Keerai Biryani | Spinach Biryani | Sunday Lunch Recipes | Video Recipe

              Keerai  Biryani   a delicious spicy rice made with fresh spinach leaves and masala. Like everybody we love eating biryani on weekends.I make only vegetarian version and some non-veg side for my dears..Hotels/restaurants serve different foods yeah !! of course there must be some good amount of fat and pretty much high salt compared to our homemade food.

          Now a days with the exposure to different culture people living in cities love pizza ,pasta.Those are of course high cost and high fat foods.Eating this menu on day to day basis is not possible in term of health and money.

    I love curd rice with some pickle or some simple potato curry after a heavy meal outside or after coming back from a tiring trip eating hotel food all day. Everybody wish to have their comfort food at least once in a day ,it can curd rice or some roti-dal depends on the individual preference.

      Like other comfort food, biryani is comfort food for any south Indian especially Andhra and Tamilnadu people.You can see many andhra style hotel has special variety served like Tamilnadu Ambur style.

      If you ask me ..How you got the idea of making biryani with spinach ? Before if anybody asked  to  make biryani with greens,i must have said " its not at all possible" .After seeing chitra posting this variety i was tempted to give it a  try.I got the chance when i have some leftover palak leaves in my fridge.So i went ahead and made it .It was entirely delicious.I made it almost 3 times now ,we love it every time.If you take care of the  rice not getting mushy (may be you can try dum process).It is the one of the easiest and delicious one pot meal.     

If you are looking for more similar recipe check vegetable dum biryani,Mushroom biryani,Pressure cooker biryani.

Video recipe :

  Step by step picture recipe for making spinach biryani:

• Wash ,clean spinach and chop it.Chop onions ,tomato,mint leaves after washing.
• Peel/ wash garlic and ginger.Grind it along with red chilies and black pepper.Keep the masala items for tempering also ready.

• Add ghee and oil to the pressure cooker.When you are almost ready with the preparation soak the rice in water.When its hot add masala items.Next add onions and saute it.When the onions are almost done add ground paste.Saute it until the raw smell goes off.

• Next add tomatoes to the cooker.Wait till they become mushy.Add palak leaves and mint leaves and saute for sometime.

• Drain the excess water from rice.You can add rice,required salt and turmeric powder .Add 1 3/4 cup of water(depends on the rice quality and amount of time soaked).Check salt and spice then pressure cook it for a whistle.

• Switch off the stove .keep the cooker off the stove.
• When the pressure subsides.Give a mix then serve immediately with raita or good curry.

                                                           Keerai Biryani

                      How to make Spinach Biryani 

 Cuisine: Indian   Category: Lunch Prep time:10 minutes  Cook time:30 minutes  Total Time:40-45 minutes Serves:2-3

Ingredients:

•  1 cup -Spinach/Palak leaves. 
•  1 cup -Basmati rice. 
• Salt - as needed.
•  1 3/4  cups-Water .

To saute

•  1 tbsp -ghee.
• 1 tbsp oil.
• 1 inch- Cinnamon. 
• 2 Cloves .
• 1 Cardamom. 
• 1 Bay leaf .
• small piece star anise.
• 1 Big onion .
• 1 Green chili. 
•  1/4 cup chopped Mint leaves.
•  1 Tomato .

To Grind: 

• 2 Red chillies (increase if using yogurt or more tomatoes).
• 1 inch Ginger .
•  4 Garlic cloves.
•  1/4 tsp Pepper corns .

Method:

•  Wash ,clean spinach and chop it.Chop onions ,tomato,mint leaves after washing.
• Peel and wash garlic and ginger.Grind it along with red chilies and black pepper.
• Keep the masala items for tempering also ready.
• Add ghee and oil to the pressure cooker.
• When you are almost ready with the preparation soak the rice in water.
• When its hot add masala items.Next add onions and saute it.
• When the onions are almost done add ground paste.Saute it until the raw smell goes off.
• Next add tomatoes to the cooker.Wait till they become mushy.
• Add palak leaves and mint leaves and saute for sometime.
• Drain the excess water from rice.You can add rice,required salt and turmeric powder .
• Add 1 3/4 cup of water(depends on the rice quality and amount of time soaked).
• Check salt and spice then pressure cook it for a whistle.
• Switch off the stove .keep the cooker off the stove.
• When the pressure subsides.Give a mix then serve immediately with raita or good curry.
• Spinach biryani ready to eat .Have a happy Sunday!!