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VEGETABLE BIRIYANI
(SAVOURY RICE)

Coastweek - - A traditional festive meal served during Eid.

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INGREDIENTS: (Four to six servings).

• two cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked for ½ hour

• ¾ cup oil

• one tin peeled tomatoes, chopped

• two tbsp tomato puree

• Few strands of saffron

• one tsp garlic paste

• one tsp ginger paste

• one heaped tbsp of garam masala powder

• Salt to taste

• two tbsp lemon juice

• twoi green chillies

• two cups yoghurt

• one aubergine, small

• one courgette, small

• 4-5 okra (bhinda)

• two small potatoes, peeled

• Few cauliflower florets

• ½ green pepper

• ½ red pepper

• 1½ large onions, sliced lengthwise

• ½ onion, chopped

• Pinch of yellow colouring

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Whole garam masala:

• four pods cardamom

• four sticks cinnamon

• four cloves

Preparation and cooking time: approx. 75 minutes

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INGREDIENTS:

1. Mix together half the quantity of whole garam masala, yoghurt, tomatoes, tomato puree, green chillies, chopped onion, some saffron, a little yellow colouring, garlic, ginger and salt

2. Cook on very low heat for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is blended

3. Heat the oil and fry the sliced onions to a rich brown colour and leave aside

4. Cut potatoes, courgette, okra, aubergine and green and red peppers into round slices

5. Quick fry all the vegetables separately and then mix into the sauce above

6. Mix the fried onions (leaving some aside) and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes

7. Add lemon juice and garam masala powder to the vegetable masala and

8. leave aside

9. Par boil drained rice in plenty of salted water and drain

10. Heat 2 tablespoons oil with the remaining half of the whole garam masala until they splutter

11. Pour this over the rice

12. Mix the remaining food colouring and saffron in 1/4 cup water

13. Sprinkle this and the remaining fried onions over the rice; simmer over very low heat for about 15 minutes

Serve the vegetable masala on a bed of rice.

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We are always interested in your opinions, suggestions, comments or 
contributions - If you have a favourite 'traditional' recipe that might go 
down well along the East African Coast, do send it in to us and we can 
share your pleasure and treasure with our readers around the world.

coastwk@africaonline.co.ke

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Coastweek Newspapers Ltd.  All rights reserved.

Comments and questions: coastwk@africaonline.co.ke

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