Browntop Dindigul Thalappakatti Biriyani

By: Tejaswi Rathod
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3 servings
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The roots of the Thalappakatti Dindigul Biriyani can be traced back to 1957, to the town of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. It was at the Anandha Vilas Biriyani Hotel in Dindigul—founded under the supervision of Nagasamy Naidu—that the biriyani began to gain immense popularity among the locals, so much so that it was renamed for the turban he used to wear, known as “Thalapa”. A biriyani enthusiast, Tejaswi Rathod loves sharing different variations of this much celebrated, one-pot rice preparation with her loved ones. In this rendition, she opts for browntop millet instead of rice for a healthier, more wholesome dish. While her family loved the chicken version, Tejaswi, being vegetarian, separated a little portion of the biriyani spice blend to make a vegetarian one for herself.

Browntop millet grains 1¼ cup
Chicken pieces, curry cut ½ kg

For the dry masala:

Coriander seeds 2 teaspoons
Peppercorns ½ teaspoon
Fennel seeds ½ teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon

For the wet paste:

Shallots 6-7 (about 200 grams)
Garlic cloves 10-12
Ginger 2 inch piece
Green chillies 4
Coriander leaves ½ small bunch, separated
Mint leaves a handful, separated

For the onion paste:

Onions, medium 2

For the biryani:

Curd, regular 2 tablespoons
Oil 3 tablespoons
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Cinnamon sticks 6-8 pieces
Bay leaf 1
Mace 1 piece
Cloves 10 pieces
Cardamom 3 pieces
Star anise 1 piece
Kalpasi/stone flower 1 piece
Cashews 5-6 pieces
Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
Chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Water 3 cups
Lemon juice 1 teaspoon
Curd, whisked 4 tablespoons

What You Will Need

A mixer grinder, a cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid, measuring spoons and cups, a few bowls, a fine mesh strainer, a fork, a palta (metal spatula).

Instructions

1

Wash the browntop millet grains thoroughly until the water runs clear. Soak in water for a minimum of 6 hours.

2

After soaking the grains, wash them again, and strain them through a fine-mesh strainer. Keep aside.

3

Prepare the dry masala. In a dry pan, roast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds together until fragrant. Let the spices cool, then grind to a fine powder in a mixer grinder.

4

Now, prepare the wet paste  by grinding the shallots, garlic, ginger, green chillies, coriander leaves, and mint leaves to form a fine paste. Keep aside a handful of coriander leaves for garnish and a few sprigs of mint leaves to add during the cooking process. Set aside.

5

Make the onion paste by grinding the onions in the mixer grinder.

6

Heat the oil and ghee in a large pot and add in all of the whole spices—cinnamon, bay leaf, mace, cloves, cardamom, star anise, kalpasi, and cashews. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.

7

Add the wet paste to the pot. Sauté until the raw smell dissipates and the paste turns golden-brown in colour.

8

Mix in the dry masala, the ground onion paste, curd, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the oil begins to separate from the mixture.

9

Now, add in the chicken and saute on a low to medium heat until the chicken is half-cooked.

10

Add the browntop millet grains and gently mix it with the chicken. Add around 3 cups of water, salt to taste, and stir well. Right after stirring the mixture, add some lemon juice and a few sprigs of mint leaves and bring the mixture to a boil.

11

Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat to low. Add the whisked curd at this stage. It  is an effective way to reduce the intensity of the spiciness of the biriyani. Its creamy texture and tanginess balance the heat while enhancing the overall flavour.

12

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the millets and chicken are fully cooked.

13

Keep checking occasionally to ensure that the grains do not stick to the bottom of the pot.

14

Once cooked, let the biriyani rest for 10 minutes, covered. Fluff up the grains gently with a fork. Finally, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tips:

  1. Maintain a low heat for ‘dum’ cooking with the lid on for about 15 to 20 minutes so the chicken and millets cook evenly without burning. 
  2. Allow at least 10 minutes of resting time once you turn off the flame. This will help the flavours to blend together and the steam to settle. 

Variations:

  1. Classic Dindigul Thalappakatti Biriyani is made with samba rice and mutton, but you can replace the mutton with salmon or kingfish for a seafood version.
  2. Prawns are also a great replacement for the chicken and as they cook faster. Add them to the biriyani later in the cooking process to avoid overcooking. 
  3. A vegetarian version with marinated mixed vegetarian ingredients such as tubers (potato, sweet potato), root vegetables (turnip, carrot),  paneer, soy chunks, and cauliflower also tastes delicious. 
  4. Apart from browntop millet you can experiment with other minor millets like proso millet, foxtail millet, or barnyard millet.

Tejaswi Rathod is a sociology graduate who, along with her mother, co-founded a brand called Relic Treat with millets as its backbone. They produce millet flours, nourishing dry snacks, and fresh millet-based meals with the aim to promote sustainable agriculture and healthy eating.

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