Preparation Time : 15  mins | Cooking Time : 25 Mins | Serves: 3-4

  Seeraga samba recipe 1 and 1/4 cup   Water 1 cup   Coconut milk 3/4 cup   Tomato 2   Onion 1   Red chili powder 3/4 tsp   Biryani Masala 1 tsp   Salt as needed   Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp   Ginger a small piece   Garlic 4 cloves   Small onion  8-9   Fennel seeds 1 tsp   Mint leaves  few   Oil + Ghee 1 tblsp each   Green peas  1/4 cup *Generally jeera samba rice is used to make tomato biryani, if u want u can use basmati rice too.   Â

tomato biryani 3 - 1

Method with step wise pictures:

  • Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes in 1 cup of water.
  • Puree 2 tomatoes in mixer and keep aside.
Tomato biryani - 2
  • Grind the shallots(small onion),garlic,ginger and fennel seeds into a fine paste using little water.
Tomato biryani - 3
  • Chop the onion and mint leaves finely.
  • In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee. Add the sliced onions and mint leaves.
Tomato biryani - 4
  • When onions turn brown, add the grind paste to this and saute in a low flame till the raw smell goes off.
Tomato biryani - 5
  • Add the tomato puree.
  • Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Saute for few minutes in a medium low flame till the raw smell goes off and the oil oozes out on sides.
Tomato biryani - 6
  • Add the green peas. If u don’t get get green peas you can skip it else u can add Butter beans too.
  • Add the biryani masala. I used store bought biryani masala. You can add garam masala too.
Tomato biryani - 7
  • Add the rice now. Saute for a minute and add the soaked water too.
  • Mix well.
Tomato biryani - 8
  • Mix well and add the coconut milk. I added the store bought one. Check out my home made coconut milk recipe.
Tomato biryani - 9
  • Close the lid of the cooker and keep the flame to medium.
  • When it gives one whistle, keep the flame low and let this be like this for 10 minutes.
  • Switch off the flame after 10 minutes.
  • Fluff it with a fork once the pressure is released. Serve hot with any raita.
Tomato biryani - 10
  • We had with Potato fry , onion raita and i served Curd Rice and Fruit custard .
tomato biryani 2 - 11

Note:

  • If using basmati rice, reduce the water to 1/2 cup.
  • Do not skip mint leaves and coconut milk.
  • While grinding the masala you can saute the shallots in oil and grind, which will enhance the taste.
  • You can add a tsp of cashew nuts while grinding.
  • Bay leaves can be added while adding onions.