Ingredients for Vegetable Biryani
- for The Rice
- 1 1/2 cups long grained rice (basmati), soaked and drained
- 1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
- 25 mm (1”) piece cinnamon (dalchini)
- 1 clove (laung / lavang)
- 1 cardamom (elaichi)
- 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- to taste salt
- for The Vegetable Gravy
- 2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, cauliflower, sweet corn, capsicum, french beans and potatoes)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (siyah zeera)
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onions
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp biryani massla powder
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 cup roughly chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
- to taste salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 pinch saffron food colour
- 1/4 cup fresh curds (dahi)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander (dhania)
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 8-10 green chillies
- 2 tbsp ghee
Cooking Instructions for making Vegetable Biryani
For the rice
Combine 4½ cups of water, bayleaf, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, rice and salt in a deep non-stick pan, cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 10 to 12 minutes or till the rice 80% is cooked.
Strain the rice using a strainer and keep aside.
For the vegetable gravy
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the onions turn translucent.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri red chilli powder and garam masala and biryani masala powder and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
Add the tomatoes and 2 tbsp of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the mixed vegetables, paneer, salt and cook on a medium flame for another 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Add curd and sauté 1-2 minutes on low flame.
How to proceed
Transfer ½ of the rice mixture in a handi and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon.
Add all the prepared vegetable gravy, mint and coriander leaves mint leaves, green chillies on it and spread it evenly.
Top it with the remaining ½ of the rice mixture and spread it evenly.
Pour the ghee, milk and saffron mixture evenly over it and cover it with a lid.
Place the handi on a non-stick tava (griddle) and cook on a slow flame for 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve hot with Raita
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