Quail Biriyani
- 02
- March
- 2009
Quail Biriyani:
Kaadai Biriyani. Peasant bird & spicy rice dish.
Food and culture go hand in hand and leaves its own print in history. India has layers of history still not erased. The country has witnessed more than a dozen of invaders and with every invader came a different culture and a new cuisine!!
Arab travelers and invaders introduced strong spices and several recipes to India, the most popular of which is the Biriyani. The fusion of different cultures and different food habits has refined the Biriyani recipe as to what it is today.
The word ‘Biryani’ comes from the Parsi word ‘Birian’ meaning ‘Fried Before Cooked’. Based on the cooking style, rice is fried before cooking. The original recipe can be traced back to Persia or modern day Iran. This was a royal dish for the Indian Kings and rulers. The Royal kitchen used to boast itself with varieties of meat – deer, hare, duck and quail!!!
Since the Mughal empire was widely spread, their Biriyani recipe can be still be found in places where the Mughals had a foothold even after they are long gone. The local and outside influences fused to create a few unique styles of biriyani.
Nawaab of Arcot, a small time south Indian ruler introduced several meat recipes to Tamilians. Arcot biriyani gets its unique flavour from strong south Indian chilies and short grain rice(Seeraga Samba). Duck, Turkey and Quail biriyani is still common in the country side.
Ingredients:
For Meat Marination:
Quail/any mid sized bird 2
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon(freshly prepared)
Green chili 2 minced
Scallion 1 grated
Country Tomato 1 grated
Mint 6-8 leaves bruised
Cilantro leaves bruised few
Lemon 1 fruit freshly squeezed
Rock Salt
Chili Powder 1/4 spoon
Yogurts 1/4 cup.
For Biriyani:
Short Grained Rice 2 cups
Green chilies 6 slitted
Onions 2 sliced
Tomatoes 6 chopped
Salt
Chili powder (optional…its not used generally)
Mint 10 leaves
Cilantro few leaves
Ghee 1 cup.
Spices:
Cloves 3
Cinnamon 2 sticks
Cardamom 6 crushed
Bay leaves 3 crumbled
Star anise 2
Marati Mokku 3
Rose petal few(dried)
Birinji flower 1
Saffron few strands – tapped
Method:
In a wide crock pot, heat ghee. Throw in all the spices. Let them crackle up.
Then add chilies, wait till it splutters and turns white.
Followed by onions…fry real good till golden. Maybe add salt o hasten your process.
Now tomatoes….cover and cook. When tomatoes turn pulpy, add chili powder.
Stir-in marinated meat. Cover and cook till meat is tender!
When the meat is tender and oil shows up on top, make sure there is no extra moisture. Then stir-in rice.
Let the rice get well fried for brief period. Then measure your water and add the same.
Cover and cook in a least possible heat. I always slow cook under sim, the no-1 knob here. Again it takes 1- 11/2 on stove top. Well one could set these in oven over 350 degrees for 3 whole hours. Choice is yours!
Enjoy with accompany of Vellore Serva, Spanish Onion raita and Hard boiled egg!
I have neva tried Kaada except for its eggs..Looks so spicy Malar..Short grain rice instead of Basmati..getting healthy huh..:)
Never tried Quail before. Biryani looks delish!
The briyani looks authentic n delicious,Malar..Nice presentation..
Never tasted quail..i guess it tastes somewhat similar to chicken
am drooling here…send me that plate
Wonderfully explained!
Have heard of Kaadai, but never had it. Looks lovely Malar!
Love the delicious color of biryani. Biryani tastes better and better after a day or two!
)
Kaadai in any form is my dad’s favorite. With very less fat, doctors suggest this as better than chicken. Ur biriyani makes me hungry:)
Biryani looks so yummm. looks very beautiful with nice color..
this looks terribly hot and yummy!
we used to buy kaada kari through the koravan jaathi who sell these items like kaada, muyal, kokku etc; lovely recipe, i have never tried it as briyani but kaada fry yes (i think you’ve already posted , i’m not sure), looks nice
I’m thankful to persians for introducing this great dish to all of us….Looks delicious and the color says its a perfect biryani!
This biryani is new to me..Looks delicious and yes dear am a biriyani fan too.
I havent tried kaadai in biryani….but urs is really tempting:)
What a unique take on biriyani! I am passing on an award to you. You can check it out at Healthy and Gourmet. Cheers!
N.
I am a big fan of Biriyani..but unfortunately never had a chance to taste Quail Biriyani…this one looks very tempting indeed…Its always biriyani photos in food blogs that generate max hunger in me!!:(
Never tried quail yet as any dish, biryani looks delicious!!
looks awesome.
Cheers.
wow yummy yummy recipe..! Looks great! Pick ur awards from my blog
Hi Malar
I really love biriyani.
Your looks great and will taste even better.
Great recipe x