Veg dum biryani | hyderabadi vegetable biryani recipe | hyderabadi biryani with detailed photo and step by step recipe.

“Biryani”, when you hear this magical what comes to your mind? If you visualise fragrant rice smeared in mouth watering spices along with chicken, mutton, egg or veggies, then you are not the only one.

Being a vegetarian, Vegetable Dum Biryani is my thing.

I say “Biryani is a ritual, biryani a religion, biryani an emotion”.

Origin of biryani

The origin of biryani takes us to Persia, the word biryani itself has been derived from Persian word “birinj”, which is equivalent to rice. Some think, Biryani comes from “beriyan”, which means “to fry”. Whatever the correct theory is, one can relate to both the theories, as biryani does mean rice which has fried contents.

I am uncertain about Biryani’s origin. Some believe it originated in Persia (and was bought to India by Mughals). Some believe that the biryani was originated in north of india. Historians have debated about this, and I am less qualified than those historians to put any claim.

I have shared previously recipes of Chicken Dum Biryani, Lamb Biryani and Jackfruit Biryani. I am a vegetarian myself. Hence, I decided that I will be making (and sharing) vegetable based biryani recipe.

In terms of steps to make biryani, all these biryanis of mine have similarity, as I like that “Dum” flavour. In future, I do envisage to share other style of Biryani recipes.

What is DUM Biryani

“Dum”, is a process of cooking in steam, and to make Dum Biryani, one needs to close the cooking vessel/ container air tight, so that steam does not go out and let the biryani cook gradually in the steam.

People generally argue that if there is no meat in biryani it is rather be called pulao or pilaf.

Veg Dum Biryani - Your Food Fantasy — Veg Dum Biryani Recipe- Your Food Fantasy

Difference between Biryani and Pulao

Way of rice preparation – Biryani is made by boiling rice in water, and then draining the water away, leftover rice is used to layer up. However, Pulao is made through the absorption process. The amount of water or stock is completely absorbed by the rice and vegetables in the pulao.
Layering – In Biryani, rice is layered over the semi-cooked veggies or meat and let it cook so that rice gets the flavour from the vegetables or meat used. There is no layering in Pulao. You need to cook rice and vegetables together.
Spices – Biryani is rich in spices, but Pulao normally is less loaded with spices. Fragrance coming from Biryani is unique (thanks to its spices), in Pulao its not so strong.
Fourth is heat – You cook biryani on slow heat for long time. Slow heat lets the flavour of Veg (or meat) mix well with the rice. Best to use a heavy bottom pot for cooking biryani. Pulao is made on medium to fast heat. Pulao takes much less time to cook compared to Biryani.

Method of making Dum biryani

There are 5 parts to the process of making vegetable dum biryani.

Marinating the vegetables. Marinade vegetables for 30-40 mins.
Cooking the vegetables. Cook the vegetables to 90%
Semi-cooking rice. Cook the rice so that its done to 60%.
Layering. Adding the rice and vegetables in layers of rice, vegetables, rice, vegetables, and rice.
Dum. For dum biryani, the pan needs to be sealed with lid. You can use wheat dough to seal the lid. Then, let the vegetables and rice cook in steam on low heat.

Detailed recipe for Veg Dum Biryani

First of all, add saffron to warm water and keep aside. Now, in a mixing bowl, add everything listed under marination category, and mix well. Keep it aside for 30-40 minutes.
Take a heavy bottomed panand heat ghee/clarified butter in it. Once hot, fry cashews and raisins till they are golden and take them out on a kitchen towel.
Now to the same ghee in the pan, add asafoetida, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, black Cardamom and peppercorns and sauté for a minute. Add chopped onion and saute them till they are translucent.
Add Biryani Masala, salt, chopped tomatoes and green chillies and roast this until it starts leaving oil.
Now add the marinated vegetables and 1/3 cup water and let it cook on medium flame for 10 minutes.
In an another pan, bring 4 cup of water to boil. Add cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, peppercorns and bay leaves to it. Now add salt, oil and lemon juice to it and give a stir.
Add soaked rice to it. Cook rice to 90%. Drain them in a colander and keep aside.
By this time, the vegetables would have cooked. Switch off the flame. Now take out half of the cooked vegetables in a bowl, layer half of cooked rice in the pan over cooked vegetables and spread chopped coriander, mint, fried onions, cashews, raisins and half of saffron water.
Again layer the rest half of cooked vegetables which we took out in the bowl, and repeat the above process of layering rice, mint, coriander, cashews and raisins topping it up with rest of saffron water. Add kewra water and orange colour mixed with water.
Cover the pan with lid and let it cook for 20 minutes on the lowest flame. Biryani is ready.