Chef Kunal Kapur shares mouth-watering kathal biryani recipe for summer: See step-by-step preparation

Being a vegetarian does not mean one has to completely miss out on the taste of biryani. Chef Kunal Kapur shares how to make the dish using kathal.

While the debate on the existence of a vegetarian biryani might rage on till the end of days, it is mostly agreed that one of the best vegetarian alternatives to meat is kathal, or raw jackfruit. A popular summer vegetable, celebrity chef and MasterChef India judge Kunal Kapur used it to prepare his signature veg dum biryani. The detailed recipe that is provided below serves six people.

Chef Kunal Kapur uses kathal to make veg biryani. (chefkunalkapur.com)

Ingredients for kathal biryani

For kathal

• Kathal chunks – 5 cups
• Salt
• Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Turmeric – ¾ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
• Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
• Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Bhuna besan – 3 tbsp
• Oil – 4 tbsp

For jhol

• Oil – 1 cup
• Shahi Jeera – 2 tsp
• Cardamom – 5
• Cinnamon stick – 1
• Onion sliced – 2½ cups
• Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
• Water – a dash
• Turmeric – ¾ tsp
• Chilli powder – 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder – 1½ tbsp
• Curd – 1½ cups
• Salt – to taste
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Mace (javitri) powder – ½ tsp
• Kewra water – 1 tbsp
• Rose water – 1 tbsp
• Green chilli – 2
• Mint leaves – 1 cup

For rice

• Basmati rice – 3 cups
• Water – 3 lts
• Salt – handful
• Green chilli – 1
• Cardamom – 4 to 5
• Rose water – 1 tbsp
• Kewra water – ½ tbsp
• Saffron (dissolved in 2 tbsp milk) – a pinch
• Water from blanched rice – 1 cup
• Ghee / Leftover oil – 3 tbsp
• Mint leaves – handful
• Fried onion – handful
• Dough – for sealing

Method of preparation

1. Lightly marinate the kathal with salt, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, javitri elichi powder, ginger-garlic paste, and bhuna besan.
2. On a tawa, heat oil and shallow fry them on both sides. It need not be cooked completely, but should get a brown colour. Remove and let it cool before use.
3. In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients under marination except for oil and onions. Keep it aside.
4. In a deep pan, heat oil and add onions. Brown the onions and then strain them, removing the oil. Add the fried onions back to the pan along with 3tbsp of the strained oil.
5. Keep the remaining oil on the side. Add the marination to the onions and give a quick boil. Add the kathal and cook for four minutes.
6. Separately boil water, add one tablespoon of oil (leftover strained oil), cardamom, cinnamon, green chilli, and salt. Boil for five minutes and then strain the spices and chilli. Add kewra and rose water. Now add the soaked and drained rice. Cook till rice is ¾th cooked. Strain the rice and keep the water separately.
7. Spread the strained rice over the veggies and drizzle dissolved saffron, one cup of strained water (from rice), three tablespoons of oil (from fried onions), mint leaves and fried onions. Using the dough and a lid, seal the top of the vessel.
8. Seal the vessel with dough and a tight-fitting lid. Cook on high heat for a minute, now lower the heat and cook on dum for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes before opening the lid. Serve hot with raita.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only.