Vegetable Biryani with Raita (One-Pot, Home-Style)
1 hour 15 minutes
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About Vegetable Biryani with Raita (One-Pot, Home-Style)
A fragrant one-pot vegetable biryani made with basmati rice, slow-browned onions, whole spices and fresh mint, served with a cooling cucumber raita. It is the kind of weekend lunch the whole family sits down to.This home-style version uses just a little oil and ghee and no cream or fried onions, so the flavour comes from the spices and the cooking method, not from heaviness.
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Recipe Time & More
Prep15 minutes
Cook40 minutes
Total1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the Biryani
- 3/4 cup Basmati rice Washed and soaked for 20 minutes, then drained
- 2 tsp Oil Any light cooking oil
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 3 Green cardamom pods
- 3 Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Onion Large, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Ginger Freshly grated
- 3 Garlic cloves Finely chopped
- 1 Green chilli Slit lengthwise, adjust to taste
- 1 Tomato Medium, chopped
- 1/3 cup Carrot Finely diced
- 1/3 cup French beans Cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Cauliflower Small florets
- 1/3 cup Green peas Fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup Curd Thick, whisked until smooth
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam masala
- 3/4 tsp Salt Adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp Fresh mint leaves Chopped
- 2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves Chopped, divided
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- 1 cup Water Hot water works best
For the Raita
- 3/4 cup Curd Thick, whisked until smooth
- 1/2 cup Cucumber Finely diced
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder Roasted
- 1/8 tsp Salt Or to taste
- 1 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves Finely chopped
Instructions
Preparing the Rice and Vegetables
- Wash the rice in 3 to 4 changes of water until the water runs mostly clear. Soak in fresh water for 20 minutes, then drain well in a sieve.
- Cut all the vegetables into small, even pieces so they cook in the same time as the rice. Whisk the curd until smooth and mix in the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Set aside.
Building the Masala
- Heat the oil and ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown. Take out 2 tablespoons of the browned onion and keep aside for topping.
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft and mushy.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the spiced curd and stir constantly for 2 minutes so the curd does not split.
- Add the carrot, beans, cauliflower and peas. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are coated in the masala and just starting to soften.
Cooking the Biryani
- Add the drained rice, mint, half of the coriander, salt and lemon juice. Stir gently for 1 minute so every grain is coated with the masala.
- Pour in the hot water and stir once, gently. Bring to a boil over high heat. The water should taste slightly salty.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff gently with a fork, lifting from the bottom. Top with the reserved browned onion and the remaining coriander.
Making the Raita
- Whisk the curd until smooth. Stir in the cucumber, roasted cumin powder, salt and coriander. Chill until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
Good To Know
Whole spices and slow-browned onions do most of the work in this biryani, so it tastes rich without cream, cashew paste or deep-fried onions. Cooking the rice in the masala, in one pot, also means every grain picks up flavour.How to Use in the Meal Plan
This is the family-style weekend lunch in the Flavour Plate. Serve half of the biryani (about 1 1/2 cups) with about 2/3 cup of the raita as one lunch. A small plate of sliced onion, tomato and cucumber on the side makes it feel complete.Expert Tips
Use good-quality aged basmati and wash it well, as this keeps the grains separate. Do not stir after covering the pot. If the rice is still slightly firm after resting, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of hot water, cover and steam on low for 3 minutes. If it turns out soft, reduce the water by 2 tablespoons next time. Keep the heat low when adding the curd to stop it splitting.Serving Suggestion
Serve warm with the chilled raita and a squeeze of lemon. A thin papad roasted over the flame adds crunch without extra oil.Storage Instructions
Cool the biryani quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour of cooking. Eat within 24 hours and reheat until steaming hot with a splash of water. Store the raita separately and eat within 1 day.Related Posts You May Like
Recipe Nutrition
Calories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 21gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 1151mgPotassium: 719mgFiber: 10gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 4826IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 278mgIron: 5mg
