Dum Vegetable Biriyani

My search for the perfect  ultimate vegetable biriyani recipe will never end….But today I pounced on a good good recipe….the moment I saw it I was elated….Being a pure vegetarian my search for a biriyani was totally restricted to a purely vegetarian recipes. I was on the top of the world that I finally found out a near to perfect recipe for a chicken biriyani-a dum version that I could easily convert to an authentic Only Veg version.

But I was under doubt if the recipe for non-veg would work for veg also…But I decided to substitute and go ahead…

Biriyani is said to have been invented in the kitchen of Mughal emperors and means` `fried ‘’or ``roasted’’ in Persian. The spices and condiments used in biryani may include, but are not limited to, ghee, nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bayleaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic. The premium varieties include saffron.For a non-vegetarian biryani, the main ingredient that accompanies the spices is the meat—beef, chicken, goat, lamb, fish or shrimp. The dish may be served with dahi chutney or raita, korma, a sour dish of eggplant (brinjal), boiled egg and salad.

The difference between biryani and pulao is that while pulao may be made by cooking the items together, biryani denotes a dish where the rice (plain or fried) is cooked separately from the thick sauce (a greatly reduced curry of meat or vegetables). The curry and the rice are then brought together and layered, resulting in a dish of the contrasting flavours of flavoured rice (which is cooked separate with spices) and intensely flavoured sauce and meat or vegetables. This separation is partly of necessity: the proportion of meat/vegetables to the rice is high enough to make biryani a one-dish meal, and the cooking time of each of the main ingredients is significantly different from each other. In a properly made biryani, the final dish is dry or minimally moist, with the individual rice grains separate, as opposed to a risotto, where the rice is of a creamy consistency. However, many biryani recipes call for the rice to be cooked for three-quarters of the usual time, followed by layering with the meat/vegetable base, and then a final slow-steaming until fully done: this approach allows the flavours to blend somewhat. (Source Wikipedia)

Well my fears were totally baseless because the recipe turned out fine…when I opened the dum seal of the vessel I cooked biriyani in I was envigoured by the intense aroma of the wonder full spices that went into the biriyani. It tasted just as fine. Here‘s the recipe for u-:

Ingredients

Vegetables (1/2 kg) which includes

Carrot-3 medium sized chopped

Potatoes-2 medium sized chopped

French beans-4

Cauliflower florets-1 cup

Tomato-1 medium sized to grind

Other Ingredients

Tomato-I medium to grind

Green chilli-4-6(I used4)

Onion-3 or2 big

Ginger garlic paste-3/4 tsp

Scallions-4to5(I used4)

Coriander leaves-a handful

Mint leaves-a handful

Lemon juice-of 1/2 lemon (optional)

Curd-1/4 cup

Garam masala-1/2 tbsp

Dalda-1/2 cup

Ghee /clarified butter-2 tbsp (first) +3tbsp (second time)

Rice-350 gm

Turmeric powder-1/8 tsp

Saffron- few strands

Kewra essence-2 tsp(optional)

Cashewnuts -6

Almond-4

Milk/coconut milk-1/4 cup or more

Spices (a handful) include-:

Karupatta-11/2 -2

Grambu-3-5

Elakka-3or4

Thakollam-1or 2

Fennel seeds-1/2 tbsp(some use cumin or caraway instead)

For Garnish

Cashew-handful

Kismis-handful

Coriander leaves-little

Mint leaves-little

Pineapple chopped-1 /2 cup

Fried onion- handful

Method

For Masala layer-:

Pressure cook the vegetables other than tomato (1 or 2 whistles)

Make  separate pastes of  following-:

Tomato

Onion

Scallion

Green chilli

Take Dalda / vanspathi. and melt in a thick bottomed vessel

Add garlic and ginger paste or chopped, green chilli paste, scallions paste, tomato paste, curd, onion paste, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Also add coriander leaves and mint leaves. Stir for 20-30 minutes till colour changes and oil separates

Add boiled vegetables

Add tomato cut into pieces, coriander and mint leaves

Add lime juice (if using) and mix

For Rice layer

Take 6 cups of water.

Add spices and salt and let water bubble

Then add rice and cook till 75percent cooked. Drain water.

Layering

Layer the masala at the bottom of the vessel and the rice on the top.

Sprinkle kwela essence

Soak saffron in little milk.Grind badam (4) and cashew nuts(6). Mix it to milk/coconut milk and pour over layered rice

Pour¼ cup of melted vanaspathi and ghee mix over the layered rice.

Sprinkle kismis,cashewnuts,fried onion,pineapples chopped,coriander and mint leaves

Dum cook with maida seal for 20-30 minutes till maida seal hardens

Remove seal and use a fork to mix the layers so that the masala coats the rice

Serve hot with a raita and korma.

Notes

Changes made from the actual recipe-Actual recipe- Garlic-3, ginger-5, coriander-1 sprig, pudina-2 sprig

Actual recipe with Mutton

Mutton -1 kg

Green chilli-12

Ginger-10

shallots-10

Onion-6

Tomato-1

Curd-1/2 cup

Lemon-1

Garam Masala-1 tbsp

Coriander Leaves-4 sprigs

Mint leaves-4 sprigs

Dalda-1 cup

Ghee-4 tbsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Jeera-1 tbsp

Cashew-100 gms

Kismis-50 gms

Garlic-6

Pineapple-150 gm

Cinnamon-3

Cloves-6

Cardamom-6

Star anise-3

Method

Chop onion,ginger,garlic,shallots,coriander leaves,mint leaves,tomatoes. Take ghee and dalda

 in a frying pan.Add chopped vegetables. Saute well.Add garam masala,turmeric powder.Add mutton and curd.Mix well

Cook rice with jeera and spices till half done.Spread on top of sauted vegetables and mutton.

Fry cashewnuts and kismis in ghee and fry some onions till golden brown.Spread on top of rice with mint leaves,coriander leaves and pineapple slices

Cook rice and masala mix in dum using aluminium foil or maida dough