Qabooli (Split Skinned Gram Biryani)

Qabooli is another Hyderabadi dish made with rice and chana dal (Split Skinned Bengal Gram). It is made like biryani, where layers of dal and rice are set one over the other and then allowed to cook till done.

Ingredients:

For Rice (Section A):

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 8-10 Mint leaves
• 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1 Green chili
• 1” Cinnamon stick
• 4 Green cardamom
• 2 Clove
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

For Chana Dal (Section B):

• 1 cup split skinned Bengal gram (Chana Dal)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 3-4 cloves
• ½ cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 green chili chopped
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ¼ cup crispy fried onion
• Salt

For Layering (Section C):

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• ½ cup milk
• Pinch of yellow color (or saffron) dissolved in milk
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ¼ cup crispy fried onion

Method:

Prepare rice (use ingredients of section A):

• Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Then boil with the ingredients till almost done.

Prepare Chana mix (use ingredients of section B):

• Wash and soak the chana dal for 2 hours.
• Boil with salt and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder till just cooked (al dente).
• Heat 2 tbsp oil, in a pan. Add bay leaf, green cardamoms and cloves, and sauté a little. Add ginger garlic pastes and sauté. Add chopped green chilies, browned onions (crushed), red chili powder, garam masala powder, finely chopped coriander leaves, little salt and cooked dal. Stir to mix well. Take it off the heat.
• Add yogurt and mix well

Layering (use ingredients of section C):

• Grease a heavy bottom saucepan (preferably non Sticking pan) with 2 tbsp oil. Transfer half of the dal mixture into this pan. Spread half the rice over the dal mix, spread half of the browned onions, half garam masala powder, chopped mint leaves, lemon juice and milk.
• Spread the remaining dal over this followed by remaining rice, browned onions, garam masala powder, chopped mint leaves, lemon juice and milk (with yellow color or saffron).
• Cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook over high flame for 1-2 minutes in the beginning and then over low flame till done (for about 10-12 minutes).
• Remove from heat and leave it covered for another 10 minutes.

Garnish with fried onions and serve with Mirch ka Saalan and Dahi Ki Chutney .

Do You Know?

Any rice other than Basmati rice is called non- basmati rice. In India, basmati rice equals to only 1% production of the total rice grown.

Non- basmati rice comes in all kinds of different shapes and sizes. Some are long and slender, some are short and thick, some are like beads, and some may be round. None have the same characteristics as basmati rice i.e. they do not have both the aroma and post cooking elongation.