VEGAN MIXED VEGETABLE DUM BIRYANI

Vegan Mixed Vegetable Dum Biryani – fluffy Basmati rice layered with a spicy vegetable curry and slow cooked with a tinge of saffron and flurry of fresh herbs using the "dum" method of cooking or layering-sealing technique, perfect one-pot gourmet Indian meal with some raita and salad!

WHAT IS BIRYANI

Most meals in every Indian restaurant have some type of biryani on their order menu, be it vegetarian with fresh seasonal vegetables and sometimes paneer (Indian cottage cheese) or non vegetarian with some chicken, meat or sometimes fish like prawns!

“Biryani” is nothing but an amalgamation of everything Indian food stands for: spicy and full of aromatic Indian exotic spices with a mixed vegetable or meat/chicken/seafood curry layered with fluffy rice (a good quality, long-grained Basmati rice is the best!).

All you need is some raita or salad on the side!

Layers of rice (cooked to almost 90%) are simmered with layers of some cooked curry in a well sealed pot on every low heat to allow all the flavors to mix and marry. A golden drizzle of soaked saffron water on top is the crowning exotic glory along with dollops of ghee! To make it vegan, I have used oil instead.

The end result is an exotic looking colorful pot of white gold with flecks of golden yellow saffron hue!

One of the key ingredients is fried onions which take a long time to make! I have omitted this (to hasten the process and did not miss it at all in the final dish!)

Making this at home deters most home cooks because of its lengthy process! But being a foodie who loves the exotic taste of any Indian dish without slaving over a stove for hours on end, love to make quick and easy dishes which are no brainers even for beginner cooks!

BASIC INGREDIENTS FOR MY SIMPLE YET EXOTIC VEGAN MIXED VEGETABLE BIRYANI:

Spices – cinnamon, cloves, star anise, fennel, bay leaf etc.
Spice powders – your favorite garam masala powder with any other boxed spice mix you like or just use some coriander powder
Vegetables – your choice; I have used carrots, green beans, potatoes and cauliflower
Good quality long grain, aged Basmati rice – precooked before making the vegetable curry
Then of course onions, garlic, ginger, cilantro and mint leaves

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN MIXED VEGETABLE BIRYANI:

Once you have made the rice and the curry (using your choice of vegetables and spices), just layer both in a thick-bottomed pan, drizzle soaked saffron and oil on top, close with a tight lid and slow cook for about 10-15 minutes.

That is it!

Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, spoon it on your favorite plate and dig in!! Make sure to use a long spoon to dig deep into the pan to dish out every layer!

Now, isn’t it easy to make a homemade mixed vegetable biryani with these simple steps? I know I am making this again and again! Use ghee if you like or make it vegan by using only oil!

ENJOY AND HAPPY COOKING!

LOVE INDIAN FLAVORED RICE? THEN DO CHECK OUT THESE EASY DISHES:

Check out how to make easy-peasy Vegan Vegetable Dum Biryani my style:

Yum

VEGAN MIXED VEGETABLE DUM BIRYANI

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Serving Size: 6

Vegan mixed vegetable dum biryani – fluffy Basmati rice cooked with a spicy vegetable curry, saffron and fresh herbs using the dum method or layering technique, perfect one-pot gourmet meal with some raita and salad!

Ingredients

4 cups cooked basmati rice
Few strands saffron, soaked in warm water

FOR THE VEGETABLE GRAVY:

1 medium onion, sliced
1 ½ teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
1 green chili/jalapeno, slit
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
¼ teaspoon saunf/caraway seeds/fennel seeds
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon bark
½ teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 teaspoon Egg Kurma masala (or use any biryani masala powder or even any of your favorite masala powder)
½ teaspoon garam masala powder (I have used Aatchi brand)
2 medium tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves/cilantro
½ cup each, carrots, beans, potato and gobi/cauliflower
¼ to 1/3 cup coconut milk (optional)
Few strands of saffron/zafran
3 tablespoons oil (plus 2 extra tablespoons)
Salt to taste
For garnish:
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

Instructions

If you do not have cooked rice, make some in a large pot of boiling salted water until the rice is about 90% done; drain and cool slightly before using in the biryani.
Soak few strands of saffron in hot water.

