Biryani is more than just a dish in Kerala; it is a culinary emotion. While foodies scour the state for the perfect plate of aromatic rice, G Prasannan, a 71-year-old retired police sub-inspector from Pongummoodu in Thiruvananthapuram, decided to take a completely different route. He is preparing to cook a biryani using Basmati rice harvested right from his own terrace.

While Basmati rice is rarely cultivated in Kerala due to the tedious harvesting and processing involved, Prasannan has proved that with patience and innovation, it is entirely possible. He has successfully grown Basmati paddy in around 40 pots on his terrace, showcasing the endless possibilities of urban rooftop farming.

Sowing a Punjab seed in Kerala soil
Basmati is known for its long, slender grains and distinct aroma, which usually require specialised large-scale milling. To overcome this, Prasannan plans to process his modest harvest using a domestic kitchen mixer. He expects a yield of about 400g per pot, aiming for a total of 16 kg of paddy. After setting aside 1 kg of seeds for the next farming cycle, he is eager to see how much polished Basmati rice he will obtain from the remaining 15 kg.

The journey began four months ago when a friend returning from a trip to Punjab brought back a spoonful of Basmati paddy seeds at Prasannan’s request. He sowed the seeds, and once the seedlings were ready, transplanted them into pots. To mimic natural paddy fields, he used pots without drainage holes, filling them with a mix of slushy mud and organic potting soil to ensure the water remained logged.

The secret recipe for organic growth
For nourishment, Prasannan prepared a special organic liquid fertiliser. He fermented a mixture of fresh cow dung, cow urine, groundnut cake, neem cake, jaggery, and wild sunflower leaves in rice water for three to five days. This mixture was then diluted ten times before being applied to the plants. To ensure a steady supply of nitrogen, he grew azolla and duckweed in the standing water around the paddy stems. He also sprayed the plants with diluted fish amino acid before the flowering stage to ward off pests and boost growth.

A terrace transformed into a botanical wonderland
Prasannan is no stranger to agricultural triumphs. His 2,000-square-foot double-level rooftop is virtually a botanical garden, thriving with an array of vegetables, tubers, spices, and fruits. Alongside regular paddy, his terrace is home to arrowroot, ash gourd, lady's finger, maize, cabbage, cauliflower, passion fruit, dragon fruit, and soybeans. He even grows rare, traditional tubers like air potatoes (adatappu) and thorny yams (mulkizhangu), which are hard to find even in rural areas.

Over his long farming journey, Prasannan has set several records. His hall of fame includes harvesting two-foot-long winged beans in 2017, a massive 118 kg greater yam from a single plant in 2019, and an impressive 125 kg thorny yam from a single root in 2023. With this latest Basmati experiment, he has once again demonstrated that space is never a constraint for a passionate farmer.