Vegetable Biryani

What is Biryani?
Biryani is a mixed rice dish from the Indian Subcontinent. It is made with spices, rice, meat or vegetables.


Origin
In North India, it is traditionally associated with the Mughlai cuisine of Delhi and the Awadhi cuisine of Lucknow; in South India, it is traditionally associated with the Hyderabadi cuisine.
One theory is that it originates from "birinj", the Persian word for rice. Another theory is that it derives from "biryan" or "beriyan" (to fry or roast).

There is a theory about the Mughals having brought biryani to India, but another theory claims that the dish was known in India before Babur came to India. The 16th century Mughal text Ain-i-Akbari makes no distinction between biryanis and pulao. It states that the word "biryani" is of older usage in India. A similar theory - that biryani came to India with Timur's invasion - also appears to be incorrect, because there is no record of biryani having existed in his native land during that period. There are references to a dish of "fried" rice, flavoured with various aromatic spices and condiments in ancient texts of India, which were enjoyed by the ruling classes. There was a traditional culinary preparation native to Bengal where semi-cooked fish was steamed with rice, letting the rice absorb its aroma, in a covered earthen pot, in a manner in which biryani is prepared. Hence this 'dum' style of cooking is not new to the Indian sub-continent.

Difference between Biryani and Pilaf

Pilaf or Pulao as it is known in the Subcontinent, is another mixed rice dish popular in Indian cuisine. Although some of its varieties are associated with Turko-Persian influence in northern India, it is also mentioned in ancient Hindu texts such as Yagnavalkya Smriti.

Biryani has a stronger taste of curried rice due to a higher amount of spices. The main distinction is that a biryani comprises two layers of rice with a layer of meat (or vegetables) in the middle; whereas  pulao is not layered. In pulao, the rice and meat are cooked separately and then mixed before the dum cooking; in biryani, the soaked rice is fried and then cooked with the meat (or vegetables) and stronger spices.

Recipe Source: Jaishree Ostwal

Ingredients

For The Rice:

• Basmati Rice - 1 and half Cup (Soaked and Drained)
• Green Cardamoms/hari elaichi or choti elaichi - 2
• Cloves/laung/lavang - 2
• Cinnamon Stick /dal chini of 1 inch - 1
• Bay Leaf/tej patta - 1
• Mace strands/javitri - 2
• Water - 2 Cups
• Salt - To taste

For The Vegetable Gravy:

• Medium Sized Cauliflower/phool gobi, florets removed - ½ Head
• Carrot/gajar, diced - 1
• Potato/aloo, cubed - 1
• French Beans - ½ Cup Chopped 
• Frozen/Fresh Peas/matar - ½ Cup 
• Onion/pyaaz, finely sliced - 3/4 Cup
• Ginger/adrak - 2 Tbsp 
• Garlic/lahsun - 1 Tbsp
• Caraway Seeds/shah jeera - 1/2 Tsp
• Turmeric Powder/haldi - ¼ Tsp 
• Red Chilli Powder/cayenne pepper - 1 Tsp
• Coriander Powder/dhania - 2 Tsp
• Garam Masala- 1/4 Tsp
• Tomatoes- 1 Cup Roughly Chopped
• Salt - To taste
• Milk - Half Cup
• Whisked Curds/yogurt/dahi - Half Cup
• Sugar- A pinch
• Oil for Frying Vegetables - 4 Tbsp
• Optional Ingredients:
• A few saffron/kesar strands
• Milk (Saffron soaked in milk) - 1 or 2 Tbsp
• Ghee- 2 Tbsp
• 2 tbsp cashewnuts
• 1 tbsp sultanas/raisins
• 2 tbsp almonds/badam, blanched, peeled and sliced

Herbs and Spices Paste

• Coriander/cilantro leaves/dhania patta - 1 Tbsp
• Mint leaves/pudina patta - 1 Tbsp
• Green Chili Paste- 1 Tsp
• Raita
• Hung Curds- 1 Cup
• Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Rock Salt - 1/2 Tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Salt - To Taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash the rice in running water. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.

Now you can microwave or pressure cook the rice. You have to cook the rice till its ¾th done. The rice should not be fully cooked but almost cooked.

In a pressure cooker, add the pre-soaked rice, all the spices mentioned above, salt. Cook till the rice till is almost done.

Traditionally biryani were made in clay pots, known as handis. If you have a clay pot, you could use it. You can use your pressure cooker. I used a Kadhai.

Or you can add raw rice to the cooked vegetable gravy with water and slow cook it. This is what i do and its a lot easier than the elaborate methods of making Biryani.

Method:

Heat ghee in the Kadhai.

Add  cumin seeds, all whole garam masala: cardamoms, mace, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves.  Fry the garam masala till they crackle.

Now add the onions. Fry the onions till golden brown.

Add the green chilli, ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a minute. Add the turmeric ,coriander powder, garam masala powder and the red chili powder. Give the mixture a stir.

Now add the vegetables one by one and stir for a minute. Mix the mint and coriander paste.
If using a pressure cooker for cooking the veggies, then cover the cooker with a lid and pressure cook for 2 minutes.

If not using a pressure cooker, then bring the entire vegetable mixture to a boil. Then simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

Add the curd/yoghurt and milk.

Stir and then add 1 3/4 cup water along with the soaked rice plus salt and sugar. Stir the mixture well.

Add the dry fruits – almonds, raisins and cashew nuts (optional)

Check the salt. Add more if required.

Once the biryani is cooked add warm saffron- milk to it.

Your kadhai should be on the gas stove at medium fire.

Cook for 25-35 minutes more until the rice is cooked.

Biryani is ready to serve.

Raita- Mix all the above and serve chilled raita.


A few tips:

• You could also preheat the oven to 190 degree celsius and then bake the biryani in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Please remember to use an oven proof utensil like the pyrex ones for baking   in the oven.

• You will have to assemble the veg biryani as mentioned above in the oven proof utensil and then bake it.

• Dry fruits – almonds, raisins and cashew nuts are optional

Serve the yummy veg biryani with your choice of raita, onion-mint salad-kuchumber, mango pickle, roasted papad.

Do try this and leave me a comment.