Vegetable Biryani

Vegetable biryani, also known as Veg Biryani, is a spicy and aromatic rice dish popular throughout the Indian subcontinent and beyond. This flavorful one-pot meal is rich in protein, making it a fantastic choice for lunch or dinner. Serve it with raita or your choice of vegetable or meat curry for a complete meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 499

Author Sangeetha Vel

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati Rice soaked for 15 minutes
¼ cup Oil
2 Bay leaves
1 Star anise
4 Cardamom
2 Cloves
1 Cinnamon small stick
2 Green chili sliced
1 Onion sliced
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
2 Tomatoes sliced
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Chili powder
½ tsp Coriander powder
¼ tsp Biryani Masala Powder
Salt to taste
¼ cup Beans
¼ cup Carrot
¼ cup Potatoes
¼ cup Green peas
1 tsp Curd
½ cup Mint leaves chopped
¼ cup Water deglaze
2 cup Water to cook
1 tsp Ghee
1 tsp Orange food color optional
¼ cup Coriander leaves chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparing Vegetable Biryani

Start by heating oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, and green chili. Sauté these spices until they are fragrant.
Add the onions and sauté them until they become soft and take on a golden hue, enriching the dish with their sweet caramelized flavor.
Mix in the ginger-garlic paste and cook it until the raw smell disappears, which helps to enhance the rich flavors.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook them until they turn mushy, creating a tangy base for the biryani.
Add chili, coriander, turmeric, biryani masala powder, and salt to the pan. Stir everything together well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
Add beans, carrots, potatoes, and boiled green peas to the mix. Give everything a quick toss to ensure the vegetables are well coated with the spices.
Now, stir in the curd and sauté for about a minute to blend it smoothly with the other ingredients.
Add half of the chopped mint leaves and sauté them briefly to release their fresh, aromatic flavor into the dish.
Pour mentioned amount of water into the pan to deglaze it, then cover with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Once done, remove the lid and add the soaked basmati rice to the gravy mixture. Stir everything together thoroughly to ensure the rice is well-coated with the spices and vegetables.
Add water and stir everything well to ensure the rice and spices are evenly mixed and the water is distributed throughout.
Now, add the remaining mint leaves and coriander leaves, mixing them thoroughly into the dish to infuse it with fresh, herbal flavors.
Finally, drizzle some ghee over the top, sprinkle a pinch of biryani masala powder, and optionally add a touch of orange food color to enhance the biryani's appearance and flavor.
Seal the pan and let the biryani cook on a low-medium heat for 15 minutes. This simmering process allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and gently fluff the biryani with a fork to separate the grains and ensure even distribution of flavors. Your delicious vegetable biryani is now ready to be savored.