Easy Tomato Biryani/Thakkali Biriyani

Biriyani, this one pot meal is our all time family favourite, served along with simple raita, we just love this flavourful,aromatic one pot meal without any fuss. Tomato biriyani is my lil one's favourite and he just love this delicious rice with simple potato roast or else with onion raita. He asked me recently to cook some tomato briyani for our sunday lunch and i couldn't resist to his request, immediately i prepared this quick meal with ripen tomatoes along with usual spices. Usually i prepare briyani with coconut milk and this time i skipped coconut milk and replace it with fresh yogurt. Needless to say this biriyani taste simply awesome as it goes for an easy cooking process. Though pressure cooker works awesome for preparing this biriyani, i prepared mine with a large non stick vessel which works prefect as well.

If you dont want to spend more time in your kitchen especially for your sunday lunch, dont forget to give a try to this biryani with pressure cooker. Am running this week's blogging marathon with Meal ideas as theme, obviously this tomato briyani prepared with yogurt makes an excellent meal when served along with a rich gravy. If you are an ardent fan of non veg dishes, just make a spicy side dish like chicken roast or mutton fry to relish along with this easy breezy briyani. Also if you want a healthy tomato briyani, add some paneer cubes or tofu cubes to this simple dish.Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#61.

2cups Basmati rice
2nos Onions (chopped lengthwise)
1/2kg  RipenTomatoes(chopped)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
1tsp Ginger paste
1tsp Garlic paste
2nos Whole spices (bayleaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom)
1/2tsp Whole fennel seeds
1tsp Red chilly powder
1/2tsp Garam masala powder
1cup Yogurt
2cups Hot water
Salt
3tbsp Oil
1tbsp Ghee
Few mint leaves

Heat the oil and ghee in a large vessel add all the whole spices, fennel seeds to the hot oil and fry until a nice aroma comes from.

Add the chopped onions,slit opened chillies, garlic paste, ginger paste and cook until the onions turns transculent.

Now add the chopped tomatoes, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, salt and mint leaves, mix everything well and cook until the oil get separates.

Meanwhile wash the rice twice and strain the excess of water.

Now add the washed rice to the tomato masala, give a stir.

Add now the yogurt and hot water to the rice, check for salt and cook everything in medium high flame for 5 minutes.

Put the flame in simmer and cook until the rice gets well cooked.

Serve this delicious briyani with raitas.