In search of the best biriyani..

Hyderabadi

.....And at home: Kheema Biryani with lamb shanks. On the side Allam Pulusu (Ginger & Tamarind sauce (?) ) and 'buran' a light raitha. Same principle as ddevadatta suggested, 50-50 meat/rice, one layer of rice and one layer of meat, topped with milk and saffron, fried onions, cilantro and mint. Then a 'damka', baked, to get it all together.

Jaya

where is this place? will be in Delhi for 4 days. Would love to have Biryani.

Another place in S'pore - "Andhra curry" in little India.
That was the place i got addicted to chicken Biryani.

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Bigzero

hey hyderabadi, your biryani descriptions are having some effect on me. thinking about pushing off to paradise for a nice chicken biriyani...

the problem with going alone is the quantity. i have never been able to finish one full biryani alone.

paradise has this family pack, and our family survives on it for 2 days....

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miles to go....

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Hyderabadi

You can, I can't
Maybe we'll cook some at home, but the meat is just not the same here

ddevadatta

Dang I need help guys and gals. Is there any place in the US that will mail Muslim style Biryani? I will pay any amount to have my Biryani fix. I get tired of my own recipe and looking for Muslim style biryani. By the way if anyone wants my own awesome recipe, let me know. It is different from Muslim style (with the layers and all) but still excellent. It is my mother's recipe and boy she was known all over for her recipe. Fortunately I have been able to duplicate it with great sucess. Maybe I should start a mail order biryani business. Any takers!!!!!!

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crvlvr

SOB! this thread should have a warning, "DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE HUNGRY!" Its killing me as there are no decent Biriyani spots in Los Angeles and now I just have to have some..

edwardseco

I share your pain crvlvr..

bijapuri

I have yet to find a decent (meaning excellent) Biryani in Silicon Valley. Has anyone? We do have a pukka Saravana Bhavan, tho

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NostalgicIndian

I dont like Shalimar's or Kabab'n'curry's or some other places' Biryani. I liked the one in Santana Row Amber. But I prefer the Amber in Mtn. View. Also, I'd like to try Turmerik in Sunnyvale Downtown. They have some hot-shot chef cooking there.
I'm yet to try Mtn. Vw. Shiva's non-buffet food. Their weekday lunch buffet was good. Check this guy's blog link for some restaurants http://dailyadvisor.blogspot.com/200...south-bay.html

NostalgicIndian

I'm a fan of the Saravana Bhawan "Rava Kesari". Its yummy. It melts in the mouth and it has the right amount of sweetness.

NostalgicIndian

Can you fedex me a free trial version?

crvlvr

ddevadatta, could you please post the recepie ASAP. I must have my biriyani fix soon..

ddevadatta

Thanks for your interest. Please note this is not a typical Muslim style biryani but great. My recipe (for best results) is a two stage process and for 2-3 servings based on 1 lb of either tender lamb or chicken and 1 cup of basamati rice. Just increase the recipe for bigger portions. Ingredients available at any Indian grocery store. They are better than what you might get in a regular grocery store.

Stage One: Koorma (That is the liquid).

1. Sauté 1 medium onion, 4 one-inch cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves in 1/4 lb. butter (1 stick) until light brown color.

2. Add 2 heaping teaspoons of ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/8 teaspoon turmeric: and sauté this with the onions till you see the oil separates a bit.

3. Add the meat, 1 large diced tomato, 1 1/2-teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon of coriander leaves; stir the mixture well and allow to cook a bit.

4. Add enough water to just cover the meat and then after a boil, reduce heat and cook until meat is tender. Approx. 45 minutes.

Korea is done.

Stage Two Rice:
1. In a large oven proof pan m sauté 1 medium onion, in i/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, with 4 one inch cinnamon sticks, 4-6 cardamom pods, 2 green fresh chilies.

2. Cook onions till they turn light brown, and then add 10-12 fresh mint leaves and fry for few seconds. Add 1-tablespoon coconut milk. Stir and cook for a minute or two.

3. Add the Koorma from above to this pan and mix well. Make sure your Koorma liquid is twice the amount of rice. Add a little water if need be. Check for salt, if needed add ½ teaspoon salt. Add 1-tablespoon lemon juice.

4. Add 1-cup rice, and stir well. Bring mixture to boil. Watch that the rice doesn’t stick to bottom of the pan. Stir .

5. When Koorma boils, place cover over pan and transfer to preheated oven at 350 degrees.

6. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour when the rice will be cooked.

Biryani is done. Stir well from bottom to top of pan before serving and enjoy with raitha.

SHIMLA

Hey Bigzero,

You can always take my help; by couriering it to Yangon !!!

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karakal

Just thought I'd clarify something already mentioned regarding places in delhi - something that is of utmost importance (coz you can't screw up with food..) lonelyaztec, kaushik, the place in delhi that is owned by descendents of the royal mughal kitchen is called karim's (not kake's ...that's another one, and very good as well). while this lineage might well be alleged, once you eat the food, you only have to give in to whatever claims might have been made about these guys. the original one is in a bylane, very close to the jama masjid. the other one, dastar khwan-e-karim, is in Nizamuddin somewhere near the durgah (haven't been there in a long while).
and, believe it or not, they have a website: http://www.karimhoteldelhi.com/index1.html
so go on, look, eat..i recommend this place to each and all.