Vegetable Hyderabadi Biryani
by anu_bunny
Added to 81 cookbooks
This recipe has been viewed 357048 times
Biryani is almost synonymous with Hyderabadi cuisine (there are A LOT of options to try like Mughlai Vegetable Biryani Recipe or Hyderabadi Chana Dal Biryani) and although the original recipes were non-vegetarian, over time the vegetarian versions also became very famous because everybody wanted a taste of this magical spice-packed rice dish.
The South Indian Vegetable Hyderabadi Biryani is not an easy dish – as in, not something you would make on a typical work day. But it is just perfect for a lazy Sunday or a special celebration!
You need to get the Biryani ready step-by-step. First, the rice is cooked with spices to give it a fantabulous aroma and taste. Here, you need to ensure that the rice is not overcooked, because then the final outcome will be mushy. Then, the veggies are cooked with a spicy gravy.
Later, the rice and gravy are layered, topped with fried onions and nuts, saffron and milk, and allowed to cook in a sealed handi. This is not a regular rice dish, but a dum biryani, which is cooked in a closed handi sealed with chapati dough to seal in the flavour.
This method of cooking is called Dum cooking. Once done, you need to let it cool for a few minutes and then open carefully, because when you open it, all the steam is going to escape. So, make sure you do not hurt your hands.
While the biryani is best enjoyed hot, it tastes equally good after it cools down too. Although the procedure is elaborate, it is a must-try because it is tasty beyond explanation – something that must be experienced first-hand.
You can also try a similar recipe called the Lajjatdar Handi Biryani or something off-beat like the Biryani Aranchini Balls.
For the rice- Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute. The addition of these spices in this recipe makes the biryani rice more flavorful rather than being plain.
- Add the basmati rice, 1½ cups water and salt, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 8 to 9 minutes, or till the rice is cooked and all the liquid has evaporated, while stirring occasionally. This step of cooking the rice is most important as the grains need to be separate and not stick to together.
For the toppings- Combine the onions with the salt in a deep bowl and mix well.
- Massage the onions with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes or till all the moisture from the onions comes out.
- Squeeze out all the excess water from the onions. This is done to make the onions crispy and hence adding a crunch to the vegetable hyderabadi biryani.
- Spread the onions on an absorbent paper and dab it lightly to soak up any remaining moisture on them.
- Heat the oil in deep non-stick pan and shallow fry the onion slices on a high flame for 3 minutes and then on a medium flame for another 3 minutes till they turn crisp and golden brown in colour. Be sure to keep turning them over midway so that they fry evenly.
- Drain them on an absorbent paper to soak up the excess oil.
- In the same oil in which the onions were fried, fry the cashew nuts for 1 minute or till golden brown.
- Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
- In the same oil fry the raisins for 30 seconds.
- Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
For the gravy- Heat the ghee in a broad non-stick pan, add the green chillies and saute on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Add the carrots, cauliflower, french beans and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
- Add the whisked curds, chilli powder, turmeric powder, biryani masala powder, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of water, mix well, cover with a lid and cook on a slow flame 8 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add the potatoes, mix well, cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
How to proceed- Dry roast the saffron in a saucepan on a medium flame for 30 seconds. This is done so that saffron releases a beautiful color and flavor when added to the biryani.
- Add the milk and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally. You will start seeing the yellow color releasing from the saffron. Keep aside.
- Take a deep handi, pour the gravy mixture and spread it evenly using a spoon.
- Sprinkle the coriander leaves evenly over it.
- Then sprinkle the mint leaves over the coriander. Both these leaves give a superb flavor to the hyderabadi biryani in terms of freshness.
- Discard all the bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and the big cardamom and spread the all the rice evenly over the mint leaves.
- Pour the saffron milk evenly over the rice. Do it with a spoon so that not all the milk concentrates in one place.
- Spread the fried cashew nuts and raisins evenly over the rice.
- Spread the fried onions evenly over it.
- Roll the chapatti dough into a very long cylindrical shape enough to seal the lid on the handi.
- Cover with a lid and seal the handi edges with the chapati dough and flatten it lightly.
- Keep the handi to cook on a slow flame for 12 minutes.
- Switch off the flame, allow it to cool for 5 minutes and remove the chapati dough from the edges.
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Nutrient values (Abbrv) per serving
Energy | 580 cal |
Protein | 10.8 g |
Carbohydrates | 61.8 g |
Fiber | 3.9 g |
Fat | 29.2 g |
Cholesterol | 20 mg |
Sodium | 37 mg |
This recipe was contributed by anu_bunny on 22 Aug 2018
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