Potato Biryani

Anyone there doesn't like potatoes?Not me even though I am careful in adding them because they are highly starchy.Hubby was out of town last week for a few days so it was just us around, instead of skipping the real cooking I thought I'll try to make some quick biryani and made this which was done in about 15 minutes.Me and Aj loved it my LM who is still in serious hatred with onions and tomatoes ofcourse hated it even though she loves potatoes.

This dish makes a complete meal in itself nutrient wise I served with carrot raita to add more vegetable to the kids meals.

Preparation time - 15 minutes + cooking and cooling time of rice
Serves 2 generously (we 2 kids and me had it for lunch and a bit for dinner too)


You need

Oil 3-4 tablespoons
BUtter or ghee 1 tablespoon(optional)
Whole spices Star anise, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon 1 each
Green chilli 1 slit
GInger crushed 1 inch piece
Garlic 2 large pods
Onions 1 medium
Potato 1 large sliced like chips
Tomatoes 1 large
Green coriander leaves few sprigs
Grated carrot for garnish(optional)
Salt to taste
Coriander powder/Curry powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Lime juice of one small lemon
Milk 2-3 tablespoons

To cook the rice

Boiled Rice 1 and half cup( its a small steel tumbler i usually measure my daily meals with not the standard size cup)

Whole spices black cardamom, fennel seeds, green cardamoms, nutmeg flower 1 each 

Salt 1 tsp

- Soak the rice for half hour or more.Drain water and Cook the rice with 1:3 ratio water adding the whole spices, salt in the pressure cooker for 3 whistles.Allow this to cool in a large dish separating the grains with a fork. 

To make the masala 

-Heat oil and butter in a deep vessel, add the whole spices, green chilli, finely chopped or crushed ginger and garlic pods,fry this well and then add the onions.

- Once onions are fried well almost dark brown add the potato slices and allow this to fry well too in the oil. 

- Add tomato and chopped coriander leaves and add little salt, cover and allow this to cook to the onions, tomatoes and potato is cooked well.

- Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and stir well.

- Divide this mixture into two parts and rice as well, and spread the remaining half of the masala in the vessel after reducing the heat, spread the rice over this.Repeat with masala and rice.Sprinkle coriander leaves and grated carrots.

- Squeeze lime juice over these layers.Add the milk over this and cover and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.Turn off heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

-MIx well and serve with any salad or raita of your choice.

Quick and delicious potato biryani is ready.This will make a wonderful whole meal in the lunchbox and which kid doesn't like potatoes.

Tips:
- I kept the spices low because the kids had to have it.You canadjust according to your taste.
- I sliced the potato with my chips slicer which helped to cook it really quick, if you have more time you can dice it or chop into wedges or even like fingers, I'm sure chunky potato bits will taste even better or use baby potatoes.
- I have used my regular lunch rice as we like our biryanis that way too you can use basmati rice or any rice you choose just be careful to adjust the water quantity to cook it in the pressure cooker or else the rice will get mushy.

Sending this to Indus Ladies Kids Lunch Box Recipes