A vegetable biryani recipe from Hyderabad.

The Hyderabadi veg biryani recipe is light, aromatic and

deliciously yum.
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Rice:
1 and half cup basmati rice
2 green cardamoms
2 black cardamoms
2 cloves
1 cinnamon of 1 inch
1 bay leaf
2 mace strands
3 cups water
salt
The Vegetable Gravy:
medium sized cauliflower, florets removed
1 medium sized carrot, diced
1 medium sized potato, cubed
1 cup of chopped french beans
cup frozen/fresh peas
1 and half onion, finely sliced
1 green chili, slit
2 tbsp ginger crushed
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp shah jeera
2 green cardamom
2 black cardamoms
2 cloves
1 cinnamon of 1 inch
1 bay leaf
2 mace strands
100 gms whisked curd
tsp turmeric powder
tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp cashewnuts
1 tbsp sultanas/raisins
2 tbsp almonds, blanched, peeled and sliced
3 tbsp ghee
salt
Herbs and Spices for garnishing :
cup chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
cup mint leaves
100 gms whisked curd
a few saffron strands
1 tbsp milk
Instructions
Pick and clean 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 th done. The rice
should not be fully cooked but almost cooked.
In a pressure cooker or a microwave cooker, add the pre-soaked rice, all the spices mentioned above, salt.
Cook till the rice is almost done. I microwaved the rice . Fluff the rice and keep it separate.

Heat ghee in the handi.

Add 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 and garlic. Fry for a minute.
Add the turmeric and red chili powder.
Give the mixture a stir.
Now add the vegetables and stir for a minute.
Add the curd/yoghurt.
Stir and then add cup water plus salt. Stir the mixture well.
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 dry fruits almonds, raisins and cashew nuts to the vegetable gravy.
Check the salt. Add more if required.
Warm the milk. Add saffron to it. Let this saffron-milk mixture cool. Add the curd to this mixture and mix
well.
In the same handi with the cooked vegetables, sprinkle half each of saffron-flavored curd/yoghurt, mint and
coriander leaves.
Now spread half of the rice.
Sprinkle the remaining saffron-flavored curd/yoghurt, mint and coriander leaves.
Spread the remaining rice.
Sprinkle rose water. This is optional and you could skip it.
Place a moist cloth on top.
Cover with a lid.
Then seal with wheat flour dough or keep a heavy weight on the lid.
This is one technique that you could use for dum cooking if you do not have the wheat flour dough.
Place the sealed handi on the gas stove at low fire.
Cook for 20-25 minutes more. If you think and feel, that you do not want the base to get burnt while cooking
the biryani

You could also preheat the oven to 190 degree celsius and then bake the biryani in the oven for 15-20
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

Serve hot with Curd Raitha