Vegetable Biryani
The showpiece dish — fragrant layers of saffron rice and spiced vegetables, steamed together so the aromas marry. Worth the effort for any occasion.
1 hr
5
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 4 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, potato, cauliflower)
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 2 onions, thinly sliced and fried golden
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- A pinch of saffron, soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk
- 4 green cardamom, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon shard, 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 tsp garam masala
- Mint and coriander, chopped
- Ghee, salt
Method
- 1
Parboil the rice with the whole spices and plenty of salt until 70% cooked — still firm. Drain.
- 2
Marinate the vegetables in yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala and salt, then cook until just tender in a heavy pot.
- 3
Layer over the vegetables: half the rice, half the fried onions, mint and coriander, then the rest of the rice and the remaining onions and herbs.
- 4
Drizzle the saffron milk and a little ghee over the top. Cover tightly (a damp cloth under the lid helps) and steam on the lowest heat for 20 minutes.
- 5
Do not stir. Rest 10 minutes, then lift gently from the sides to serve, keeping the layers intact. Serve with raita.
