DONNE DANADONE!
THE TRADITIONAL DONNE BIRYANI FROM KARNATAKA IS A FAVOURITE OF MANY. SERVED IN THE DONNE OR LEAF BOWL, IT ADDS LOCAL SPICES AND FLAVOURS ALONG THE WAY. THE DISH THAT IS AVAILABLE EVEN TODAY AT MILITARY HOTELS ACROSS THE STATE IS SOUL FOOD FOR MANY
The word Donne comes from the plantain bark or betelnut tree bark cups that this traditional biryani is served in. These cups are used in temples and street food across South India. The intensity of spices and methi with meat might have originated from Tipu Sultan’s soldiers who created a protein-rich rice pulav with local influences or the Maratha warriors who would cook meals for the army on their long journeys into the hinterland. Even today, the military hotels, thus named after the military eating there, were famed for the donne biryani. In particular is the Shivaji Military Hotel in Bengaluru, which is among the oldest to have your portion of this spicy donne filled with hot steaming biryani. Here are two recipes from local food bloggers that followed the donne.
INGREDIENTS
● 1 cup (200 ml) Jeera rice, 2 potatoes, salt to taste, 1¾ cups water, 2 tbsp curd, a few drops lemon juice, ½ tsp biryani masala, 2 pinches kasuri methi
TO GRIND
1 tbsp cooking oil, 1 onion, 4 green chillies (add according to preferred spice), 3 peppercorns, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 cardamom, 2-inch piece ginger, 8 garlic cloves, ¾ cup mint and coriander leaves, a pinch turmeric powder
TO SAUTE
2 tbsp cooking oil, 1 tbsp ghee, 1 inch piece cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1 cardamom, 1 black stone flower, 1 onionl, finely chopped, ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste
METHOD
Heat a kadai with oil and saute all the ingredients. Grind into a smooth paste. Set aside.
THE DONNE BIRYANI RECIPE In a pressure cooker, add oil and ghee, cook. Saute whole spices, big onions till transparent. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell disappears. Add ground masala paste, saute for two to three minutes till the oil separates from the mixture. Add biryani masala powder (if needed), saute well for a few seconds.
Add required water, salt, curd and cubed potatoes. When the water comes to a boil, add rice, a few drops of lemon juice and kasuri methi. Mix well, and pressure cook for one whistle on low flame. Remove the lid after steam is released. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot with raita.
TIPS
Use only jeera rice for best taste. To increase the spiciness, add more green chillies while sauting the masala. Do not use red chillies