Briani, a speciality of Mauritius
The country’s culinary tradition reflects the richness and variety of the human geography that populates this land: heir to influences from Hindu, Chinese, European, African cuisine, Mauritian gastronomy ranges from sweet to more spicy and/or hot flavours. One of the most famous dishes is Briani, originating from the Indian Muslim culinary tradition, served during festivities. It can be prepared using chicken or beef, or fish or vegetables, all accompanied by a delicious mix of spices.
Preparation Time 40 minutes
Cooking 2 hours
Serves 6
Ingredients for the rice
Oil to taste
3 small potatoes (cut in half)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, sliced
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tomatoes (peeled, chopped)
2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons fresh mint
½ teaspoon cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
1.5 kg chicken breast, chopped
Preparation
Cooking the meat
Brown the potatoes in a pan and set aside. In the same way, brown the onions, garlic and ginger. Add chilli, pepper, turmeric, cumin, salt and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the yogurt, mint, cardamom and cinnamon. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are cooked. When everything becomes a thick cream, add the chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and leave to cook on low heat for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is also cooked: the sauce should remain thick.
Cooking the rice
Rinse the rice. In a pan, sauté the onion. Add the saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and rice. Mix well so that the rice is coated with the spices. In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock, then pour it over the rice, stirring. Slowly add the chicken and potatoes. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot.
