To begin making the Kathal Biryani Recipe, let us first cut the raw jackfruit

In order to do that we have to first, grease our hands and the knife that we are going to use, with some oil

This important tip ensures that the hands don't get sticky from the natural fruit latex/sap present in the fruit does not get onto your hands and makes the cutting process hassle-free

Keep a bowl of water mixed with some salt, ready to put the cut raw jackfruit pieces to avoid discolouration of the fruit

Now that your hands and knife are well greased, cut the the jackfruit in half, discard the skin and start making 1 inch pieces and soak them in the salted water

To make rice for the Kathal Biryani : Wash and soak rice in water for 30 mins before you start cooking

In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat water-twice the quantity of the rice

Add few drops of ghee, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt and some star anise in it

As soon as the water starts boiling, add rice and cook till 80% done

Once the rice is semi cooked to 80%, pass it through a strainer and collect the rice in a large tray and spread well so that they don't stick to each other

*To make kathal ki yakhniHeat ghee in a wok and fry the kathal pieces till brown in color

Keep aside

In the same wok, fry cashews, raisins that will be used for garish at the end

Collect them in separate bowls and keep aside

Now add all the whole spices along with bay leaf in the remaining ghee

Allow them to sizzle

Next add ginger and garlic and saute till light brown in color

At this stage, add finely chopped onions,fry till raw smell goes off and it turns golden in color

Add green chilies and mix well

Once the onions are cooked, add the fried kathal pieces and yogurt and mix everything nicely so that the curd mixes well with the kathal

Soon you will observe, yogurt will start releasing water

Cook till oil starts oozing out and yogurt starts drying up

To this, add red chili powder, coriander powder and some torn leaves of mint and coriander and fry till oil starts leaving from the sides

Add salt and give it a good stir

Turn off the flame

To assemble Kathal Biryani :Heat a flat base iron tawa on the gas and place a large thick bottomed utensil (handi/bhagona) on the tawa in which you wish to dum the biryani

Take 1 tablespoon of yogurt and spread it all over the base-this prevents yakhni from getting burnt

Spread the kathal yakhni all over the curd and make sure it's evenly spread on the base

Add some ghee over it and start covering it with layers of rice and caramelised onions

Once you have covered the yakhni with the rice, pour saffron milk at one corner of the rice top

Squeeze lemon all over, add lots of chopped coriander and mint on top along with fried raisins and cashews-save few to garnish before serving

Cover the vessel with aluminium foil and seal it from the sides

Place the lid of the vessel on top of the foil and keep a heavy vessel over it so that the aroma is intact and the Kathal Biryani cooks well in dum

Simmer the gas and let the Kathal Biryani cook on dum for 20 minutes

Once the Kathal Biryani is done, remove the foil carefully and mix well by shaking the vessel

By doing this the yakhni mixes well with the rice without breaking the grains

Serve the Kathal Biryani as a one dish meal for a weeknight dinner or as a party food along with Sweet & Spicy Coriander Tadka Raita and Mirchi Ka Salan Recipe for a sumptuous meal