Capsicum Biryani / Bell Pepper Biryani / Spiced Capsicum Rice

Am sure many of you must have prepared various sabjis, curries or gravies and sides with capsicum but if you haven't still tried biryani with it I insist you to try soon. It tastes so good and also easy to make than the other biryanis. You can make it in just 10 minutes if you have everything ready at hand without much fuss and tastes just like the restaurant biryanis. You can also follow the same method for making chicken or mutton biryani. I have used oil here and so its a no ghee recipe, which doesn't affect the taste even a bit. The aroma and taste just makes you want more and it will be a best treat to your taste buds. Just serve with onion raita or brinjal raita and if you wish with some spicy sides like Tangy spicy brinjal masala. 

Check out my Biryani with normal rice by clicking here!!

For other rice varieties click here!!

For a best chicken dish to accompany this biryani click here and here!!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4 People
Total Preparation Time - 20 to 30 minutes

1. Basmati Rice - 1 cup (200 grams)
2. Water - 1.5 cups (Use the same cup that you have used to measure rice)
3. Capsicum / Bell pepper - 2 
4. Big onions - 1 
5. Tomatoes - 1 
6. Ginger-Garlic paste - 3 spoons (or) Ginger - 3 inch long pieces; Garlic pods - 5 peeled and ground into paste 
7. Coriander leaves - A handful 
8. Red chilli powder - 1 spoon (6 to 8 grams)
9. Coriander powder - 2 spoons (10 to 12 grams) 
10. Cloves - 3
11. Cinnamon stick - 5 (1 inch long small sticks)
12. Cardamom pods - 5
13. Bay leaves - 2 
14. Star anise - 3 
15. Fennel seeds - 1 spoon (4 grams)
16. Oil - 5 spoons 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Take basmati rice in a cup and add water until it gets immersed well. Leave it soaked for 15 minutes. 
• Take a pressure cooker and place its pan on flame. Pour oil into it and after it heats up add cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, star anise and saute for a minute on low flame. 
• Then add the fennel seeds (Sombu/Saunf) and saute for a few seconds.
• Then add sliced onions and saute until it turns translucent, then add the ginger garlic paste and stir well.
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute well.
• Add salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and mix well. 
• Then when the raw smell leaves add chopped capsicum and stir well. 
• Now add the soaked basmati rice and mix gently be careful not to break the grains. 
• When the rice gets coated well with masala, add 1.5 cups of water and give a stir gently.
• Check for salt and add if needed. Then close the pressure cooker pan with its lid and switch on to medium flame mode and wait until the pressure or steam oozes out of the lid's nozzle. 
• Place the weight and cook on low flame for 5 minutes or until you hear the first whistle.
• Switch off the flame and leave the cooker undisturbed for a while. 
• Open only after all the pressure has released by itself.
• Serve!!

TIP 1: Never put on high flame while making biryani. Cooking time and water content is so important to get grainy biryani. So be careful while adding the proportions, always use the same cup for measuring the quantity of rice and water. Always rice : water ratio should be like this 1:1½ or else it will turn mushy.

TIP 2: After adding water check for salt and then pressure cook, because it is the right time to check. Then add if needed, if it turns out to be too salty add some potatoes chopped or cubed into medium size. It will help absorb extra salt. 

TIP 3: You can also add chicken stock instead of water this will make the biryani taste to good. 

TIP 4: Never open the pressure cooker immediately before the pressure releases it could be dangerous also the biryani will not get its perfect grainy look. Always for any preparations leave the pressure cooker undisturbed until all the pressure releases on its own.

Aromatic and Delicious Biryani is now ready!! Too tasty no one would believe its just capsicum Biryani!!

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