While my boys enjoy a non-vegetarian biryani, once in a while, I like to trick them with a vegetable one. A dish cooked with rice and a spicy mixture of vegetables. Healthy, nutritious, colourful and delectable. Served with raita, papad and pickle, a one pot and complete meal.
To prepare a good biryani dish, always use aged basmati rice. The rice is soaked for 30 minutes and cooked till half done. Potatoes pieces are parboiled separately and then cooked with the rest of the vegetables in the onion spice mixture. Yoghurt is stirred in at the end and then topped with partially cooked rice. The lid is sealed with aluminum foil or dough to trap in the steam. Kept on low heat (dum) for 20 minutes till the rice is cooked to perfection and fragrant with the vegetable spice mixture.
I have used potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas. A mixture of your choice of firm vegetables can be utilized. You could even add paneer. Vegetables are a rich source of nutrients vital for good health. A diet rich in vegetables will keep you fit and free from chronic diseases.
To prepare a good biryani dish, always use aged basmati rice. The rice is soaked for 30 minutes and cooked till half done. Potatoes pieces are parboiled separately and then cooked with the rest of the vegetables in the onion spice mixture. Yoghurt is stirred in at the end and then topped with partially cooked rice. The lid is sealed with aluminum foil or dough to trap in the steam. Kept on low heat (dum) for 20 minutes till the rice is cooked to perfection and fragrant with the vegetable spice mixture.
I have used potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas. A mixture of your choice of firm vegetables can be utilized. You could even add paneer. Vegetables are a rich source of nutrients vital for good health. A diet rich in vegetables will keep you fit and free from chronic diseases.
Vegetable Biryani
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1 teaspoon shahjeera (caraway seeds) or cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 cup curds
1 cup water
2 cups coriander leaves
1 cup mint leaves
a pinch of saffron or orange food colour dissolved in 1/4 cup warm milk
juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup ghee (melted)
few toasted silvered almonds, cashewnuts and raisins for garnishing
salt
Vegetables
2 large onions (sliced)
4 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2" piece of ginger (grated)
2 green chillies (cut into rounds)
2 cups green beans (cut into 1" pieces)
2 large carrots (cut into cubes)
2 potatoes (cut into cubes)
1 cup green peas
Spice Powders
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon chilly powder
1 blade of mace (powdered)
1 star anise (powdered)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
2 tablespoons garam masala powder
Method:
Soak rice in water for 30 minutes.
Parboil potatoes with water and little salt. Drain out the water and keep aside.
Boil water in a separate pan for rice with a bay leaf and shahjeera. When water starts to boil, add the rice with enough salt and cook till half done (50%). Drain out the water. (Ensure to add a little extra salt.)
In a deep, wide heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil and brown sliced onions (keeping half aside for topping over the rice). Add the garlic, ginger in the pan and fry for few seconds. Stir in all the spice powders (except the garam masala powder), green chillies, potatoes, carrots, green beans, water (listed in ingredients) and salt. Cover and cook on low heat.
Once the vegetables are tender, combine the green peas, 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder and curds. Sprinkle some mint and coriander leaves. Top with rice that is 50% cooked on top of vegetables.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder over the rice, remaining fried onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Pour the saffron milk at different spots over the rice along with lemon juice and ghee. Cover pan, seal with aluminum foil or dough. Place a mortar pestle as weight on top of the pan.
Cook on very low heat (dum) for 20 minutes. Shut off flame after the indicated time. Lift the lid, gently stir rice to mix with vegetables.
Garnish biryani with nuts and raisins. Serve warm with raita and papad.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1 teaspoon shahjeera (caraway seeds) or cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
1 cup curds
1 cup water
2 cups coriander leaves
1 cup mint leaves
a pinch of saffron or orange food colour dissolved in 1/4 cup warm milk
juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup ghee (melted)
few toasted silvered almonds, cashewnuts and raisins for garnishing
salt
Vegetables
2 large onions (sliced)
4 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1/2" piece of ginger (grated)
2 green chillies (cut into rounds)
2 cups green beans (cut into 1" pieces)
2 large carrots (cut into cubes)
2 potatoes (cut into cubes)
1 cup green peas
Spice Powders
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon chilly powder
1 blade of mace (powdered)
1 star anise (powdered)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1 teaspoon fennel powder
2 tablespoons garam masala powder
Method:
Soak rice in water for 30 minutes.
Parboil potatoes with water and little salt. Drain out the water and keep aside.
Boil water in a separate pan for rice with a bay leaf and shahjeera. When water starts to boil, add the rice with enough salt and cook till half done (50%). Drain out the water. (Ensure to add a little extra salt.)
In a deep, wide heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil and brown sliced onions (keeping half aside for topping over the rice). Add the garlic, ginger in the pan and fry for few seconds. Stir in all the spice powders (except the garam masala powder), green chillies, potatoes, carrots, green beans, water (listed in ingredients) and salt. Cover and cook on low heat.
Once the vegetables are tender, combine the green peas, 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder and curds. Sprinkle some mint and coriander leaves. Top with rice that is 50% cooked on top of vegetables.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of garam masala powder over the rice, remaining fried onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Pour the saffron milk at different spots over the rice along with lemon juice and ghee. Cover pan, seal with aluminum foil or dough. Place a mortar pestle as weight on top of the pan.
Cook on very low heat (dum) for 20 minutes. Shut off flame after the indicated time. Lift the lid, gently stir rice to mix with vegetables.
Garnish biryani with nuts and raisins. Serve warm with raita and papad.
Note:
- Indian Gate classic basmati rice was used for this biryani.