Vegetable Biriyani with Oven-Baked Coconut Soy Shrimp

Do you know the origins of Indo-Chinese (sometimes called Desi-Chinese or Hakka Chinese) food? Well, it just so happens that nearly 250 years ago Chinese immigrants began moving to Kolkata. In the late 18th century, they came to work for the booming trade between England and India in places like sugar mills, shoe factories, etc. The Hakka Chinese, however, began to open small restaurants. At first, the restaurants only attracted Chinese people but eventually, Indians began discovering how tasty the food was. Chinese people soon discovered while their own food is tasty and spicy that they were more cautious with foreign food; so they began adding spice and oils to the food.

Do you all remember the Rick and Morty - Szechuan sauce trend last year? Well, it just so happens that Szechuan sauce was born out of the Indians desire for spice; it’s a sauce made up of onions, ginger, garlic, Indian spices and a lot of oil.

You can read more about Indo-Chinese food here.

In the meantime, here’s my unique Desi-Chinese-esque twist on Vegetable Biriyani! The most challenging thing for me has been to have just the right balance of spices (whether or not you’re using pre-mixed seasoning), but I think after 8-9 attempts, I’ve finally nailed it!

Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

For the biriyani rice:

• 3/4 cup of basmati rice

• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (clarified butter - ghee could work too)

• 2 tablespoons of golden raisins

• 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds (find them in your baking aisle)

• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

• 1/4 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds

• 1 tablespoon of Hyderabadi Biriyani spice mix (available at your local Indian store or you could make your own)

• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

• 1 1/2 cups of water

• 2 teaspoons of salt (check if the Biriyani seasoning has salt before adding)

For the vegetables:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (I like onions but you can use more or less to your taste)

• 1 tablespoon of minced ginger (honestly I just buy a jar from my local ethnic store and use it)

• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic (honestly I just buy a jar from my local ethnic store and use it)

• 2 tablespoons of golden raisins

• 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds (find them in your baking aisle)

• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds

• 1/2 a head of cauliflower, cut into florets

• 1/2 a cup of green beans, ends trimmed off and sliced in half

• 3 small gold potatoes, peeled, sliced in half and quartered

• 2 teaspoons of salt

• 2/3 cup of water

• 2 tablespoons of dried unsweetened coconut flakes

For the shrimp:

• 1 1/2 lbs of peeled shrimp (tail-on or deveined if you wish)

• 2 eggs

• 1 tablespoon of Chinese five-spice powder

• 1/3 cup of soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

• 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (regular or panko)

• 1/2 cup of dried unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions:

Biriyani Rice

1. Wash your rice in a sieve until the water runs clear

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat

3. Add your golden raisins, almonds, turmeric, cumin seed, Biriyani spice mix, cinnamon stick and cook them until they’re nicely toasted and fragrant

4. Add the rice to the spices and mix for about a minute. Add your water and salt and bring it to a boil

5. Lower the heat to a simmer, tightly cover the saucepan and let cook for about 20 minutes

6. Remove from the heat and let it sit while you make your shrimp and vegetables

Vegetables for the Biriyani

1. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat

2. Add the onion and cook it until it’s golden and has lost a lot of its moisture (or you could even make caramelized onions)

3. Add the garlic and ginger for about a minute (at this point your kitchen should smell really good!)

4. Add your golden raisins, almonds, turmeric, cumin seed, Biriyani spice mix, cinnamon stick and cook them until they’re nicely toasted and fragrant

5. Stir in your vegetables (described above) and add salt.

6. Raise the heat to high, add water and let it cook for 4-5 minutes; making sure to not let the vegetables or raisins burn

7. Uncover and cook until the water has evaporated

8. Cover your pot and turn the heat to medium and let it cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are as firm as you’d like them to be

9. Add your vegetables to the rice saucepan and mix together

Oven-Baked Shrimp

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil (this makes cleanup a breeze!)

2. Peel and devein your shrimp as you wish

3. Combine the soy sauce, eggs and rice vinegar in a bowl with your shrimp. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and let it chill in your fridge for 15 minutes

4. Mix the breadcrumbs, coconut and five-spice powder in a bowl

5. Dunk your shrimp into the breadcrumb mixture and lay out on the pan

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes until they’re golden and look crispy