Jackfruit Biryani

Biryani  is a mixed rice dish originating among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent.  It is made with Indian spices, rice and meat usually that of chicken, goat, lamb, prawn fish and sometimes, in addition, eggs   or vegetables such as potatoes, Paneer  in certain regional varieties. Biryani is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent, as well as among the diaspora from the region. Biryani is an Indi-Aryan word derived from the Persian language, which was used as an official language in different parts of medieval India by various Islamic dynasties^. One theory states that it originated from birinj  the Persian word for rice  Another theory states that it is derived from biryan or beriyan , which means "to fry" or "to roast" in Persian language. Difference between biryani and pulao: Pilaf or Pulao, as it is known in the Indian subcontinent, is another mixed rice dish popular in Indian Cuisines, Central Asia, and Middle Eastern Cuisines.  Opinions differ on the differences between pulao and biryani, and whether actually there is a difference between the two. Colleen Taylor Sen lists the following distinctions between biryani and pulao^.

• Biryani is the primary dish in a meal, while the pulao is usually a secondary accompaniment to a larger meal.
• In biryani, meat (and vegetables, if present) and rice are cooked separately before being layered and cooked together. Pulao is a single-pot dish: meat (or vegetables) and rice are simmered in a liquid until the liquid is absorbed.  However, some other writers,  have reported pulao recipes in which the rice and meat are cooked separately and then mixed before the slow oven cooking.
• Biryanis have more complex and stronger spices compared to pulao. The  biryani has a stronger taste of curried rice due to a greater amount of spices.

Enough about Biryani. Now since I am vegetarian I am always experimenting making this dish with different veggies.  This time I decided to make it with Jack-fruit.  As my kids often tell me that it tastes like chicken. I wouldn't know because I have never tried chicken,  All I known I love young Jackfruit curry and kofta (recipes on this blog).

The Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), also known as jack tree, is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family  Its origin is in the region between the Western Ghats  of southern India  and the rain forests of  of Malaysia.  Although when we visited Brazil last year we saw many trees on the train ride to statue of Christ.The jack tree is well-suited to tropical lowlands  and is widely cultivated throughout tropical region of the world. It bears the largest fruit of all trees, reaching as much as 55 kg (120 pounds) in weight, 90 cm (35 inches) in length, and 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter.  A mature jack tree produces some 200 fruits per year, with older trees bearing up to 500 fruits in a year. The jack fruit is a multiple fruit composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers, and the fleshy petals of the unripe fruit are eaten  The ripe fruit is sweet (depending on variety) and is more often used for desserts. Canned Jack-fruit has a mild taste and meat-like texture that lends itself to being called a "vegetable meat"^.  When I was growing up in Agra we used to make side dishes of this quite often. I had posted recipe of Jack fruit curry and Jack-fruit Koftas,  earlier this year, all of these are is made with fresh unripened fruit is not easy to cut as it is very sticky and you have to put lot of oil on your hand so the sticky substance does not stick to your hand.  When I first came here I could not find fresh jack fruit but in Asian and Indian grocery store, however now it is available, but I still use the the canned young jack fruit in brine, which is pretty good . I just wash it thoroughly under water to get rid of brine and all he preservatives.  For curry  and for this  Biryani I usually grill the pieces on griddle and for the Kofta I just used the drained and washed pieces of Jack fruit. 

For this Biryani you would need to make a thick Jack-fruit curry and rice separately and then when prepared layer them alternately and then mix and cook for few min again.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cans of young Jack-fruit
• 1 and 3/4 cup of Basmati Rice
• 3 cups of water (for cooking rice)
• 1/2 cup of additional water (to cook prepped biryani)
  
• 1 cup of plain yogurt (leave it out at room temp for few hours so it becomes a bit sour)
  

• 4 onions sliced lengthwise
• 2 more onions for paste for the gravy
  
• 1/2  Jalapeno pepper sliced length wise
• 1" ginger root
• 5 cloves of garlic and 5 additional cloves of garlic or 2 tablespoon of minced garlic from jar
  
• 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds (optional, I did not have them so I omitted)
• 1 cup of unsalted roasted cashews (1/2 cup for gravy and 1/2 cup for rice)
• 1 small bunch of fresh mint leaves
• 1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
  

Following 7 items and spices divided in two parts one part for making the gravy and another for making rice:

• Four 2" sticks of Cinnamon
• 8 whole Black cardamom
• 10-15 cloves 
• 4 bay leaves
• 4-8 dry red chili pods (to desired heat)
  
• 8 tablespoon of Ghee or butter (I used 4 tablespoon of butter and 4 tablespoon of veg oil)
  
• 2 tables spoon of cumin seeds
• 1/4 + 1/4 teaspoon of asefoetid
  

For gravy: 

• 3 teaspoons of garam masala/I used Singapore seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper or to taste.
  
