Vegetable Biryani

Being a vegetarian, Vegetable Biryani is definitely included as a weekend special lunch.  Vegetable biryani is a flavorful and exotic rice dish which looks colorful, with vegetables and spices. There are many ways to cook biryani. I  generally make Vegetable biryani the way my amma cooks it, and it is delicious and easy to cook. Few of my friends are experts in making biryani. One day, while talking to one of my friend, she mentioned Hyderabad biryani. I always thought Hydrabad biryani was complicated, but after hearing her version I realized it was not the case. I wanted to try that at home. Here is my version of Hyderabad vegetable biryani.

Vegetable Biryani

Preparation Time : 15 mins | Soaking Time: 1 hour |  Cooking Time : 45 mins | Serves : 4

Recipe Category: Entree

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 1 cup,soaked and drained

Mixed Vegetable – 1 cups + 1/2 cup (I used carrots, beans, cauliflower and potato)

Mint – 1/4 cup

Biryani Masala –  2 tsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Curd – 1/4 cup

Cashew – 2 tbsp

Water – as needed

Saffron – 1/16 tsp

Saffron color – a pinch

Cardamom Pods – 2

Cinnamon Stick – 1/8 tsp

Roasted Bread – to garnish (I have oven roasted bread at 350 degree F. You can either follow the procedure or grill/fry it)

Bay leaf – 1

Fennel Seed  powder – 1/8 tsp

Salt – to taste

Biryani Masala: 

Cinnamon Stick – 1/4 stick

Cloves – 2

Cumin – 1/4 tsp

Pepper Corns – 1/8 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Green cardamom – 3 pods

Red Chilli Powder – 1/8 tsp

Black Cardamom – 2 pods

Method:

• Soak rice in warm water for 1 hour
• Take a blender, add all the spices listed under “Biryani Masala” and make a coarse powder

• Add oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add whole spices, onion and ginger garlic paste. When the onion becomes translucent, add vegetables and salt. Cook the veggies. Add mint, garam masala and biryani masala and saute for a minute. Finally add curd, cook for 2-3 minutes and switch off

• In a separate wide pan, boil water. Add cinnamon stick, and when the water is boiling hot, add rice and salt. After the rice is  cooked, strain the rice
• Take a heavy bottomed pan/pressure cooker/ non stick pan  (I took a non stick pan). Spread some of the cooked vegetables ,mint and cooked rice over them. Repeat the process, adding layers of vegetables and rice. Finally, add cashew,saffron and saffron color and close it with a lid, and cook it for 15 – 20 minute in a very slow flame. Garnish Biryani with onion and fried bread. Serve it with raita/Salna

My Notes:

• You can add fried onions instead of regular onion
• Can add paneer and mushroom
• If you are doubtful whether you may have burnt the biryani, use double boil method. place water in wide pan and place the biryani pan over it
• You could also preheat the oven to 190 degree celsius and then bake the biryani in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Please remember to use an oven-proof utensil like the pyrex ones for baking in the oven.
• This biryani masala powder can be used for any type of Biryani
•  You can add pomegranate Seeds if needed
• Adjust spice according to your taste
• Can add turmeric powder

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