Speedy Biryani

1 July 2023

Biryani is a festival dish, traditionally served at Indian weddings. This is a deliciously spicy version of a substantial meal that is served in one pot. It’s perfect for cooking with and for crowds.

You can make it with almost any meat or Quorn™ – look at the end of the recipe for some different options.

Ingredients

200g Basmati rice
1 x 15ml spoon vegetable oil
2 chicken breast fillets (about 260g)
Small bunch fresh coriander
1 medium red onion
100g French beans
4 x 15ml spoons Balti curry paste
130ml water
4 tomatoes
2 hard-boiled eggs


Equipment

Weighing scales
Medium saucepan with lid
Small saucepan
Colander
Large saucepan with lid
2 x Sharp knife (one for meat, one for vegetables)
2 x Chopping board (one for meat, one for vegetables)
Measuring spoons
Measuring jug
Wooden spoon
Kettle
Large serving dish
Bowl
Scissors


Instructions

  1. Cut the chicken into 2–3cm diced pieces and place in a bowl. Wash your hands after handling raw chicken.
  2. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. If you haven’t already hard-boiled the eggs, pop them in a separate pan in cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Then drain through a colander and leave to stand in fresh cold water to cool. While these are cooking you can carry on with the next steps.
  3. Using a different chopping board and knife, peel and finely chop the red onion.
  4. Wash the French beans, tomatoes and coriander.
  5. Finely chop the coriander. Top and tail the French beans and cut them in half. Cut the tomatoes into quarters.
  6. Heat the vegetable oil in the large saucepan, then add the chicken, half of the chopped coriander and curry paste. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. The chicken will change colour from pink to white.
  7. Add the chopped red onion and French beans and cook for a further 3 minutes.
  8. Add the tomato quarters, and add the water gradually – you may not need it all. Your Speedy Biryani should be moist enough for the flavours to spread through evenly, but it shouldn’t be wet. Cook for a further 3 minutes. Keep stirring.
  9. Add the cooked rice. Mix well, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. You might want to add a little bit more water now.
  10. Peel the shell from the hard-boiled eggs and slice into quarters.
  11. Spoon the Speedy Biryani into a large serving dish and garnish with hard-boiled egg quarters and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

Skills used include:
Weighing, measuring, peeling, chopping, boiling/simmering and frying.


Top Tips

  • To save time, buy precooked rice so this can just be added at step 9. This will save on washing up too. You’ll need about 500g of cooked rice.
  • An easy way for children to chop the coriander and French beans is by using kitchen scissors.

Something to try next time

  • Instead of chicken, you could make Speedy Biryani with any of the following:
    • 300g of Quorn™ fillets (vegetarian) – prepare and cook in the same way as the chicken
    • 300g of beef frying steak – prepare and cook as for the chicken, the meat will turn from pink to brown when it is cooked
    • 400g can of chickpeas (drained) – skip step 6, add the coriander and curry paste in step 7 and add the chickpeas with the tomato at step 8.
  • You can make this recipe with a different curry paste, such as Korma if you like a milder dish or Madras for a hotter result.
  • Instead of curry paste, you could use one pouch of a curry recipe base (based on 170g per pouch). As these contain more water than a traditional curry paste, you will only need to add around 30-50ml of water at step 8.

Prepare now, eat later

  • To save time, hard-boil your eggs in advance. Once they have cooled, store in the fridge until you need them.
  • This Biryani dish is best eaten straight away but if you have any leftovers cool quickly (within 1 hour). Refrigerate and eat within 24 hours, either cold as a rice salad or reheat until piping hot. Do not reheat rice more than once.