• 1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• If you have ground ready made Biryani masala you can use it if not no worries. (I did not have it)
  
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• For rice few strands of saffron
  

 

Method to prepare Jackfruit gravy for Biryani: 

• Wash the Jackfruit pieces from the can under running water.
• Drain  and slice them into smaller pieces.
• Heat the stove top grill and spray with vegetable cooking spray.
• Arrange single layer of Jackfruit slices and grill them on high flame until you see the charred marks on them, turn the pieces over and do he same on other side.
  

 

• Once done then turn the stove off and set the grilled piece of jack fruit aside to cool.
• Chop the cooled pieced to desired bite size pieces and set aside. 
  
• In the food processor grind the 1/2 cup of  roasted cashew and poppy seeds to coarsely ground powder.
• Add chopped garlic, ginger and onions for gravy and grind them in to fine paste. 
• Heat 2 tablespoon of butter and 2 table spoon of olive oil or cooking oil in a sauce pan.
• Add one tablespoon of cumin seeds, when these crackle add 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves,  4 black cardamom, 5-7 cloves, and  2-4 dry red chili pods. 
• Saute for few seconds and add 1/4 teaspoon of  asefoetida.
• Add onion, ginger, garlic, cashew poppy seeds gravy.

 

• Saute on medium low heat stirring in between until light golden brown.
• Add turmeric powder, garam masala (I used Singapore seasoning), cumin powder,  and Biryani masala if you have it.
• Mix and saute for few seconds and add yogurt.
• Add ground black pepper.
• Mix well and add sliced Jalapenos and lime juice,  followed by Grilled jack fruit pieces and salt.
• Let it cook for 1 min or so until everything is well incorporated, and then turn the stove off and set aside.
• Now chop the mint and cilantro leaves in the food processor and set aside.
  

 

Method to prepare rice for Biryani: 

• Wash and soak the Basmati rice in water (this is the one for cooking) for about 10-15 min while you prepare gravy and onions for rice.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter and 2 table spoon of olive oil or cooking oil in a sauce pan.
• Add cumin seeds when oil is hot, when these crackle add the remaining add 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 bay leaves,  4 black cardamom, 5-7 cloves, and  2-4 dry red chili pods. 
• Saute for few seconds on medium heat. 
• Add cashews and saute for few seconds.
• Add asefeotida and sliced onions, increase the heat of stove to high to caramelize onions with stirring in between.
• Now divide the this  cooked  onions  mix in two halves set the other half for garnishing and leave the  other half  one stove, turn the heat down to medium low and this is for the rice.
  

• Drain all the water from soaking rice and add Basmati rice to the onion mix gently folding it with wooden spatula so the rice don't break.
• Take few stands of saffron and put it in little water and break the strand and let it soak.
• Transfer the rice and onion mix to microwave safe bowl.
• Add 3 cups of water and salt and saffron water.  
• Cover the bowl and I make my rice in microwave, but if you prefer you can make it on stove top. I like the microwave method so I don't have to watch it.

• For microwave I set following parameters, I cook the rice covered for 10 min on high power and for 8 min on 50% power also covered, when done I take it out of Microwave and let it sit on counter top covered for 2 min while I get all the layering ingredient together next to rice.
• Now take the serving casserole.
• Open the cooked rice and gently fold it all in with a wooden spatula without breaking the cooked rice.

 

• Layer the bottom of serving casserole with one layer of cooked gravy with jack fruit, sprinkle chopped cilantro and mint.
• Put a layer of cooked  rice and thus alternating the layers until all the ingredients are gone. 
• Put the 1/2 cup of water in the gravy bowl,  so none of the gravy is wasted, sprinkle  this 1/2 cup of water in the layered rice biryani.
• Cover it with plastic wrap and cook in microwave for 3  min on high power. Once cooked remove the plastic cover immediately and garnish with reserved sauteed onion and cashew mix.

Hints: 

• Note that rice in biryani not supposed to be mushed, you should see the each long grain on basmati rice.
• You  can use any vegetables and or meat that mentioned above and make the gravy same way replacing the jackfruit with cooked and marinated meat and or paneer or even tofu or any other vegetable.
• Key ingredients are sour plain yogurts and all the spices.

• You can adjust the amount of heat by adding more or less Jalapeno slices or more or less black pepper.
• This was kind of mild version of Biryani so you can adjust accordingly.
• You can even add Sriracha seasoning or Ancho chili seasoning,  if you like.
• For me there are not rules with spices, whatever I have in my pantry I am bold enough to experiment and  to use them.
• Please forgive any typos or spelling errors as this was a long post. 

It is a complex recipe, but worth making it especially if you like Basmati rice and Jackfruit and Biryani. Oh BTW one more helpful hint, before serving, remove all the bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and cloves from Biryani so the guest don't have to remove this from their servings :)

Serve the Biryani with Your choice of Raita (cucumber is my favorite) Raita recipes are on this blog.

Enjoy !!

Source of info on Biryani: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biryanihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License

Info on Jackfruit source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackfruit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_3.0_Unported_License

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha .