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窪蹋勛圖厙’s resident chef Biju Thomas remembers his mother making biriyani rice when he was growing up in south India. In his house, biriyani was made up of whatever ingredients were available and in-season.
I really got this from my mom, Thomas says. Its how she got the kids to eat, because theres a little bit of sweetness in the rice because of the raisins. And I dont mean those crappy boxes of raisins you brought to lunch as a kid; saut矇ing raisins in coconut oil transforms them into something buttery and significantly more delicious.
Thomas, who lives in Boulder, dubs his biriyani salad recipe more Indian meets frontier, as hes put his own spin on it. For example, he chooses to add grilled peaches on top for an extra sweet pop with some unique texture. He also adds okra, an ingredient he takes very seriously. Typically the way we get okra in the Midwest you get it mushy or deep-fried, Thomas says. The way to get a really stand-out okra is slice four or five pieces. Then, in a little coconut oil, saut矇 for three to four minutes over high heat until crisp.
Tip: You can incorporate your own regional fruit into the dish. When Thomas is making the recipe in Colorado, for example, he uses dried cherries and apricots. Experiment with your favorite flavors and textures.
Biriyani-Style Rice Salad with Dried Apricots and Cashews
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked Basmati or Jasmine rice (warm)
- 翻 cup coconut oil, divided
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup whole cashews
- 翻 cup quartered apricots
- 1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 翻 of a medium red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 6-8 okra, thinly sliced
- 1-2 peaches or nectarines, quartered
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 1 small acorn squash, skin-on, diced
- 2 cups zucchini, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 Tbsp. yellow curry powder (madras)
- 2 grilled lemons
- 1 tsp. each ground cinnamon, coriander, cumin, nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Brown onions on medium heat in half the coconut oil with mustard seeds until the seeds pop.
- Add cashews, raisins, apricots, and chickpeas until fruit is plump and the nuts toasted.
- Add in one tablespoon curry powder and any additional ground spices that you like. Mix together with remaining coconut oil and gently fold in rice, adding salt as needed. Set aside.
- Lightly coat okra, peaches, squash, zucchini, carrots, kale, and lemons in coconut oil. Grill or roast until tender and slightly charred.
- Spread cooked rice mixture onto a large platter and loosely arrange grilled fruit and vegetables on top. Squeeze grilled lemon on top and sprinkle with coarse salt.
Additional Notes: You dont have to use every vegetable in the ingredient list if you dont want to. Base your selection on preference and how much food you are serving.