TO MAKE THE VEGETABLE GRAVY:

Heat 3 tbsp oil and add 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, ¼ tsp fennel seeds, 3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon and saute.
Add 1 medium sliced onions and fry on medium to medium heat until light brown.
Add 1 ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste and green chili; fry for a few seconds.
Add grated tomatoes (2 small) along with ½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder, 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp packaged egg kurma powder or any other masala powder mix (or 1 tbsp coriander powder) and ½ tsp garam masala powder (I have used Aatchi brand; you can use any). Mix well to combine and sauté for a few seconds.
Sprinkle ¼ cup each chopped mint and cilantro leaves.
Sauté again until oil separates.
Add the chopped vegetables, mix well to combine and fry for a few seconds on medium high heat. Add salt to taste.
Stir in 3/4 cup water and ¼ cup to 1/3 cup coconut milk and cook on medium heat, covered until veggies are cooked. DO NOT OVERCOOK! You need a slightly crunchy vegetable mixture which still has a bite in it.
Once the vegetable gravy is ready, it is time to start layering the biryani.

LAYERING THE BIRYANI:

Start layering into a deep saucepan which has a tight lid and a wide bottom; the heavier the pan, the better.
Begin with a layer of rice. Gently spoon some vegetable gravy over it; then again rice, veggies, rice, veggies and then finally the last layer of rice.
Drizzle saffron water and 2 tbsp oil on top.
Close the pan with a tight lid (you can either use a piece of dough to seal the edges or cover the whole pan with foil and then place the lid. This is called the “dum” method or slow cooking in its own steam.
Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
Just before serving, garnish with more cilantro. Gently spoon the biryani with a large spoon digging all the way to the bottom of the pan, without disturbing the whole mixture to get beautiful, fluffy and colorful vegetable dum biryani which is totally vegan and gluten free!
This delicious, delectable and royal, vegan mixed vegetable dum biryani goes best with some yogurt based sauce like an onion raita, boondi raita or even just plain yogurt on the side!
ENJOY AND HAPPY COOKING!

Notes

Adjust the amount of spices and vegetables according to your taste.

Use any of your favorite vegetables to make it your own.

Instead of the store bought Egg Kurma Masala powder I have used, you can use any other spice powder you like and which you have. You could even just use some coriander powder or even increase the amount of garam masala powder.

Make sure each grain of cooked rice is long, fluffy and separate.

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STEP-WISE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE VEGAN VEGETABLE DUM BIRYANI:

If you do not have cooked rice, make some in a large pot of boiling salted water until the rice is about 90% done; drain and cool slightly before using in the biryani.

Soak few strands of saffron in hot water.

TO MAKE THE VEGETABLE GRAVY:

Heat 3 tbsp oil and add 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, ¼ tsp fennel seeds, 3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon and saute.

Add 1 medium sliced onions and fry on medium to medium heat until light brown.

Add 1 ½ tsp ginger-garlic paste and green chili; fry for a few seconds.

Add grated tomatoes (2 small) along with ½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder, 1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder, 1 tsp packaged egg kurma powder or any other masala powder mix (or 1 tbsp coriander powder) and ½ tsp garam masala powder (I have used Aatchi brand; you can use any). Mix well to combine and saute for a few seconds.

Sprinkle ¼ cup each chopped mint and cilantro leaves.

Saute again until oil separates.

Add the chopped vegetables, mix well to combine and fry for a few seconds on medium high heat. Add salt to taste.

Stir in 3/4 cup water and ¼ cup to 1/3 cup coconut milk and cook on medium heat, covered until veggies are cooked. DO NOT OVERCOOK! You need a slightly crunchy vegetable mixture which still has a bite in it.

Once the vegetable gravy is ready, it is time to start layering the biryani.

LAYERING THE BIRYANI:

Start layering into a deep saucepan which has a tight lid and a wide bottom; the heavier the pan, the better.

Begin with a layer of rice. Gently spoon some vegetable gravy over it; then again rice, veggies, rice veggies and then finally the last layer of rice.

Drizzle saffron water and 2 tbsp oil on top.

Close the pan with a tight lid (you can either use a piece of dough to seal the edges or cover the whole pan with foil and then place the lid. This is called the “dum” method or slow cooking in its own steam.

Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Just before serving, garnish with more cilantro.

Gently spoon the biryani with a large spoon digging all the way to the bottom of the pan, without disturbing the whole mixture to get beautiful, fluffy and colorful vegetable dum biryani which is totally vegan and gluten free!

This delicious, delectable and royal, vegan, mixed vegetable dum biryani goes best with some yogurt based sauce like an onion raita, boondi raita or even just plain yogurt on the side!

ENJOY!!