Vegetable Biryani (2 ways)

After a short trip to Sri Lanka where we struggled to find veg food, our taste buds were craving for some spice and lots of vegetables. I wanted to make and eat something that celebrated our wonderful Indian cuisine. It had also been a long time since I had made biryani, I'd almost forgotten the recipe taught to me by my friend's mom. So I tried to recollect all I could and gave it a go. It definitely was the tastiest biryani I've ever eaten (may be cause I made it :P) Below is the recipe how I made it (1st one). There are a few things missing here that are present in an authentic biryani as I made it with things readily available. I have not added potato, black cardamom and saffron/kesar. You can add the potato along with the other vegetables. Black cardamom needs to be added to the rice as well as the masala (1 each). Few saffron strands are mixed with milk and added to the rice. I skipped all this and as I know it, it made no difference to the biryani tastewise. Also, I used regular rice and not Basmati. I highly recommend using Basmati as it adds to the fragrance. I am listing down 2 recipes below, 1st one is how I made it and the 2nd one is an easier method.

Vegetable Biryani



The masala before layering

Recipe 1 : How I made it:

Vegetable Biryani

Rice cooked with vegetables and a spicy masala

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup / 10-12 florets Cauliflower
1 Carrot
1/2 cup Peas
12-15 Beans
2 medium Onions
2 medium Tomatoes
4-5 cloves Garlic
1 " piece Ginger
1/2 cup Curd/ Yoghurt
1/2 cup Mint
1 cup uncooked Rice
3.5 cups Water
4 Cloves
2 1" pieces Cinnamon
4 Green cardamom
2 Bayleaf
A few strands Mace
8-10 Peppercorns
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Ajwain
6 tsp Oil
1 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
2 Tbsp Milk
Salt

Method:

• Take 3 cups of water in a kadhai/pan. Add 2 cloves, 1 bayleaf, 1 piece of cinnamon, 2 Green cardamoms, few strands of mace and 1/2 tsp of salt.
• Wash the rice and add to the water and boil until the rice is almost done.
• Remove the spices from the rice and drain excess water if any.
• Heat 4 tsp oil in another kadhai and add the cumin seeds.
• Once they brown, add the 1 chopped onions, remaining cloves, cardamom, bayleaf, peppercorns, ajwain and cinnamon.
• Cook until the onions are translucent.
• Grind together the tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
• Add it to the kadhai with the onions.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and the garam masala and cook for 1 min.
• Add all the roughly chopped vegetables and 1/4 cup water and cover and cook on low flame until the vegetables are almost done.
• Add more water if needed.
• Grind the mint leaves with a little water and add it to the curd and whisk to remove any lumps.
• Add this to the masala and cook for 1 min.
• Add salt and remove from heat.
• In another pan, add the remaining oil.
• Once the oil is hot, add the remaining onion sliced lengthwise and fry until brown.
• Add one layer of the masala over the onions
• Add one layer of rice
• Again add a layer of masala and then one layer of rice.
• Sprinkle 2 tbsp of milk and cover the kadhai and cook on low flame for 10-15 mins.
• Mix well and serve hot with raita.

Recipe 2: Easy way out

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 cup / 10-12 florets

Carrot - 1

Peas - 1/2 cup

Beans - 12-15

Onion - 2 medium

Tomato - 2 medium

Garlic - 4-5 cloves

Ginger - 1 " piece

Curd - 1/2 cup

Mint - 1/2 cup

Rice - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups + 1/2 cup

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Green cardamom - 2

Bayleaf - 1

Mace - few strands

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 6 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Biryani masala - 1-2 tbsp

Salt

Method:

• Cook rice along with cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, bayleaf, mace and 1/2 tsp of salt. You can pressure cook the rice until it is done. Add a little less water than you regularly do so that the rice is not too mushy. We need the rice grains to be separate.
• Remove the spices from the rice and keep aside.
• Parboil the vegetables outside until they are half done. Especially carrot and beans that take a little longer to cook. You can microwave them on high for 3-4 mins.
• Heat 4 tsp oil in another kadhai and add the cumin seeds.
• Once they brown, add 1 chopped onion. Cook until the onions are translucent.
• Grind together the tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
• Add it to the kadhai with the onions.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and biryani masala and cook for 3-5 mins.
• Add the vegetables cook on low flame until the vegetables are done.
• Add more water if needed.
• Grind the mint leaves with a little water and add it to the curd and whisk to remove any lumps.
• Add this to the masala and cook for 1 min.
• Add salt and remove from heat.
• In another pan, add the remaining oil.
• Once the oil  is hot, add the remaining onion sliced lengthwise and fry until brown.
• Mix the fried onion, masala and rice. Heat once again if needed.
• Serve hot with raita