Birinji ~ Bay Leaf Flavored Rice

8- BirinjiPin

 

It has been long since I have not shared any quotes for quite some time, though I have been saving up a few to share here for myself and for all my lovely readers… The slide that I am sharing you doesn’t need any additional thoughts from my side… 🙂

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Moving off to today’s recipe, “Birinji” was a discovery for me. Umma would always use this word but she would use it for overcooked rice. I was also under this impression till I saw a recipe for this in one of my cookbooks. Then I started checking around the net and found that Birinji is basically rice flavored with bay leaf, mainly from Tamil Nadu. There are so many variations to this rice – I have cooked it with whole spices and with coconut milk, but you can add a pinch of turmeric to make it yellowish in shade, you can add in chopped vegetables to make it more nutritious and colorful and also add in cashew-nuts and raisins if you like some crunch and sweetness. Serve it up with a spicy curry to make it a complete meal. I have found it to be a cross between neychoru and coconut milk rice and is a quick fix rice when you run out of ideas. Off to the way I make it…

 

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2 from 1 vote

Birinji - Bay Leaf Flavored Rice

Frangrant rice, flavored with bay leaf
Course Rice
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4
Author Rafeeda

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cup basmati rice
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 3 bay leaf
  • 1 small pc cinnamon
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 3 green chillies slit
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 400 ml coconut milk I used one can
  • 400 ml hot water
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Wash the rice well. Keep it soaked in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat ghee in a saucepan. Briefly fry the whole masalas.
  • Add the onion, green chillies and curry leaves and saute till soft.
  • Add in the drained rice and fry for 5 minutes or till dry and crisp.
  • Add in the coconut milk and hot water. Adjust the salt.
  • Cook on high flame till it boils and then reduce the flame to the minimum, cook on closed lid undisturbed till the rice gets fully done.
  • Fluff up using a fork and serve with a spicy side dish!

Join the Conversation

  1. This brings back so many fond memories Rafee. Birinji is something my mami(uncle’s wife) would make every time we visited them. They would serve it with yummy mutton curry! Oh i’m so drooling right now 😀

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thank you so much Jyothi… So good to hear it tickled your memories! 🙂

  2. 2 stars
    my mom used to prepare this.. It’s been long time I had this.. Ur post is making me soo tempting.. Excellent with kurma 🙂

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thank you so much Priya… 🙂

  3. So easy and can make it when we are busy.. It looks so yummy Rafeeda..

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thank you so much Seena…

  4. My Umma used to make it , but I never tried it alone 🙂
    This is new ,especially addition of green chilli:-)

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thank you so much Hiba… 🙂

  5. Delicious rice recipe…..and so easy to make too 🙂

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thanks a lot Remya… 🙂

  6. Birinji is a new name to me,Thanks for sharing this unique bay leaf flavored rice dear 🙂

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thank you so much Julie… 🙂

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thanks a lot Beena…

  7. flavourful rice..loving the part it’s so easy to make…nice quote dear

    1. Rafeeda AR Author says:

      Thank you so much Ruxana…

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