Tucked away in Kerala's northern tip, just two hours drive south of the Mangaluru International Airport is one of North Kerala's most charming towns. It was the song Uyire/Tu hi re, in Mani Ratnam's Bombay that took Bekal's stunning fort to a wider audience. It wasn't just these stunning visuals. Resorts like the Taj Bekal Resort & Spa along the Arabian Sea have made Bekal a magnet for travellers who are looking to go beyond the beaten path in Kerala. I cycled from the Taj Bekal to the 17th Century Bekal Fort - the largest and best-preserved fort in Kerala. That wasn't the only discovery I made during this recent trip. It was a biryani with a back story that goes all the way back to the Kannur Central Prison.
North Kerala is also the state's biryani hot spot. This is where the famous Wayanadan Kaima or Jeerakasala rice plays out in different versions of Malabari biryani. Executive Chef Anbalagan Kesavapillai who helms the kitchen at the Taj Bekal Resort went looking for inspiration for the perfect local biryani. This journey took him to Kannur, about three hours away from Bekal.
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In 2010, the Kerala government began a unique initiative, an experiment that started at the Central Prison in Thiruvananthapuram in 2010. It was called 'Food for Freedom' and it aimed to live up to the idea that jails in the state were correction centres. The kitchens were modernised and the inmates were trained to cook basic food essentials like chapatis that would then be sold to the general public. The inmates also received compensation for their efforts in the kitchen. Gradually the menu expanded to include Vegetable curry/chicken curry/egg curry packets. The Kannur Central prison became part of this program in 2012. The government announced that this factory kitchen had earned over 8.5 crore within 5 years. One of the hero dishes of this kitchen was the Biryani.
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I tried the famous Kannur Jail biryani at the Taj Bekal Resort. Chef Anbalagan explained that this dish was added to their menu as part of helping their diners discover local specialities. This scrumptious biryani is made with the same small-grain jeerakasala rice that is the popular varietal for biryani in the region. One of the key elements is the onions and how they are fried till they turn golden brown imparting a wonderful flavour. The Taj Bekal version adds a few finer ingredients but the basic profile is similar. It pays tribute to a unique program that continues to be a model for prisons as correction centres and also makes affordable food accessible to the public at large. You can try this delicious recipe at home:
Kannur Jail Biryani Recipe
Photo Credit: Taj Bekal Resort and Spa
Recipe courtesy - Anbalagan Kesavapillai, Executive Chef, Taj Bekal Resort & Spa, Kerala
Ingredients
- 100 gm Chicken
- 75gm Onion slices
- 40gm Tomato slices
- 10gm Green chilly
- 5gm Ginger
- 5gm Garlic
- 4gm Coriander leaves
- 2gm Mint
- 2gm Turmeric powder
- 3gm Chilli powder
- 4gm Curd
- 20gm Ghee
- 20gm Refined oil
- 120gm Rice (Jeerakasala rice or Wayanadan Kaima rice works best)
- 1gm Cinnamon
- 1gm Cardamom
- 1gm Cloves
- 1gm Bayleaf
- 3gm Cashew
- 2gm Dry Grapes
- 5gm Pineapple
Method:
- Wash and marinate chicken with Yoghurt, turmeric powder, salt and garam masala powder. Marinate for at least one hour.
- Soak the rice and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
- Fry the onions and nuts till they turn crispy brown and set aside.
- Boil the soaked rice with ghee, salt, sugar and whole garam masala, boil it for 7 minutes and then strain it.
- Try and use a uruli (a 'lagan' style brass cooking vessel) for the biryani masala. Pour refined oil and heat it, adds sliced onion once the oil starts to smoke. Fry till the onion turns golden brown. Add ginger, garlic, green chilli paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, sliced tomato, pineapple chop and salt, and cook it till the oil leaves side.
- Add marinated chicken and cook it. Towards finishing add the chopped mint, coriander and garam masala powder. Then add parboiled rice over top of chicken masala along with, ghee, crispy fried onion, and fried nuts and cook it in dum style for about 10-15 minutes.
Accompaniments
Homemade Lime Pickle:
- Cut 2 lemons (by 4 each), remove the seeds and marinate with a pinch of salt, 1 gm of turmeric powder, 20 ml of vinegar and a small quantity of roasted mustard powder. Let it marinate for two days.
- 'Temper' with oil, 1 gm of mustard and 3 finely chopped garlic. Stir well and serve with the biryani.
Kerala-style Onion Challas (Salad/Raita):
Mix 15 gm of sliced onion, 15 gm of sliced tomato, 3 tsp of yoghurt, with salt (to taste), 2-3 green sprigs of curry leaves and green chillies (to taste). Serve with the biryani.
About Ashwin RajagopalanI am the proverbial slashie - a content architect, writer, speaker and cultural intelligence coach. School lunch boxes are usually the beginning of our culinary discoveries.That curiosity hasn’t waned. It’s only got stronger as I’ve explored culinary cultures, street food and fine dining restaurants across the world. I’ve discovered cultures and destinations through culinary motifs. I am equally passionate about writing on consumer tech and travel.