As a kid, I cherished the Masalebhat that my grandma cooked occasionally. If I couldn’t make it to her home on those special days, she always found a way to ensure my favourite dish reached me, sending it through her servant or anyone with a bicycle or scooter. These cherished memories of food from my childhood evoke nostalgia whenever I think of her. Now, decades later, while such delightful rustic flavours are rare, I decided to create my own version with a Masalebhat-style Biryani cooked in a pressure cooker, which turned out fragrant and delicious. Embrace my easy recipe when you crave a steaming plate of rice—it could spark your own beautiful memories.
Prep time – 10 minutes
Cook time – 25 minutes
Serves – 3
Ingredients:
Rice ( soaked and drained ) – 1.5 to 2 cups
Carrots – 50 gm
Potato – 70 gm
Green peas – 1 cup
Cauliflower – a few cloves
Cabbage ( roughly chopped ) – 1 cup
Spices for frying: ( 10 gms altogether )
Star Anise
Peppercorns
Bay leaf
Magaj seeds
Cloves
Masalebhat masala – 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Salt – as per taste
Kewda essence – a few drops
Groundnut oil – 30 ml
Curd ( beaten ) – 1/2 cup
Cashewnut – 20 gm
Mint leaves – a few for garnish
Instructions:
1 ) Cut the vegetables as per preference. I prefer julienne for the carrots as that looks dramatic.
2 ) Heat oil in the pressure cooker and fry cashew nuts lightly. Set aside. Add the spices and fry lightly. Add the vegetables and fry further for five minutes.
3 ) Add the rice, red chilli powder, masalebhat masala, salt and curd. Mix well.
4 ) Cover the cooker and let it cook for three whistles. Reduce the flame and cook further for five minutes. Once done. Let the cooker release all the steam.
5 ) Remove the lid. Add Kewda essence. Mix well and garnish with fried cashew nuts and mint leaves. Serve hot with curd or raita.
