Kathal Biryani Recipe- Raw Jackfruit Biryani Topped with Caramelised Onions

Step 1: To begin making the Kathal Biryani Recipe, let us first cut the raw jackfruit

Step 2: In order to do that we have to first, grease our hands and the knife that we are going to use, with some oil

Step 3: This important tip ensures that the hands don't get sticky from the natural fruit latex/sap present in the fruit does not get onto your hands and makes the cutting process hassle-free

Step 4: Keep a bowl of water mixed with some salt, ready to put the cut raw jackfruit pieces to avoid discolouration of the fruit

Step 5: Now that your hands and knife are well greased, cut the the jackfruit in half, discard the skin and start making 1 inch pieces and soak them in the salted water

Step 6: To make rice for the Kathal Biryani : Wash and soak rice in water for 30 mins before you start cooking

Step 7: In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat water-twice the quantity of the rice

Step 8: Add few drops of ghee, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and some star anise in it

Step 9: As soon as the water starts boiling, add rice and cook till 80% done

Step 10: Once the rice is semi cooked to 80%, pass it through a strainer and collect the rice in a large tray and spread well so that they don't stick to each other

Step 11: *To make kathal ki yakhniHeat ghee in a wok and fry the kathal pieces till brown in color

Step 12: Keep aside

Step 13: In the same wok, fry cashews, raisins that will be used for garish at the end

Step 14: Collect them in separate bowls and keep aside

Step 15: Now add all the whole spices along with bay leaf in the remaining ghee

Step 16: Allow them to sizzle

Step 17: Next add ginger and garlic and saute till light brown in color

Step 18: At this stage, add finely chopped onions,fry till raw smell goes off and it turns golden in color

Step 19: Add green chilies and mix well

Step 20: Once the onions are cooked, add the fried kathal pieces and yogurt and mix everything nicely so that the curd mixes well with the kathal

Step 21: Soon you will observe, yogurt will start releasing water

Step 22: Cook till oil starts oozing out and yogurt starts drying up

Step 23: To this, add red chili powder, coriander powder and some torn leaves of mint and coriander and fry till oil starts leaving from the sides

Step 24: Add salt and give it a good stir

Step 25: Turn off the flame

Step 26: To assemble  Kathal Biryani  :Heat a flat base iron tawa on the gas and place a large thick bottomed utensil (handi/bhagona) on the tawa in which you wish to dum the biryani

Step 27: Take 1 tablespoon of yogurt and spread it all over the base-this prevents yakhni from getting burnt

Step 28: Spread the kathal yakhni all over the curd and make sure it's evenly spread on the base

Step 29: Add some ghee over it and start covering it with layers of rice and caramelised onions

Step 30: Once you have covered the yakhni with the rice, pour saffron milk at one corner of the rice top

Step 31: Squeeze lemon all over, add lots of chopped coriander and mint on top along with fried raisins and cashews-save few to garnish before serving

Step 32: Cover the vessel with aluminium foil and seal it from the sides

Step 33: Place the lid of the vessel on top of the foil and keep a heavy vessel over it so that the aroma is intact and the Kathal Biryani cooks well in dum

Step 34: Simmer the gas and let the Kathal Biryani cook on dum for 20 minutes

Step 35: Once the Kathal Biryani is done, remove the foil carefully and mix well by shaking the vessel

Step 36: By doing this the yakhni mixes well with the rice without breaking the grains

Step 37: Serve the Kathal Biryani as a one dish meal for a weeknight dinner or as a party food along with Sweet & Spicy Coriander Tadka Raita and Mirchi Ka Salan Recipe for a sumptuous meal