Bombay veg biryani recipe
INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
for the rice:
1.5 cups basmati rice, 300 grams
4 to 5 whole black pepper/sabut kali mirch
1 star anise/chakriphool
1 inch cinnamon/dal chini
2 cloves/lavang
2 green cardamoms/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
1 black cardamom/badi elaichi
1 large tej patta or 2 small to medium tej patta
2 single strands of mace/javitri
5 cups water
¾ to 1 tsp salt or add as required
for birista:
250 grams onions, 2 large onions or 2 cups thinly sliced onions
7 tbsp oil
for vegetable gravy:
1 tsp shahjeera/caraway seeds
1 inch cinnamon/dal chini
4 green cardamoms/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
4 cloves/lavang
2 single strands of mace/javitri
2 all spice/kabab chini (optional)
1 large tej patta or 2 small to medium tej patta
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste or 1 inch ginger & 9 to 10 medium sized garlic crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
1 green chili, chopped
250 grams tomatoes or 3 medium to large tomatoes or 1.25 cups tomatoes
300 grams potatoes or 4 medium potatoes or 1.5 cups diced potatoes
2 to 3 medium small to medium carrots or 1 cup chopped carrots
⅓ cup fresh or frozen peas, tightly packed
½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
1 tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
1 tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
1 tsp cumin powder/jeera powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
4 to 5 prunes/dried plums (optional)
½ cup curd/yogurt/dahi
1 cup water
1 tsp salt or add as required
for the layering:
½ tbsp chopped mint leaves/pudina patta
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
½ tbsp ghee
1 to 2 tsp kewra water (pandanus extract), optional
a few drops of natural orange or yellow color, optional
½ cup birista or fried onions
INSTRUCTIONS
preparing rice:
rinse basmati rice very well in water. soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
when the rice is soaking, chop all the veggies and keep aside. take all the spices and keep aside. below is a pic of spices that we will add to the rice.
after 30 minutes drain the water from the rice.
heat 5 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil on a medium to high flame.
add the whole spices or garam masala mentioned under 'for the rice' list.
then add the rice. season with salt.
add ½ tbsp lemon juice.
on the same flame intensity, simmer the rice till the grains ¾th cooked.
drain the cooked rice in a colander and keep aside.
preparing birista:
heat 7 tbsp oil in a pan. add 2 cups of thinly sliced onions.
stir and saute the onions till they turn golden. add a pinch of salt to hasten the cooking process.
stir often and saute till the onions become golden.
remove the crisp fried onions or birista with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels. from 2 cups of sliced onions, you will get about 1 cup of birista. we will use ½ of the birista in the gravy and the remaining half in the layering.
preparing vegetable gravy:
in the same pan, add the whole spices for the gravy.
stir and saute till the spices become fragrant.
now add diced or chopped potatoes and carrots. stir well.
saute the potatoes and carrots for 5 to 6 minutes.
with a spoon, bring them to the sides and add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. saute the ginger-garlic paste in the same place till the their raw aroma goes away.
now add 1.25 cups chopped tomatoes.
stir and mix very well.
add the spice powders - ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp garam masala powder. also add prunes or dried plums if you have them. about 4 to 5 dried plums. stir and saute for a minute.
add ⅓ cup tightly packed fresh or frozen green peas. stir.
now add ½ of the birista or fried onions.
season with salt and stir again.
add 1 cup water.
stir very well. cover and cook on a medium flame till the veggies are cooked. you can also use a pressure cooker for the cooking of the veggies. just add less water, about ⅔ to ¾ cup if cooking veggies in a pressure cooker.
the veggies have to be cooked well but should retain their shape. the gravy should also thicken and should not be of watery consistency.
whisk ½ cup fresh curd/dahi in a bowl till smooth and keep aside.
once the veggies are done, place the pan down and add ½ cup beaten or whisked curd/dahi/yogurt.
stir very well. check the taste and add more salt if required. keep this vegetable gravy aside.
Layering and dum cooking:
i cooked the biryani in the oven. you can also cook in a thick bottomed pan or pot or even in a dutch oven. pour half of the vegetable gravy in the pan or pot.
layer evenly with the cooked rice.
sprinkle ¼ tbsp chopped mint leaves and ½ tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
now sprinkle ¼ portion of the fried onions evenly.
again make a second layer of the vegetable gravy evenly.
spread a third layer of the rice.
top up with the remaining chopped mint, coriander leaves and fried onions. also add 1 to 2 tsp of kewra water.
dot with ½ tbsp ghee. you can also sprinkle some natural color if you want.
cover tightly with a foil. bake at 180 degrees celsius for 30 to 35 minutes. if dum cooking on a stove top, then also you can cover with a foil or with a moist kitchen towel. place the pan on a hot tava/griddle. on a low to medium flame dum cook the biryani for 30 to 35 minutes.
allow the biryani to stand for some minutes. then serve this aromatic spiced bombay vegetable biryani with your favorite raita.
