Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biriyani

Ingredients (Serves 4 – 5)

1. Oil + ghee/ butter – 2 tbsp + 4 tbsp

2. Cauliflower, medium florets – 1 cup, carrot – 1 medium-large cut lengthwise, green beans – 1/4 cup cut into 1 inch pieces, potato – 1 small, cut lengthwise

3. Fresh / frozen green peas – 1/4 cup

Paneer – 3/4 cup, cubed

Green bell pepper – 1/4 cup, sliced (optional)

4. Onion – 1 large, thinly sliced and halved (Around 1.5 – 2 cups)

5. Ginger-garlic paste – 1.5 tbsp

6. Turmeric powder – 1/4  tsp

Chilly powder – 3/4 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder / biriyani masala powder – 1 – 1.5 tsp

7. Yoghurt – 1/2 cup

8. Salt – To taste

9. Mint leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped

Cilantro – 2 tbsp, chopped

Green chilies – 3, slit

For the rice

10. Biriyani rice / basmati rice – 1.5 cups, soaked in enough water for 25 minutes

11. Ghee – 1 tsp

12. Whole spices – Cardamom – 4, cloves – 5, kala jeera/ shah jeera – 1/4 tsp, cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, star anise – 1 small, bay leaves – 2

13. Salt – As required

To garnish
13. Fried onion – 1/4 cup

Mint and cilantro – 3 tbsp each, chopped

Saffron – 1 pinch, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

Kewra water – 1 tsp

Ghee – 1.5 tsp

Method

1. Heat 1.5- 2 tbsp oil/ ghee in a deep heavy-bottomed pan. Add cauliflower, potato, green beans and carrot pieces. Add salt, to taste. Cook over medium heat for 5 – 6  minutes, stirring in between until lightly colored. Transfer to a plate/bowl and set aside.

2. In the same pan, heat 3 – 4 tbsp oil or ghee. Add onion and fry until golden brown.  Remove 1/4 cup fried onion to use later. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chilly powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder and 3/4 tsp garam masala powder. Mix well. Stir for a minute over low heat. Add  1/2 cup yoghurt and mix well. Cook for a few minutes until moisture is mostly evaporated. Taste-check for salt. Add vegetables and mix well. Add 1/4 cup hot water, fresh green peas and green bell pepper. Cook for a few minutes until vegetables are almost 70- 75 % done. Switch off. Add 2 – 3 green chilies and garam masala powder and salt, if needed. Sprinkle 2 tbsp each of chopped mint and cilantro. Add cubed paneer (you can shallow fry the paneer, if you want), mix well and set aside.

3. To cook rice – Boil water in a large vessel. Add all whole spices numbered 12. Taste-check for salt (the water should be slightly salty). Add soaked and drained rice. Bring it to a boil and cook for 7 – 9 minutes until rice is  85 – 90 % done. Drain well in a colander and add the hot rice on top of the cooked vegetables. Top it with fried onion, chopped mint and cilantro. Sprinkle 1 tsp ghee, saffron water and kewra water. Cover it with an aluminium foil tightly and place the lid.

4. Heat a large tawa over medium heat. Place the biriyani pot on top of the tawa and cook over medium heat for 4 – 5 minutes. Bring down the flame to low and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Switch off. Set aside for 10 – 15 minutes. Open the lid and serve hot with raita, pickle and pappad.