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parda plau
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Iraqi Biryani Parda Plau – Aromatic Spiced Rice Wrapped in Dough

Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword Iraqi

Ingredients

Chicken marinade

  • 500 g Cubed chicken breast
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Bay leaf
  • 6 Cardamom
  • 2 tbsp Curry powder
  • 1 tsp all spice
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt

Rice

  • 1 cup sweetcorn
  • 2 cups rice
  • 1/2 cup nuts
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup peas
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 cup carrots chopped into small cubes
  • 1 cup potatoes chopped into small cubes
  • 1 cup vermicelli
  • 3.5 tsp Salt

Yogurt sauce

  • 500 g full fat yogurt
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 2 tbsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp salt

Dough

  • 300 g All purpose flour
  • 90 ml Water
  • 90 ml Milk
  • 3 g Active dried yeast
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • Handul of sesame seeds
  • 7 g olive oil
  • Extra olive oil To brush the baked dough once out the oven

To serve

  • Handful toasted pine nuts or slithered almonds
  • Handful of chopped parsley

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • In a small bowl mix 90 ml warm water, 90 ml milk, sugar, and yeast.
  • Leave for 10 minutes until foamy.
  • In a large bowl combine flour and salt.
  • Add the yeast mixture and olive oil.
  • Knead for 15 minutes using the standard mixer on a medium setting until smooth.
  • Cover and let it rise for 1-2 hour until doubled in size.

Prepare the Yogurt Sauce

  • In a saucepan whisk together (do not turn on the heat at this step, it should be mixed when cold):
    yogurt
    cold water
    cornstarch
    salt
  • Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly.
  • When it thickens slightly/bubbles, add dried mint.
  • Remove from heat and set aside.

Toast Vermicelli

  • Heat a little oil in a pan.
  • Add vermicelli and toast until golden brown.
  • Remove from heat.

Combine the Biryani Filling

  • In a large bowl combine:
    toasted vermicelli
    vegetables
    Toasted slithered almonds
    Raisins

Cook the Chicken

  • Dice the chicken breast.
  • In a large pan sauté finely chopped onion in oil until soft.
  • Add:
    chicken
    cardamom
    curry powder
    black pepper
    bay leaf
    turmeric
    ginger powder
    nutmeg
    cumin
    cloves
    all spice
    cinnamon
    salt
  • Cook until chicken is partially cooked

Cook the rice

  • In the same pot the chicken is cooked in, add the biriyani filling mixture and mix.
  • Add the drained rice and mix.
  • Add the salt. and water. Cover with a lid wrapped in a cloth to absorb the excess condensation and trap steam more evenly avoiding a soggy surface rice.
  • Leave on the stove for 20mins on a very low heat.
  • After 20mins, turn of the stove and remove from the hob. Let it rice with the lid on for 10mins.

Assemble the Parda Pilau

  • Preheat oven to 190°C (350°F).
  • Grease a bowl with oil or even a cake release liquid which i prefer, i am using a sphere cake tin.
  • Sprinkle a generous amount of sesame seeds in the tin so when it's flipped it will be baked on the top of it.
  • Roll the dough thin into a large circle.
  • Line the tin with the dough, leaving excess hanging over the edges.
  • Fill with the biryani rice mixture.
  • Fold the extra dough over the top to seal the rice inside.
  • Lightly spray the dough with water.
  • Bake for 15mins covered and 15mins uncovered until the dough is golden brown and crisp.

Serve

  • Remove from oven and brush the crust with extra olive oil.
  • Carefully flip onto a serving plate.
  • Using a squeezey bottle, carefully fill the plate with the yogurt around the perimeter.
  • Garnish with:
    toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
    chopped parsley

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