Vegetable biryani - I used to crave for vegetable biryani when I was young. My mom and grandma avoided using ginger and garlic in their cooking. Even if biryani was made the spices used were cloves, cardamom and fennel seeds. After marriage, the first dish I learnt to make was vegetable biryani from my sis-in-law who was an expert in making biryani. This recipe of vegetable biryani is not my sis-in-law recipe. We all would be having the electric rice cooker. Some how we never use it other than for cooking rice. So i made it a point to cook dishes which can be cooked in a pan with lid in the electric pressure cooker. rice based dishes, moong dals, stir - fries, boiling and making noodles, pasta, spaghetti are some of the dishes that can be made in the electric rice cooker.
Basmati rice is used. As a pre-preparation, soaked basmati rice in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes. Alternatively ponni rice can also be used.
Vegetables:
Regular big onions, tomatoes carrot, beans, potatoes, cauliflower, peas, lemon are used. Soak cauliflower florets in hot water to which white crystal salt and turmeric powder has been added for 3 minutes. Drain the water and use the florets. This process removes the worms present in the cauliflower. Extract the juice of half a lemon to be used in the final stage of preparation.
Country variety tomatoes suits the best for biryani.
I'm using fresh peas. Frozen ones can also be used. Take the required quantity, thaw it by rinsing it in running water, if using frozen peas.
Herbs: Fresh Mint leaves and coriander leaves are used.
Spices:
Green chillies, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds are used. Blend them coarsely or pound them together in a mortar and pestle.
Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, Marathi moggu, are used for seasoning.
Oils and fats:
Ghee + groundnut oil is used for making this biryani.
Spice powders:
Home made coriander powder, biryani masala, turmeric powder, red chilli powder are used.
Curd is also used in small quantity.
Method:
- Season the oil with spices.
- Add onions, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, tomatoes, vegetables, herbs.
- Add spice powders, salt, curd.
- Add rice with water, lemon juice.
- Cover and cook.
Storage:
You can store in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat in a microwave or in a steamer.
Accompaniments:
Onion raita and chips goes well with the dish.
Equipments used: 1.8L electric rice cooker, blender/mortar and pestle.
Recipe:
Total time taken: 30 minutes
No.of servings: 4
1 cup = 200 ml
Ingredients with measurements:
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Onions - 2(medium size)
Tomatoes- 2(medium size)
Potato -1(medium)
Carrot -1
Peas - 1 handful
Beans - 4/5
Cauliflower florets - 10
Juice of half of a small lemon
White Crystal salt - to taste
To grind coarsely:
Ginger - 1"
Green chillies -2
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Spice Powders:
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Biryani Masala - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1/4 cup
Tempering:
Oil + ghee- 2 or 3 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1"
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Marathi Moggu - 1
Bay leaf - 1
Directions:
In the cooking Mode:
1. Add oil + ghee, add all the ingredients given under 'seasoning'.
2. Add Onions , add a pinch of salt saute till brown.
4. Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, saute till they turn mushy.
5. Add spice powders, saute well. (if required add a tsp of oil and saute).
6. Add the vegetables, saute for a minute.
7. Add curd.
8. Add the rice along with the water in which it has been soaked.
9. Give a good stir. Add salt, lemon juice.
11. Serve with onion raita and chips.
Note:
The electric rice cooker takes less time to cook than the normal pressure cooker. If the cooker comes to 'keep warm ' mode in any of the steps mentioned above, wait for 5 to 7 minutes then switch to ' cooking mode'.
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