Palak biryani recipe |how to make easy biryani recipe in pressure cooker

Todays post is palak biryani which is an easy one pot meal especially when you are tired of cooking an elaborate meal.

I have made it in pressure cooker.This biryani is quick easy & doesnt have layers .If you prefer a layered biryani you check hyderabadi style chicken biryani or other biryani varieties.

As you know palak is a good source of iron,its an intelligent way to include greens in your daily diet & that too in a tasty manner




Recipe source :vegrecipesofindia

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes
1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 
1 medium size tomato, chopped
4 cups of water
3 tbsp oil or ghee
¼ tsp red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
¼ tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
½ tsp cumin (jeera powder)
1 tsp fennel (saunf powder)
1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)
a pinch of asafoetida/hing (optional)
salt as required

Garnishing 
some fried cashews/raisins /almonds
pomegranate Kernels

Whole spices:
1 inch cinnamon (dal chini)
1 small star anise (chakriphool)
2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi or choti elaichi)
1 or 2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
2-3 cloves (laung)
1 bay leaf (tej patta)
a pinch of mace (jaipatri or javitri)

Spinach puree:
1 medium bunch spinach (palak)
½ cup mint leaves (pudina patta)
½ cup coriander leaves (dhania patta)
1 or 2 green chilies (hari mirch)
5-6 almonds (badam)

Method :

1.First rinse and then soak the rice for 30 minutes drain water & keep aside,lets prepare the spinach puree as mentioned below

2.Rinse the palak/spinach leaves well. chop and keep aside. rinse & chop the green chilies, mint and coriander leaves .In a blender, add the chopped spinach, mint, coriander, green chili and almonds,½ cup water and blend to a smooth paste.


3.Heat oil in a thick bottom  pan or Kadhai or a cooker. Next add all the whole spices.fry for some seconds or till the oil gets fragrant. Add the sliced onions & fry till they are browned. remove some of the fried onions for garnishing.

4 Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for some seconds. now add the chopped tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes becomes soft for 2-3 minutes.keep on stirring so that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pan.

5.add  spinach puree and stir. saute for 3-4 minutes. now all the dry spice powders one by one and stir.

6 Add soaked rice and  stir for 1-2 minutes. pour 4  cups water. add salt and stir.check the taste of the broth and if required add some more salt.

7 cover tightly with a lid and cook till done once  the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.If cooking in pressure cooker allow it to whistle for 2 whistles.immediately switch off gas.

8.open the lid /cooker & fluff the rice with fork so that it doesnt become mushy .IF YOU KEEP LID CLOSED RICE WILL CONTINUE TO GET COOKED.

9.serve palak biryani hot garnished with the fried onions ,Pomegranate kernels and fried cashews/almonds with papad, raita, yogurt curry or some salad.