Veg Biryani | Vegetable Biryani Recipe

Method19 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse the 1 cup aged basmati rice until the water runs clear. Soak in fresh water for at least 20 minutes, then drain completely. Use aged rice for the water quantities below.

   Soak basmati rice · 20 minUses 1 cup aged basmati rice · Water for rinsing and soaking rice, discarded

2. 2

   Step 2: Chop the potato or beans (⅓ cup), carrot (⅓ cup) and peas to make 1 cup mixed vegetables in total. Slice the onion (½ cup), slit the chili and chop the mint, coriander and optional tomato (1 small).

   Uses ⅓ cup cubed potato or chopped beans · ⅓ cup chopped carrot · ⅓ cup green peas · ½ cup thinly sliced onion (about 1 medium) · 1 optional slit green chili · 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves for vegetables · 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves · 1 small optional tomato, chopped

3. 3

   Step 3: If substituting cauliflower for part of the 1 cup vegetables, keep the florets slightly larger so they do not turn mushy. Keep all prepared vegetables aside.

   Uses prepared vegetables and herbs · Optional cauliflower florets instead of part of the 1 cup mixed vegetables

4. 4

   Step 4: Heat all 1½–2 tbsp cooking oil or ghee in your pot or traditional pressure cooker. If using cashews (10), fry the 10 cashews until golden, lift them out and reserve for serving. Retain the cooking fat.

   Uses 1½–2 tbsp oil or ghee for cooking and optional cashew frying · 10 optional cashews to fry in the cooking fat before making biryani

5. 5

   Step 5: Keep the retained cooking fat hot in the pot or cooker.

   Uses retained hot cooking fat

6. 6

   Step 6: Add bay leaf (1), optional star anise (1), shahi jeera or cumin (½ tsp), cloves (3), cardamoms and cinnamon (1). Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

   Toast whole spices · 2 minUses hot cooking fat · 1 bay leaf · 1 optional star anise · ½ tsp shahi jeera or cumin seeds · 3 whole cloves · 3 green cardamom pods · 1 cinnamon piece, 1 inch long

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Add the prepared sliced onion and optional green chili. Fry, stirring often, until evenly golden or light brown.

   Uses fragrant whole spices in fat · Onion and chili prepared in steps 2–3; other prepared vegetables/herbs remain aside

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Add the 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and sauté for about 1 minute until the raw smell disappears.

   Cook ginger garlic paste · 1 minUses golden onion and chili · 1 tsp ginger garlic paste

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Add the prepared 1 cup mixed vegetables and fry for about 2 minutes.

   Sauté vegetables · 2 minUses onion with cooked ginger garlic paste · All selected mixed vegetables, excluding herbs/onion already handled

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Add the prepared optional tomato, ⅛ tsp vegetable salt, yogurt (3 tbsp), prepared coriander and mint leaves, red chili powder or paprika (½ tsp), turmeric (¼ tsp) and garam masala (¾–1 tsp).

    Uses sautéed mixed vegetables · Prepared tomato if selected, mint and coriander · ⅛ tsp salt for vegetables · 3 tbsp plain yogurt · ½ tsp red chili powder or paprika · ¼ tsp turmeric · ¾–1 tsp garam masala

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Fry, stirring, over high heat for 2–3 minutes until any tomato breaks down and the mixture smells cooked rather than raw. Do not scorch it.

    Cook yogurt-spice mixture · 3 minUses vegetable mixture with yogurt, herbs and spices

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Reduce to low heat. Spread the drained rice from step 1 evenly over the vegetables.

    Uses cooked seasoned vegetables · soaked drained basmati rice

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Choose exactly one branch: measure 1¾ cups cooking water for a traditional pressure cooker OR 2 cups for a regular pot. Stir in the separate ¼ tsp water salt, taste and add extra salt only if needed. Bring this seasoned water to a boil separately.

    Uses 1¾ cups cooking water only for traditional pressure-cooker branch · 2 cups cooking water only for regular-pot branch · ¼ tsp initial salt for cooking water · Extra salt only after tasting cooking water

14. 14

    Step 14: Pour the hot seasoned water from step 13 around the edges of the rice layer and level the rice.

    Uses rice layered over seasoned vegetables · selected branch boiling seasoned water

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Leave the layers intact for layered biryani, or gently mix once if you prefer the ordinary one-pot style.

    Uses rice and vegetables with selected cooking water

16. 16

    Step 16: If choosing the optional topping, soak the pinch of saffron in the 2 tbsp warm milk and pour over the rice. Sprinkle the separate 1 tsp finishing ghee, 2 tbsp extra mint and optional ready fried onions.

    Uses prepared biryani layers · 1 optional pinch saffron for topping milk · 2 tbsp optional warm milk for saffron topping · 1 tsp optional extra finishing ghee before covering · 2 tbsp optional extra chopped mint leaves before covering · Optional ready fried onions before covering

17. 17

    Step 17: Traditional pressure-cooker branch only: with 1¾ cups cooking water, secure the lid and cook over medium-high heat for 1 whistle, then turn off. Release pressure according to your cooker’s manufacturer instructions and open only when safe. Gently fluff. Skip step 18.

    Uses Assembly with 1¾ cups water, only if this branch selected

    
18. 18

    Step 18: Regular-pot branch only: with 2 cups cooking water, bring to a rolling boil, cover and cook over low-medium heat until the water is absorbed and rice fully tender. Turn off and rest covered for 15 minutes, then gently fluff. Skip step 17.

    Rest pot-cooked biryani · 15 minUses Assembly with 2 cups water, only if this branch selected

19. 19

    Step 19: After completing your single cooking branch, let the biryani cool slightly before adding the optional lemon juice (1 tbsp). Garnish with the reserved fried cashews if used and serve.

    Uses Only if pressure-cooker branch selected · Only if regular-pot branch selected · 1 tbsp optional lemon juice · All reserved cashews, only if selected