Veg Biryani

It is said that Biryani is India's most preferred take-out or order at home dish. This has to do with the general notion that biryani is very difficult to make and must be ordered from a restaurant to save the hassle. Even those who do make it at home reserve it for very special occasions.

     Here we will be learning a relative quick and easy way of making Biryani but with vegetables. There basically two types of Biryani i.e. Kacchi & Pakki. In Kacchi Biryani, layers of marinated meat or vegetables with alternating layers of partially cooked rice and condiments are steamed and cooking happens by the ingredient's own moisture for at least an hour. A yoghurt based marinade at the bottom of the cooking pot provides additional moisture and flavor. Potatoes are in the bottom most layer (borrowed from Iranian cuisine) and provide moisture for cooking. 

    In pakki Biryani which we shall be making, the meat or in this case vegetable and rice are partially cooked separately with condiments and then sautéed together before serving. 

 Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

30-45 mins

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice - 1 Cup
2. Onion - 1 Large
3. Green Chilies - 2 Nos.
4. Carrots - 1 Cup Chopped)
5. Cauliflower - 1 Cup (chopped)
6. Green Peas - 1/2 Cup
7. French Beans - 1/2 Cup
8. Saffron - generous amount
9. Milk - 1 Cup
10. Mint Leaves - 10
11. Rose Petals
12. Yoghurt -1 Cup
13. Cinnamon - 2 inch sticks
14. Star Anise - 5 nos
15. Cloves - 1 Tbsp
16. Cardamom - 2
17. Syah Jeera - 1 Tsp
18. Mace (Javitri) - 1 Tsp
19. Red Chili Powder
20. Turmeric
21. Salt to Taste
22. Ghee - Lots & Lots of it

Procedure:

• First we shall cook the rice in a Microwave or pressure cooker. 
• Use 3 times as much water as the volume of rice.
• Keep the cooked rice aside to cool  down completely.

• Chop one large onion length wise and stir fry it.
• Fry the onion till it is little charred and dark golden brown and keep aside.

• Dry roast a Red Chili, star anise, cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon.
• Now ground the spices to a coarse powder.
• Mix the powder with 1 cup of yoghurt and mix well.
• Add some saffron and mint leaves and keep the mixture aside.

• In a fry pan, heat a table spoon of ghee.
• Add 1 cup milk, 2 vertically slit green chilies, rose petals.
• Bring the mixture to boil and then keep aside.

• In a deep bottom kadhai or pan, heat 2 table spoons of ghee.
• Add whole spices including bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, syah jeera and cloves.
• Add red chili & turmeric powder and sauté.
• Now when the aroma of spices is released, add the chopped vegetables and yoghurt mixture.
• Cooked till vegetables get tender.

• To the cooked vegetables, add the cooled rice, rose milk mixture and mix well.
• Close the lid of the kadhai/pan and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
• Using cooled rice is essential as freshly cooked rice is tender and gets broken during mixing & tossing.

The dish is now ready to be served with raita or fresh curd.

I hope you enjoyed the recipe and for more recipes stay tuned to https://food.satyajeetnaib.com