully into the masala base. Stir constantly to avoid burning the spices.

Add the grated beetroot to the cooked masala and mix it in thoroughly so every bit of beetroot is coated with the spiced masala. Cook the beetroot on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. You will notice the mixture turning a vivid deep pink and magenta color at this stage. Add the curd and mix well, cooking for another minute.

Add the fresh mint leaves and half of the chopped coriander leaves into the beetroot masala and stir to combine. These fresh herbs brighten the flavor of the biryani and add a beautiful aroma. Now add the drained soaked basmati rice to the pot and gently mix it with the beetroot masala, being careful not to break the rice grains.

Pour in 3.5 cups of water and add salt to taste. Stir gently once to combine everything. Increase the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once it comes to a full boil, taste the water for salt and adjust if needed. The water should taste slightly saltier than normal as the rice will absorb the salt as it cooks.

If cooking in a pressure cooker, close the lid and cook on high flame until you hear one whistle. Then immediately reduce the flame to very low and cook for exactly 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn off the flame and allow the pressure to release naturally without forcing it open. If cooking in a regular pot, cover tightly, reduce to the lowest flame, and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until all water is absorbed.

Once the pressure has fully released or the rice has cooked, open the lid carefully. Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the rice. Using a flat spatula or a fork, gently fluff the rice by folding it from the sides and bottom in light, lifting motions. Be very gentle to keep the long rice grains intact. Garnish with the remaining fresh coriander leaves and fried onions before serving hot.