Veg Biryani is a quick and easy one pot meal that you can make for lunch. Vegetable Biryani or Veg Biryani as it is popularly called is one of the most popular orders at most indian veg restaurants.
About Veg Biryani Recipe
Veg Biryani is loaded with aromatic spices, vegetables, curd, ghee hence it is very flavorful and delicious. Is there any one who can say no to biryani?! there may be very few exceptions but overall Biryani is an universally loved dish. For Biryani you need to plan few things before hand like making ginger garlic paste, chopping veggies and making the spice powders ready, then making biriyani is very easy. I always follow ammas biryani recipe, but through the years have adapted my changes to make this one pot dish taste the best. Biryani uses fragrant, aromatic ingredients and freshly ground spices which lends a unique flavour, this biryani is the best example for it as it was very well received by all at home. We had it with onion raita which is the best combo and it was soo good.
Veg Biryani Recipe Video
Veg Biryani Types
Pressure Cooker Biryani – This is one of the most popular methods used for making biryani as it is very quick and easy to make so saves time. Brinji – This is a south indian version where we make biryani using seeraga samba rice and in an open pot, it takes time than the pressure cooker version. Will post this version soon. Dum Biryani – Dum Biryani is a rich fragrant dish where the masalas and rice are layered and cooked in dum.
For certain dishes, I always prefer homemade to restaurant ones like pulao and biriyani. Ammas vegetable biriyani and sambar is always everyones favourite among our circle of friends and relatives. When guests arrive for lunch, its sure to be vegetable biryani, those who have tasted it before even request amma to specifically make it. Hubby usually takes the short route of not eating on sunday mornings in the name of fasting and then have biryani for lunch to full tummy, he always says he should skip the before meal when its biryani for lunch.
Similar Recipes
Mushroom biryani Chicken biryani Mutton biryani Chana dum biryani Plain biryani
Veg Biryani Ingredients
Rice – Basmati Rice / long grained rice is recommended for any biryani. However alternatively you can use seeraga samba rice or sona masoori rice. Vegetables – I have used carrot, beans, peas, potato and cauliflower. You can additionally add mushroom, baby corn and other preferred veggies of your choice. Spice Powders – I have used turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, biryani masala powder for making Veg Biryani. You can skip biryani masala powder if you do not have it. Curd / Coconut Milk – Thick curd neutralizes the hotness of the spice powders and enhances the taste. You can replace curd with the same quantity of thick coconut milk for additional flavour. Tomatoes & Herbs – Tomatoes gives tanginess to the dish and are added along with mint leaves & coriander leaves. Spices – Bayleaf, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Star anise, Cumin seeds and Green chillies are used for tempering in oil + ghee. Onion & Ginger Garlic Paste – Onions are sliced thin and sauteed until golden. Ginger garlic paste is one of the important ingredient that flavors the biryani and yes use fresh homemade ginger garlic paste which is the best.
How to make Veg Biryani Step by Step
1.To a bowl add 1 cup basmati rice add water to it till immersing level. Soak it for 30 mins, set aside undisturbed. After 30 mins rinse well, drain water and set aside. 2.To a pressure cooker – heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1 and 1/2 tablespoon ghee – add one 2 small bayleaf, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 nos cloves, 1 no cardamom, 1 star anise, 1 green chilli slitted. 3.Let it splutter, give a quick mix. Then add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds let it crackle. 4.Add 1 big sized onion sliced along with 1 heaped teaspoon of ginger garlic paste and required salt. 5.Saute until golden and transparent. 6.Then add 1 medium sized tomato roughly chopped. 7.Saute until it is mushy and raw smell of tomatoes leave completely. 8.Add 1/4 mint leaves (tightly packed). 9.Add 1/2 cup carrot(cut int small cubes), 1/2 cup beans(cut into 1 inch long), 3/4 cup fresh green peas, 1/4 cup potato(cut into small cubes), 1/2 cup cauliflower (medium sized florets). 10.Saute for 2 mins until veggies slightly shrink. 11.Now add 1/4 cup thick curd along with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon biryani masala powder(optional). 12.All the spice powders are added, if you do not have biryani masala powder just skip it, you don’t need to replace with any other spice powder just ignore and proceed with the recipe. 13.Saute for 2 mins. 14.Rinse soaked basmati rice well atleast 2-3 times then drain water completely. 15.Add drained basmati rice. 16.Give a quick mix gently without breaking the rice. 17.Add 1 and 3/4 cups of water. Rice : Water ratio is 1 cup rice : 1 and 3/4 cups water. 18.Give a quick mix, check for salt, scrape the sides. 19.Keep in medium flame and let it start to boil. 20.Close with pressure cooker lid with whistle put on. Pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Let pressure release by itself. 21.Once pressure is completely released then open. 22.Add 1 tablespoon coriander, leaves, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon ghee. 23.Use a sharp edged laddle and fluff from the side gently. Mix it gently do not overmix and break the rice. It will look sticky now as it is hot but after few mins of cooling the rice becomes grain separated. 24.This is after few mins of cooling it becomes perfectly grain seperated yet not too dry. 25.Serve with onion raita.
