Simple Biryani (Empty Biryani)

Take 600 grams (3 glasses) of Sona Masuri rice. Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in water for 30 minutes.

Prepare the garam masala powder: Take 12 cardamom pieces, 1 small piece of cinnamon stick, and 20 cloves. Dry roast them lightly until fragrant, then grind them into a fine powder. Set aside.

Slice 3 medium-sized onions lengthwise and chop 4 medium-sized tomatoes into small pieces. Keep them ready.

Place a brass pot on a wood-fired stove and add 60 ml (4 tablespoons) of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced onions and 3 green chilies. Sauté until the onions turn a deep brown color.

Add 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves and 1/4 cup of fresh coriander leaves to the browned onions and green chilies. Stir once, then add 4 tablespoons of ginger-garlic paste. Sauté until the raw smell of the ginger-garlic paste disappears, about 2 minutes.

Add 100 ml of curd, 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder, 1 tablespoon of red chili powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt to the mixture. Mix well for about 1 minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of coriander powder to the pot. Mix everything thoroughly and cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the mixture becomes fragrant.

Pour 4.5 glasses of water (approximately 900 ml, based on 1.5 glasses of water per glass of rice) into the pot. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high flame.

Once the water is boiling vigorously, add the soaked rice to the pot. Stir gently once and check the salt. Add more salt if needed. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium flame for 5-6 minutes.

After 5-6 minutes, check the rice. It should have absorbed about 70% of the water. Remove the pot from the direct flame and place a flat pan on the stove. Transfer the biryani pot onto the hot pan. This is for dum cooking.

Cover the biryani pot with its lid and place a heavy stone or weight on top to seal the steam. Cook on a very low flame (sim) for exactly 12 minutes. This allows the rice to cook perfectly with the trapped steam.

After 12 minutes, remove the lid. Add a few fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves, 30 grams of cashew nuts (if using), and 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of ghee on top of the cooked biryani. Gently fluff the rice, mixing the top layer with the bottom. Cover again and let it rest for 10 minutes.