Biryani is an emotion and we have picked our favourites. It can be either Hyderabadi, Awadhi or Kolkata biryani. But have you heard of Ambur biryani? Well, it is a favourite dish of none other than Deepika Padukone and here’s the recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor!
Recipe: Make This Ambur Biryani At Home
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The Ambur biryani is relatively less explored than its alternatives. Jeeraga samba rice, a short-grain variety, is used to make the biriyani. Also, no spice powder or garam masala is used in the creation of the biryani. The original Ambur biryani is prepared using the dum method, which involves slow cooking over a wood fire. Here is a perfect recipe by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor.
Recipe:
- Ingredients: basmati rice, water, ghee, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom, onions, garlic paste, ginger paste, tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, mutton, yoghurt, coriander and mint leaves, green chillies and lemon juice.
- Start by making the masala for biryani. In a rice cooker, add ghee, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom. Then, add chopped onions and saute for a while.
- Next, add ginger paste, garlic paste and tomatoes and saute them. Then, add salt, red chilli powder, mutton pieces and yoghurt to the rice cooker.
- Then, add coriander and mint leaves and spilt green chillies to the rice cooker and cook on medium heat.
- In a separate pan, take water and add salt to it. Then, add the rice and let it half cook.
- Strain the rice and add it to the biryani masala and top it off with ghee, lemon juice, mint and coriander leaves and fried onions.
- Cover the top of the vessel and cook the biryani on dum.
- Once cooked, serve it hot with raita on the side!
Also Read: 8 Best Biryanis Places In Hyderabad Where Every Bite Feels Like A Taste Of Nizami Zaika
Preparation & Origin Of The Dish
Ambur biryani is a delicious one-pot dish that includes entire spices, aromatic jeera samba rice, mint, coriander, and perfectly cooked chunks of meat. Because fewer spices are used in Ambur biryani than in the other varieties, the flavour and taste of the meat are more prominent.
Unlike other biryani types, this one has a moderate flavour and is easy on the stomach because it isn’t packed with ghee and other spices. Avoid using ghee and green chillies when preparing this mixed rice biryani. The secret here is to use dried red chillies instead. Because fresh, dried chilli paste is used, the Ambur biryani has a much stronger flavour and taste.
The Star Ambur Briyani originated in Ambur, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore region that is well-known for both its mouth-watering biryani and its leather production facilities.
History takes it even farther back to the Arcot Nawabs’ kitchen, who had ties to the Nizams of Hyderabad. Because Arcot, a town close to Ambur, served as a major hub for trade throughout the 18th century, Ambur rice was first referred to as Arcot rice.
When Hussain Baig, a cook in the Mughal kitchen, began selling his biryani from home, it became well-known. Subsequently, a hotel was built so that the general public could sample the royal cuisine.
Also Read: 9 Restaurants In New York City That Offer Mouth-Watering Biryani!
Today, the eatery boasts locations in all of India’s main cities and is highly regarded throughout the country.
Cover Image Courtesy: @deepikapadukone/ Instagram & @sanjeevkapoor/ Instagram
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