All this while, I was always under the impression that Biryani was colloquially called as Brinji in Tamil Nadu . Not sure, how I got that into my head ;well am thinking still !
Coming to my encounter with Brinji; recently on our way back from Chennai ,we had a lunch stop over at famous restaurant near Kanjivaram and that’s where I first tasted this Brinji . I had ordered a mini thali which had 3 flavored rice along with some Poori and curry . One of the flavored rice looked like pulao,but it was garnished with bread crumbs .
Intrigued by that presentation, I asked the waiter what’s that and he replied “Akka adhu Brinji”. That was my first taste of Brinji a.k.a Birinji .
Without wasting a moment ,I took a spoonful and I must tell you; I totally fell in love with the flavors . That’s when my myth was broken and I realized that Brinji is not Biryani and also it is a vegetarian recipe and has no meat .
It was a riot of flavor explosion. The essence from fennel;sombu as it is called in Tamil and slightly over powering flavor of ginger, garlic ,bay leaf mint along with the vegetables was a treat to the taste buds.
What is Brinji ?
Brinji is made using Jeera Samba rice which is a native rice used for Biryanis in TN . A melange of flavors from whole spices , fresh mint , ginger garlic paste along with fresh vegetables is what makes Brinji a delight .
The other main flavor enhancer is the use of coconut milk to cook the rice. The subtle sweetness from the coconut milk lends a wonderful balance of flavors to the palate with every mouthful .Served with a slightly watery onion raita and a veg kurma, the Brinji is a whole meal by itself and keeps us full .
I wanted to try this Brinji ever since I tasted it,but somehow it kept getting delayed, but today we wanted to eat something different for lunch and I immediately told hubby I am making Brinji that too with my own recipe trying to replicate what I ate remembering the taste .
I am told that Brinji is a very common in the vegetarian menu during Christmas and New Year parties in Tamil Nadu . So for the upcoming year end parties, you could also make it for your office potluck or friends’ get together .
Preparation Time – 30 mins
Cooking Time- 30 mins
Complexity – medium
Serves – 3 to 4
Ingredients
1.5 cups Basmati rice
1 cup coconut milk (canned or home made)
2 cups water
1 carrot cut into long strips
2 small potatoes cut into long strips
8 to 10 French beans cut into 1 ” strips
1 medium onion cut length wise
3 to 4 green chillies slit
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 bay leaves /tej patta/ birinji elai
3 to 4 cloves/lavang
1 inch stick cinnamon/dalchini/pattai
2 to 3 cardamom/elaichi /elakkai
1.5 tsp fennel /saunf /sombu
Handful of chopped mint leaves
Handful of chopped corriander leaves
Salt as needed
2 tbsp cooking oil
3 tbsp ghee
Method
- Wash the basmati rice and soak it in water for 20 mins and then drain it .
- Heat the pressure cooker vessel with oil and ghee .
- Crackle the fennel seeds and the whole spices until they turn aromatic.
- Saute the onions until transparent followed by the mint leaves , ginger garlic paste and vegetables.
- Let the fat coat the vegetables and saute ginger garlic until the raw flavor is lost . This will prevent the ginger garlic paste from burning and sticking to the pan’s base .
- Add required salt ,coconut milk and water . Bring it to a boil .
- Add the drained Basmati rice. Check for salt and adjust if needed. Add the fresh corriander and close the cooker lid .
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles on high flame and turn off. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open it and wait for 5 mins before you can fluff it . Trying to fluff immediately will make it mushy .
- Roast cashews in ghee and add it to the brinji . You may also add some fried or toasted bread crumbs for extra taste.
- Serve hot with onion raita and a gravy of your choice.
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