Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
Ingredients - Serves 7-8
- For the rice
- 3 cups long-grain rice, soaked for at least 30 min
- 6 cups water
- 2 tsp black cumin seeds (shahi jeera)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp salt
- For the vegetable mixture
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 green cardamom
- 8 cloves
- 2" piece of cinnamon
- 6 black peppercorns or 1½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ cup oil
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste or 1 tbsp ginger, crushed and 1 tbsp garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp shahi jeera or caraway seeds
- 8-10 green chillies, cut into large pieces (adjust based on your spice/heat tolerance)
- 100 g green beans, cut into 1" pieces
- 300 g carrots, cut into large cubes
- 300 g potatoes, cut into large cubes
- 200 g cauliflower, cut into large florets, optional
- 1 cup green peas
- 2 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, optional
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup yoghurt, whisked till smooth
- 2 cups fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1 cup fresh coriander, chopped
- For the garnish
- a fat pinch of saffron strands, optional
- ½ cup milk, optional
- 3 tbsp ghee, optional
- ½ cup raisins or sultanas, optional
- 1 cup cashews, optional
Steps
- Warm ½ cup of milk, add the saffron strands and set aside
- Fry the raisins and cashews in 3 tbsp of ghee and set aside
- To cook the rice
- Mix the salt, oil and shahi jeera (black cumin seeds) in 6 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil
- Add the rice and cook until just done. The rice should be slightly undercooked
- Drain well, spread the rice on a large tray and set aside
- To make the vegetable mixture
- Cook the vegetables (covered) with ½ cup of water in the {microwave} on high for 12 minutes. Drain and set aside
- Dry roast bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and cumin seeds for 2 minutes or until they become strongly aromatic. Grind to a fine powder and set aside
- Heat the ½ cup of oil in a large saucepan. Add shahi jeera (black cumin seeds), ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Saute for a minute
- Add the ground spice mixture, ground nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and all the vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes to allow the vegetables to absorb some of the flavours
- Mix in kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), turn off the heat and set aside
- To slow-cook the rice and vegetables together
- Use a large pot with a heavy lid
- Spread half of the vegetable mixture on the bottom of the pot. Top with a layer of ½ cup of yoghurt.
- Spread half of the chopped mint leaves and fresh coriander, followed by half of the rice. Sprinkle half of the saffron-milk mixture over the rice
- Spread half of the fried raisins and cashews along with some ghee on top
- Repeat this process with the remaining halves of all the mixtures in the same order starting with the vegetables and ending with the cashews and raisins
- Cover and place the pot on a low flame and cook for ½ hour
- Serve hot with {Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan}
If the lid is not heavy enough and you can see steam escaping the pot, you can also wrap it with a damp cloth
If you are worried about the vegetable mixture sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning, place the pot in a shallow pan that is wider than the pot. Fill the pan with 1 cup of water and place the whole assembly on the stove. Nothing will burn, promise!
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By Sirisha Tadimalla on