Expert Tips
Texture – A perfect biryani should be moist slightly greasy not too dry at the same time not mushy and it should be grain separated too. Soaking Rice – Soaking rice gives soft fluffy rice so do not miss this step. Rice : Water Ratio – Rice : Water ratio is 1 cup rice : 1 and 3/4 cups water. You can slightly increase to 2 cups of water if you prefer. Dum Cooking – Keeping in dum removes excess moisture and gives nice fluffy rice. So if you feel rice is mushy because of excess water you can dum cook for 5 mins. For Dum cooking : Keep an unused dosa tawa, place the cooker or biryani pot on it close with a tight lid and place a heavy object like hand mortar pestle over the lid and keep the flame at lowest and cook for 5 mins and let it rest for 10 mins then open to fluff. Vegetables – Vegetables measure should be slightly more than double the amount of rice. Here I have used 1 cup rice for which I have used 2 and 1/2 cups chopped vegetables. Must haves – You can make ginger garlic paste, the spice powder mix before hand and store it. Coconut milk / Curd – Amma never makes biryani without coconut milk so she adds coconut milk instead of curd sometimes both. But I usually add either one incase if you want to add coconut milk add 1/4 cup thick coconut milk while adding water.
Variations
Vegetables is purely your choice – you can add mushrooms, baby corn etc. Also you can add toasted paneer cubes after opening. You can even add ghee fried cashews as garnish. If kids are not comfortable with the herbs you can grind mint leaves, coriander leaves along with green chillies then add this paste and cook.
Serving & Storing Suggestion
Biryani with raita is an unbeatable combo! Though Biryani with Onion Raita is a match made in heaven you can try other raitas also like Pineapple Raita , Cucumber Raita, Carrot Raita. Biryani gets tasty with time, so you can refrigerate & reheat for later use within the next day of preparation.
1.What is the difference between Veg Biryani and Veg Dum Biryani?
Veg Biryani is made by cooking rice along with masalas, vegetables, mint, coriander leaves, spice powders etc. But for Dum Biryani rice is cooked separately, masalas are cooked separately and then they are layered along with mint leaves, fragrant saffron milk, fried onion etc and then dum cooked.
2.Which type of rice is best to use for Biryani?
Basmati rice is hands down the best for making Biryani. However you can use raw rice or seeraga samba rice too.
3.How is Biryani different from pulao?
Pulao is very mild with vegetables and whole spices minus the masala flavours but Biryani is very aromatic, fragrant, wholesome with spices, masalas, vegetables etc.
4.Is biryani masala powder needed for making Biryani?
No not a must. Biryani masala powder adds more aroma to the dish however garam masala is sufficent along with whole spices for making biryani.
5.Can I use this recipe for making nonveg biryani or chana, mushroom etc?
Yes you can use this recipe for making nonveg biryani or chana or mushroom biryani too. But make sure to cook nonveg accordingly for chicken it is ok you can just saute and cook along with rice but for mutton biryani, mutton should be precooked and then cooked along with rice. If you have any more questions about this Veg Biryani Recipe do mail me at [email protected]. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter . Tried this Vegetable Biryani Recipe ? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
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