Nadan Njandu Biryani / Kerala Style Crab Dum Biryani

Name: Nadan Njandu Biryani / Kerala Style Crab Dum Biryani
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: For Crab Masala:; 3 medium ones Crabs cleaned and cut into pieces; 3 Onion thinly sliced; 5 Kanthari Mulaku (Bird’s Eye Chilies) or spicy green chilies finely chopped; 1 medium Tomato finely chopped; 2 teaspoon Ginger-garlic paste; 1/4 cup Yogurt; 1/4 cup Coconut milk; 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder; 1 tsp Kashmiri Red chilli Powder; 1 tablespoon Biryani masala powder (optional); 1 bunch Mint leaves, finely chopped; 1 bunch Cilantro leaves finely chopped; 1 teaspoon Lime juice; as needed Ghee /Oil; For Rice; 2 cups Basmati rice; 4 cups Water; 4 cloves; 3 Cardamom pods; 2 (1″ pieces) Cinnamon stick; 2 Bay leaves; 1 teaspoon Lemon juice; To taste Salt; Ingredients for garnishing; 3 tablespoon Ghee; 1 Onion thinly sliced; 1 handful Cashew nuts; 1 handful Raisins; 1 bunch Coriander leaves finely chopped

Little Hearts @cook_7834303

#biryanirecipe This fragrant dum biryani will tingle your taste buds with it's strong aroma and spicy flavor. The rice is cooked in a mixture of spices and flavorful crab gravy that tastes heavenly delicious!

Little Hearts @cook_7834303

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Ingredients

1 hour

2 servings

For Crab Masala:
3 medium onesCrabs cleaned and cut into pieces
3Onion thinly sliced
5Kanthari Mulaku (Bird’s Eye Chilies) or spicy green chilies finely chopped
1 mediumTomato finely chopped
2 teaspoonGinger-garlic paste
1/4 cupYogurt
1/4 cupCoconut milk
1/4 tspTurmeric powder
1 tspKashmiri Red chilli Powder
1 tablespoonBiryani masala powder (optional)
1 bunchMint leaves, finely chopped
1 bunchCilantro leaves finely chopped
1 teaspoonLime juice
as neededGhee /Oil
For Rice
2 cupsBasmati rice
4 cupsWater
4cloves
3Cardamom pods
2 (1″ pieces)Cinnamon stick
2Bay leaves
1 teaspoonLemon juice
To tasteSalt
Ingredients for garnishing
3 tablespoonGhee
1Onion thinly sliced
1 handfulCashew nuts
1 handfulRaisins
1 bunchCoriander leaves finely chopped
1 bunchMint leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoonPineapple Pieces, finely chopped
1 tspBiryani essence
1 pinch, mixed in 2 tbsp warm milkSaffron (optional)
Ingredients for dum:
2 cupsAll purpose flour/maida:
as neededWater

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Steps

1 hour

1

In a deep-bottomed vessel, boil water and add the cleaned crab pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder, and cook for 10-15 mins on medium flame. Remove from heat and drain the water completely. Keep it aside.
2

Soak the rice for 15- 20 mins and drain keep it aside.
3

And a large pan, heat ghee. Add the sliced onions & chopped chilies and saute until translucent and golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until it becomes soft and mushy. Add ginger-garlic paste, chopped mint & coriander leaves, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, biryani masala powder, & salt. Mix well until the raw smell is gone and the masala begins to get dark. Reduce the flame, add yogurt and mix well.
4

Add the cleaned crab pieces and coconut milk. Mix thoroughly so that the crab pieces are well combined with the masala. Cook it covered on low flame for 15-20 minutes or until the gravy becomes little thick and crab cooked well.
5

In a deep-bottomed vessel, add ghee. Add the spices and fry for a min until a nice aroma arises. Add the drained rice and fry for few minutes making sure not to burn the rice. Add lemon juice and warm water to the rice. Once it starts to boil, cover with a lid and cook until the rice is half cooked. Drain the excess water and keep it aside.
6

In a pan, heat oil. Add the sliced onions and saute until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towel. Fry cashews and raisins until they turn golden, drain them on paper towel. In a small bowl, mix maida with little water to make a smooth dough. Keep it aside.
7

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread out half of the cooked rice in a greased oven proof dish followed by the crab masala evenly over the cooked rice. Add the remaining rice. Sprinkle fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, chopped pineapple pieces, chopped coriander and mint leaves, few drops of saffron milk, and biryani essence over the rice.
8

Close with a tight fitting lid and seal the edges of the lid with prepared dough. (You could also seal with it with aluminium foil). Bake it for 15-20 mins. When it is done, remove and keep the dish covered until serving.