Sylheti Biryani
Photo: AbuSayeed, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sylheti biryani is a one-pot rice dish from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh, built on whole spices and fragrant floral waters. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves are fried in ghee with onion, so the rice absorbs their flavor as it cooks. Kewra and rose water go on at the end, which keeps their perfume sharp. Use chicken, lamb or beef, whichever you have.
Instructions
Rinse the Basmati rice until the water runs fairly clear, then soak it in fresh water for about 30 minutes. Drain it well and set it aside.
Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste, sliced onion, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns. Sauté until the onions are golden brown and the spices smell fragrant.
Add the meat and cook, stirring now and then, until it is no longer pink on the outside.
Tip in the drained rice and stir until every grain is coated with the spiced fat and onions.
Pour in enough water to cover the rice, which is usually about 4 cups for 2 cups of rice, and add salt to taste. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed.
While the rice cooks, cut a shallow slit lengthwise in each green chile so it can release its flavor.
Take the pot off the heat and leave it covered for a few minutes so the rice finishes steaming and the flavors settle together.
Serve hot, topped with the slit green chiles, a little Kewra water and a sprinkle of rose water.
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