Chettinad Cuisine is the cuisine of the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. Food from this state is predominantly vegetarian due the majority of Tamil Brahmins. The Chettinad region comprises of 76 villages and 2 towns and is dominated by the Chettiar community. Cuisine of Chettinad is uses a variety of freshly ground spices including cumin, fenugreek, fennel, clove, bay leaf, turmeric and tamarind. The cuisine is well known for the complexity of flavours.
The traditional Chettinad cuisine is well known for using so many varieties of spices like star anise, whole red chilies, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, peppercorn, cumin seeds and fenugreek. In Chettinad cuisine, common “secret” ingredients are dried flower pods, and kalpasi (black stone flower). The richness of the gravies is increased by addition of tomatoes, coconut, ginger and garlic.
This Chettinad style Vegetable Biryani recipe is featured in the Facebook Gourmet group, Shhhhhhh Cooking Secretly challenge. Here, participating members take turn to propose the theme for each month. Kalyani Sri who was our hostess for the month of July, proposed Chettinad Cuisine as the theme. You might love to try out her Vegan Chettinad Curry.
In this group all participating members are divided into pairs and both partners exchange a set of secret ingredients, using which both have to cook a dish depending upon the theme for the particular month. Once the dish is ready only the picture of the dish is shared on the group and the other group members take turn in guessing the secret ingredients just by looking at the picture of the dish. The secret ingredients and the dish name are revealed at the end of the month when the recipe is published by the respective blogger.
My partner for the Chettinad Cuisine theme was Narmadha and she gave me mint and Kalpasi as my 2 secret ingredients and i made this flavorful and aromatic Chettinad style Vegetable Biryani using the ingredients. In return, i gave her coconut milk and Cinnamon and she made this Chettinad Chicken Biryani using the set of ingredients.
- 1 inch cinnamon (Dal Chini)
- 2-3 green cardamom pods (elaichi)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- 4-5 black pepper corn (kali mirch)
- 2-3 cloves (laung)
- 2 stone flower (dagad Phool) / Kalpasi
- 1 star anise (chakri phool)
- 1 cup rice ( preferably use Seeraga Samba Rice)
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1 potato , diced
- 4-5 french beans, chopped lengthwise into 2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup green peas
- 1 tomato , chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 2 green chilies
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 2 tablespoon oil / ghee
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- To begin with making Chettinad style vegetable Biryani, get all the ingredients ready. Chop the veggies, rinse and soak the rice for 30 minutes.
- Now, we will start with making the Biryani masala. For that in a sauce pan on medium flame, dry roast all the spices listed under biryani masala in the list of ingredients. Make sure you do not burn the spices, just roast them on low to medium flame so that they release their essential oils and impart a lovely aroma and flavor to our biryani.
- Allow the spices to cool down. transfer them to a grinder jar and make a fine powder. This is our Biryani masala.
- To make the Biryani, heat ghee or oil in a pressure cooker on medium flame.
- Add caraway seeds and bay leaf to it. Once it sizzles add the curry leaves followed by green chili ginger paste and saute for 30 seconds. Add chopped tomato and saute until they turn mushy.
- At this stage, lower the flame and add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder and stir fry the spice powders for about 30 seconds.
- Next, tip in the chopped veggies and stir fry for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the washed, soaked and drained rice and stir fry for another 1 minute.
- Add 2 1/2 cups hot water to it. season with salt to taste. Now tear mint leaves roughly and add to it. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and pressure cook the biryani on medium flame for 2 whistles.
- Open the lid of the cooker, once all the pressure has been released. Fluff the rice using a fork and serve the flavorful and aromatic Chettinad Style Vegetable Biryani with curd or raita and papad and enjoy with your loved ones !
Would love to hear from you !
I hope you would love trying out this healthy, aromatic and flavorful Chettinad style vegetable Biryani. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the section below this post.
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See you soon with yet another healthy and delicious creation from my Kitchen. Until then Stay safe and eat right !
Happy Cooking !
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