Gongura Biryani
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 3 cups rice
  • 5 cups gongura (Roselle or Jamaican sorrel leaves)
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 potatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 eggplants
  • ½ tsp - cumin
  • 1 chinese spicy cinnamon stick
  • 3 anise stars
  • 3-5 bay leaves
  • 4 tbsp - ghee
  • 1 tbsp - oil
  • 1-2 tsp - coriander powder
  • ½ tsp - chilli powder
  • 5 green chillies
  • 5 sprigs cilantro
  • salt
Instructions
  1. Soak rice for at-least 1 hour
  2. Cut onion, carrots and potatoes into cubes. Place deep X shaped slit to eggplant.
  3. Separate gongura leaves from stem. Discard stem.
  4. In a pot, add 2 tbsp oil. Then add gongura, ¼ of onion and green chillies. Close the lid and cook till soft. Let it cool and grind to paste. Add water if needed. Keep it semi solid consistency. It should be watery also like paste.
  5. Meanwhile to another pot, add 4½ cups of water and boil. Now add bay leaf and rice. Lower flame to low, and cook rice till water drains.
  6. Take big pot, add ghee.
  7. Add cumin, star anise, cinnamon fry till golden brown.
  8. Add onion, carrot, eggplant and potatoes. Close lid and cook for 10 minutes.
  9. Add salt, stir and cook for 5 more minutes.
  10. Now add gongura paste, chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook for 5 minutes.
  11. Now take gongura mixture into another bowl. Leave 1 layer of mixture on the bottom. Now add a layer of rice. On top of rice add another layer of gongura mixture. Add layers till all gongura and rice is placed. Place aluminum foil on the pot and close lid on top of foil. Placing aluminum foil ensures steam not to escape. We cooked rice partly, by this process we are cooking rice in gongura steam. Gongura taste penetrates rice and gives it aromatic flavor and taste.
  12. Close lid and cook on very low flame for almost 20-30 minutes till rice is cooked.
  13. Mix well, garnish with cilantro. Serve hot immediately.
Recipe by Ujwala's Delicacies at https://www.ujwalasdelicacies.com/gongura-biryani/