Jackfruit & Mango Biryani Recipe

Rinse and soak rice

Rinse basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Soak the rice in cold water for 20–30 minutes, then drain.

Bloom saffron: place saffron threads in 2 tablespoons hot water and set aside to release color and aroma (5–10 minutes).

Bring 3.5 cups water to a boil in a large pot with 1 tsp salt, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Add drained rice, stir once, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook gently for 10–12 minutes until rice is almost cooked but still slightly firm (al dente). Drain any excess water if necessary and remove whole spices. Spread rice on a tray briefly to stop cooking.

Prepare jackfruit: drain and rinse canned jackfruit. Using your hands or forks, shred the pieces into strands, removing any tough core pieces. Pat slightly dry with paper towel.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook until translucent (5 minutes). Add garlic, ginger and slit green chilli, cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Add shredded jackfruit and cook, stirring, for 5–7 minutes to warm and start to brown. Add chopped tomato, ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric and 1 tsp garam masala. Stir to combine and cook 4–5 minutes until tomato softens and spices coat the jackfruit.

Lower heat and stir in yogurt and lemon juice. Cook gently 2–3 minutes to heat through and allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt. Fold in diced ripe mango last, cooking just 1–2 minutes so mango keeps some texture.

In a separate wide skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons ghee over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and 1 tsp brown sugar. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and caramelised. Remove half the caramelised onions for garnish; keep the rest to layer into the biryani.

Toast nuts (if using): in the same pan, quickly fry cashews or almonds in 1 tsp oil until golden (1–2 minutes). Remove and set aside.

Chop mint and coriander and set aside for topping.

Combine saffron: stir saffron-infused water into 2 tablespoons warm milk.

In a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot or deep skillet, add a thin layer (about 1/3) of the cooked rice. Sprinkle a little of the chopped mint, coriander and a portion of caramelised onions. Add half of the jackfruit-mango mixture, spreading evenly. Add another layer of rice, herbs and remaining jackfruit mixture. Finish with the remaining rice. Drizzle the saffron-milk evenly over the top, dot with remaining ghee (optional) and sprinkle fried nuts and fried onions.

Cover the pot tightly with a lid (seal edges with foil if you have it) and cook on very low heat (dum) for 15–20 minutes to let flavors meld. Alternatively, preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and bake covered for 20 minutes.

After resting 5 minutes, gently fluff the layered biryani with a fork, taking care to keep layers intact. Transfer to a serving dish and top with remaining fresh mint, coriander and reserved caramelised onions.

Make the curry sauce while biryani simmers: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 finely chopped onion and sauté until soft (4–5 minutes). Add minced garlic and grated ginger and cook 1 minute.

Stir in 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground coriander and 1/4 tsp turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Add 1/2 cup tomato puree, 3/4 cup coconut milk and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and adjust seasoning. If you prefer a smoother sauce, blend briefly with an immersion blender or regular blender, then return to heat to warm through.

Serve warm alongside portions of biryani so diners can spoon sauce as desired.