Al Biryani from Iraq

I first tasted biryani earlier this spring. I was at a party following the baptism of my coworker’s baby, and the house was brimming with food. This was a celebration for an American born baby and a milestone for his Iraqi parents, who have lived in Tucson for almost two years. Squeezed onto a couch next to a twelve year old, I ate whatever was proudly heaped onto my paper plate. Biryani, masguf, some delicious fried pancake full of cinnamon and beef. The weight of grilled meat threatened to tear a hole right through my plate. Everything was delicious. The food, it seemed, was the main point of the party. People eagerly asked us gringos, you like Iraqi food?

Working at a refugee resettlement agency, I interact with Iraqis daily. While I know few Americans who have been to war in Iraq, I am acquainted with dozens of Iraqis who were displaced by the war. The U.S. resettled about 10,000 Iraqis last year, and around 500 came to Tucson. I help them get doctor’s appointments, negotiate with their landlords, and apply for Social Security Income. Discussing people’s immediate needs is strange when the news reports a particularly violent day in Bagdhad. But that, I guess, is the absurdity of war. The people who are most affected by it are pretty helpless in the face of it. This is what we all struggle to get comfortable with as Iraqis try to start new lives (and resettlement agencies try to help them get started) in the land of saguaro cacti.

Luckily, no one has lost much control over the food they make. There are two Middle Eastern grocery stores in Tucson and from what I hear, it’s fairly easy to get ingredients to make Iraqi food the “right” way. I was eager to learn how to make biryani the right way, because it was my favorite dish that I tried at the baptism party. Rice laced with hints of cardamom, cinnamon, and nuts—you can make it as a side dish, or as the basis of a whole meal, depending what you decide to add to it. I adapted the following recipe from Huda Ahmed’s version in the Boston Globe, based on advice from my Iraqi coworker, Lena. You may add roasted chicken or lamb to the rice if you like. If you have never cooked rice in a broth of fresh spices, I strongly urge you to try this out. It’s really delicious and kind of beautiful to watch and smell. This recipe makes about 8 servings.

Al Biryani

Vegetable Part

½ cup pine nuts
1 cup raisins
1 peeled potato
2 large onions
3 carrots

1. Dice potato, onions, carrots. Potatoes should be cut into ½ inch cubes
2. Soak cut potatoes in water for 10 minutes. Drain.
3. Saute potatoes until brown. Set potatoes to the side.
4. Saute onions until brown (around 10 minutes). Set to the side.
5. Saute carrots until slightly cooked (around 5 minutes). Add pine nuts and raisins to carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add onions and potatoes to the mixture.

Rice Part:
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 t. pepper
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 ½ teaspoons saffron
1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 teaspoon cumin
2 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup vermicelli pieces or angel hair pasta
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup mint
½ cup scallion
½ cup parsley
Optional: Almonds, Cashews, Chicken, or Lamb

1. Combine salt, pepper, cardomom, saffron, cloves, ginger, and cumin.

2. Bring rice, spice mix, cinnamon, and bay leaves to boil in 5 cups water. Turn down heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

3. While rice is boiling, heat skillet and add pasta. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add pasta and 1 cup frozen peas to the rice. There should still be some liquid still in the pot. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.

4. Turn off heat and let pot sit, covered for 10 minutes. Squeeze ½ lemon over rice to stop it from being sticky.

5. Cut up mint, scallion, and parsley. Layer with the rice. Add vegetable mixture to the layers. If you are adding meat or nuts, this is the time to stir them in. Serve warm or room temperature.