Raw Jackfruit Biryani, also known as Kathal Biryani, is a vegetarian rice dish that originated in India. It uses unripe jackfruit, cooked with aromatic spices and basmati rice, to create a flavorful and filling meal.
I have used frozen raw jackfruit in this recipe. You can use canned or fresh jackfruit too. In my case, the size of the jackfruit was perfect for the biryani. If you find the pieces to be big in your case, cut them into bite-sized cubes.
Add the jackfruit, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ cup water to a pressure cooker and cook for one whistle. Let the pressure release naturally.
Marinate the Jackfruit
Add yogurt, finely chopped mint and coriander leaves, ginger garlic paste, salt, Kashmiri chilli powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, biryani masala powder to a big, wide bowl. Add the cooked jackfruit pieces and mix well. Keep it aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the Rice
Wash and soak basmati rice in enough water for 20 minutes.
Fry the cashews
Add ghee/oil to the pan. Once hot, add cashews and fry till it turns golden brown. Keep the cashews aside.
Prepare the Jackfruit Biryani
Add ghee/ oil to a Biryani pot or pan. Once hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, and stone flower. Cook for a minute.
Add thinly sliced onions, slit green chillies and a pinch of salt. Cook till onions mildly change colour.
To the cooked onions, add ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell goes.
Add finely chopped tomatoes and cook for a minute. Now, add the marinated jackfruit and mix well. Let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.
Add finely chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix well. Add water to cook the Biryani. Taste and adjust the amount of salt, if needed. Let the water boil well.
Drain the soaked water from the Basmati Rice. Gently mix it with the prepared jackfruit masala. Squeeze in some lemon. Add the roasted cashews. Finally, add a spoon of ghee on top, if desired.
Close the pot and cook on low flame for 15 minutes. Switch off and let the jackfruit biryani remain untouched for another 5-7 minutes. Gently fluff the biryani with a spatula. Serve hot with raita.
Notes
You can skip the cashews to make this Biryani nut-free.Adjust green chillies and red chilli powder to suit your spice level.Biryani Masala can be substituted with garam masala.
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