Veg dum biryani - It doesn't take fancy ingredients to treat your family to an exotic dinner. Delicious layers of rice and vegetable masala makes for a great meal on its own. Truth to be told, we can't get enough of this veggie packed biryani.
I love this time of the year when the nature brings us her beautiful fresh produce. Yes, we are thoroughly enjoying the summer sunshine in this part of the world. Every summer, plenty of different varieties of veggies and fruits make their way to my everyday menu. In other words, this is the perfect season to include more vegetarian goodness to my diet.
I must admit that I can't live without the meaty addition to my meal. However, I have a few vegetarian favorites as well. Needless to say, they are also always a hit with my family. So, if you love to add more veggie-based dishes to your menu, here's one of the best ways to enjoy healthy eating.
Vegetable dum biryani. Layers of rice and spiced vegetables cooked over low flame (dum) to add maximum flavor. Vegetarian food doesn't get any better than this. It's guaranteed to be a winner.
The base of this veg dum biryani is made up of two parts - Rice and spiced vegetables. Both are cooked separately, then layered and cooked over a very low flame. This is the classic way of making any biryani, and it helps to instil more flavor into the dish. The best part is that you can cook both the parts in advance and then dum (cook over low flame) just before serving. It's just the ticket for stress-free dinner on a super hectic day.
First, the rice. Basmati rice is soaked and cooked until half done along with a few dry spices like cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. You don't need to cook the rice completely at this stage as the rest of the cooking process happens in the final stage.
Second, the vegetable masala. Green beans, carrots, cauliflower and green peas are cooked in an array of traditional Indian spices. Add cubes of paneer for extra flavor. I love paneer in my biryani, but it's totally optional.
To layer the biryani, you'll need a heavy bottomed pan. Add vegetable and rice in alternating layers. One important thing that gives a biryani it's exotic restaurant style look is the color from saffron. So, it's a crucial element in this recipe. And lots and lots of herbs makes the flavor so perfect. When this vegetable dum biryani is cooked over low flame, the rice grains will become perfectly tender and fluffy.
Plus, this biryani can be eaten on its own or tastes great when paired with a non-vegetarian curry. Indian chicken curry, chicken roast, lamb korma, lamb roganjosh, chicken manchurian and chicken tikka masala are a few of my favorites.
With so much deliciousness packed in every mouthful, what not to love about this vegetable dum biryani?
Veg Dum Biryani - Restaurant Style | Video
Ingredients
Veg masala:
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon minced ginger ginger paste
- 2 green chilies split
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander coriander powder
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped green beans
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- ½ cup paneer
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander cilantro leaves
- Salt to taste
- Water
To cook rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 5 cups water
- Salt to taste
Saffron milk:
- 5 strands saffron
- ¼ cup milk
Layering:
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
- 2 tablespoon ghee
Instructions
Veg masala:
- Heat ghee and oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, cumin seeds and fennel seeds for a minute. Add minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for one minute or until it is aromatic. Add green chilies, and sauté for another minute. Add turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, ground cumin and ground coriander. Sauté for a minute.
- Add tomatoes, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes start to break down. Add green beans, carrots, cauliflower, paneer and yogurt. Season with salt. Pour in water to cover the vegetables. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add green peas and coriander (cilantro) leaves. Cover and cook again for another 2 minutes or until the sauce has a semisolid consistency. Remove from heat. Set aside.
Saffron milk:
- Place saffron and milk in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Cook rice:
- Wash rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Soak rice for about 20 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf for about one minute. Pour in 5 cups water. Add ground cardamom and lemon juice. Season with salt. Stir. Bring to the boil. Add soaked rice. Stir gently. When half done, drain and set aside.
Layer and cook:
- Place half of veg masala in a heavy bottomed pan in a single layer. Top with a layer of half of cooked rice. Pour in half of saffron milk. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coriander (cilantro) leaves and 1 tablespoon mint leaves.
- Place the remaining veg masala in a single layer on top of the herbs followed by the remaining rice. Pour in rest of saffron milk and scatter over the herbs. Pour ghee on top. Cover tightly with a lid. Place the pan over low flame, and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
- Garnish with fried onions, cashews and raisins if you like.
Video
Nutrition
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