Vegetable Biryani in Pressure Cooker-Easy Biryani Recipes
Prep Time : 20 mins
Serves: 3 – 4
Recipe Category: Rice-Biryani
Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Author:Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed
Basmati Rice – 1 1/2 cup
Water – 3 cups
Fresh lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Onion – 2 medium size
Green chilli – 2
Ginger garlic paste – 1 1/2 tsp
Tomato – 1
Salt to taste
Mint leaves – fistful
Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped
Carrot – 1 big
Beans – 6-8
Cauliflower florets – 10-12
Fresh/frozen peas – 1/3 cup
Capsicum – 1/3 cup chopped
Spice powder
Chilli Powder – 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Biryani Masala powder- 2 tsp flat (available readymade)
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
For the Seasoning
Oil – 2 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Cloves – 4-5
Cinnamon – 2 (1 inch piece)
Cardamom – 2
Bay leaf -1
Stone flower- 1-2 (optional)
Fennel seeds (sombu) or Shahjeera – 1 tsp
For Garnishing
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp finely chopped
Ghee/Clarified butter – 1-2 tsp
Cashew nuts – 6
Preparation
Wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour. Drain the rice and keep it aside.
Cut onions thinly lengthwise. Slit green chillies. Wash, cut cauliflower into florets and put the florets in salted hot water for 4-5 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside. Cut carrot and bean into small pieces or lengthwise (as you like).
Blanch the peas and keep it ready. If using frozen peas, skip this step. I parboiled the beans and carrot a little, though it is not necessary if you cut it into small pieces.
Method
In a pressure cooker or pressure pan, heat oil + ghee, add all the ingredients mentioned under seasoning. If you like fennel flavor, you can add otherwise add shahjeera (royal cumin seeds) instead of fennel seeds. Saute for a few seconds.
When it sizzles, add thinly sliced onions and green chilli.
Saute until onions turn translucent.
Add ginger garlic paste.
Saute until the raw flavor goes.
Add chopped tomatoes.
Saute the tomatoes for a few seconds.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, little salt and biryani masala.
Saute until the tomato becomes mushy and the raw smell of the spice powder goes.
Add half of the mint and all the coriander leaves.
Add all the vegetables.
Mix well and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add soaked and drained basmati rice.
Mix well.
Add 3 cups of hot water. Add salt needed (remember we have already added a little salt).Taste the water and adjust spice powder and salt.
Add the rest of the mint leaves and squeeze juice of half a lemon.
Mix well and bring it to boil.
When water starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and close the cooker. Do not put the whistle/weight, instead I inverted a small cup on the vent to prevent steam from escaping.
Cook on very low heat for 5-6 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Switch off the heat. Open the cooker after 5 minutes and fluff the rice with a fork.
Heat 1-2 tsp of ghee and saute the cashew nuts until golden brown. Add to the biryani and mix gently.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and enjoy it with onion raita or carrot raita or cucumber pachadi. It makes a perfect one pot meal. It can also be packed for lunch.
Notes –You may add 2 tsp of thick curd when adding the spice powder. I did not add.
You may adjust spice powder according to your taste.
If you have cut the vegetable into bigger pieces, you can par boil it and add. If you have cut it into smaller pieces, no need to parboil the vegetables.
View Comments (46)
hi
very nice
love your cooking ,,
your face book id plz ,,
warm regards
azad
Wow it's very colourful and delicious dish.mouthwatering also.very neat and clear pictorial explanation. It's very useful for me. Please give the onion and Tomotto in measure.
Thank you Kamalaveni. Onions will be approximately 1/2 cup thinly sliced and tomatoes around 1/3 cup.
Any alternative to biryani masala?
You can use garam masala but I recommend biryani masala for best results. When using garam masala, use less. Biryani masala is available ready made in small packets.
My very first attempt at Biryani was 100% successful, thanks to your wonderful recipe and helpful pictures. Added a small modification of cashew paste right after the tomatoes. Delicious and my cooking pro relatives approved also. Thank you!
Which brand biryani masala should we use?
You can use any brand available in your place.
Thank you for your wonderful pictorial recipe. The biryani tasted awesome ��������
Biriyani turned out awesome . Never made biriyani but first attempt largely successful
No whistle...will rice cook properly?
As we have soaked the rice for 30 minutes, it will get cooked well. No problem.
Thanks a lot for explaining in detail. It came out really well today at our home. Thanks for all your hard work & effort
Is is ok to put the whistle on the cooker and use the same method of removing it after 5 minutes on very low heat please?
It is ok but see it it that it does not get burnt. Even if you do not put the whistle, the rice will get cooked as we have soaked the rice for 30 minutes.
Madam is it necessary to add biriyani masala
It is the biryani masala which takes the biryani to the next level. You can use coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala powder but I prefer to use biryani masala powder for biryani. You get small ready made packets.