Name: Baked Jackfruit Biryani
Prep time: 24 min
Cook time: 56 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 20 oz young green jackfruit (drained, see notes for subs ); 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 2 null bay leaves; 3 null cloves; 3 null green cardamom (slightly open); 1 null black cardamom (optional); 1 null cinnamon stick; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp paprika (or Kashmiri chili powder); 1 tbsp coriander; 1 tsp garam masala; 0.25 tsp salt; 1 cup red onion (thinly sliced); 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or minced ginger and garlic); 1 cup indian white basmati rice (washed really well and soaked for 5 minutes); 2 cups water ((for cooking the rice)); 0.25 cup cilantro; 1 tbsp chopped mint (optional); null null roasted cashews (omit for nut-free); null null garam masala, cilantro, lemon juice, vegan yogurt or raita, pepper flakes

Instructions

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1

Preheat the oven to 400º F (205º C).
2

Drain the young green jackfruit (20 oz) and place it in a paper towel, then in a kitchen towel, and fold it over. Wring the towel to remove all the excess moisture. Open it up and break up any large pieces, if any, into halves.
3

Add the [young green jackfruit] to a greased baking dish on one side. Add ginger garlic paste (1 tbsp), garam masala (0.5 tsp), and salt (0.25 tsp), and toss well to coat. On the other side of the baking dish, add oil (2 tsp) and cumin seeds (0.5 tsp), leaves (2 bay), cloves (3), cardamom (3 green), cardamom (1 black) (optional), and stick (1 cinnamon), then mix (the heat from the baking dish will warm the oil and help the whole spices bloom). Mix for a few seconds then add turmeric (0.5 tsp), paprika (1 tsp), ground coriander (1 tbsp), garam masala (1 tsp), salt (0.25 tsp), thinly sliced red onion (1 cup), and ginger-garlic paste (1 tbsp). Mix really well, initially mixing just the [red onion] and then mixing in the [young green jackfruit] as well. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the [red onion] and [young green jackfruit] are golden. You can stir them both up after the 20-minute mark and continue to cook. If the [red onion] are drying up too much at that point add a splash of [water] or [oil] and mix it up.
4

Remove the baking dish from the oven (remove half of the [young green jackfruit] to add on top later, optional). Add the drained indian white basmati rice (1 cup), water (2 cups), cilantro (0.25 cup), chopped mint (1 tbsp) (optional), and salt (0.25 tsp) and mix well. (You can add some chopped veggies now if you like) Cover with parchment and continue to bake for 28 to 35 minutes. Check at the 28-minute mark, and if the rice is cooked remove it from the oven. If the rice is not yet cooked continue to cook for 5 more minutes or until the rice is cooked.
5

Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes then open the parchment paper and fluff the rice really well.
6

Garnish with the reserved [young green jackfruit], [cilantro], [lemon juice], some [roasted cashews], and [pepper flakes], and serve with [vegan yogurt] or raita, or curries of choice.