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”.
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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.
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.
This vegetable biryani is
- Gluten free
- Authentic
- Gives amazing taste
- Acts as a meal on its own.
- Is a winner in any party menu.
Serving suggestion for biryani
Serve vegetable dum biryani with raita, or gravy based curry.
Let’s now get to step by step recipe of making this delicious Vegetable Dum Biryani at home.
Recipe Card
Vegetable Dum Biryani
A popular spices and vegetables mixed rice dish which is prepared by layering the biryani gravy and basmati rice in flat bottom vessel and sealing the lid.
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1.5 Cup Cauliflower Florets
- 1/2 Cup Green Beans
- 2/3 Cup Green Peas
- 1/2 Cup Carrot Diced
- 1/2 Cup Potato Chopped
- 200 Grams Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese
- 3 Tablespoon Yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2 Tablespoon Biryani Masala
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Click to get from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Salt (Click to Buy from WholeFoodsOnline)
For Rice
- 2 Cup Long Grain Basmati Rice Soaked
- 2-3 Bayleaves
- 2-3 Cloves (Click to buy from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 1-2 Inch Piece Cinnamon stick
- 2-3 Green Cardamoms
- 2-3 Black Cardamoms
- 4-5 Peppercorns (Click to get from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 2 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tablespoon Salt (Click to Buy from WholeFoodsOnline)
Other Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoon Ghee / Clarified Butter
- 1 Onion Chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Juliennes
- 3 Tomatoes Finely Chopped
- 4 Green chillies
- 1 Tablespoon Biryani Masala
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt (Click to Buy from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Bayleaves
- 1/2 Inch Cinnamon stick
- 2-3 Peppercorns (Click to get from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 4 Tablespoon Fried Onion
- 12-15 Cashew Nuts (Click to get from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 3 Tablespoon Raisins (Click to get from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 3 Tablespoon Fresh Coriander Leaves Chopped
- 2 Tablespoon Fresh Mint Leaves Chopped
- Saffron Few Strands
- 1 Tablespoon Kewda/ Kewra Water
- 1/4 Teaspoon Orange Food Colour Optional
- 1/3 Teaspoon Asafoetida
- 2 Cloves (Click to buy from WholeFoodsOnline)
- 2 Black Cardamoms
Instructions
- 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 pan/kadhai and 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. Add salt, oil and lemon juice to it and give a stir.
- Now add soaked rice to it and let it cook till the rice are 90 percent done. It will take around 8-10 minutes. 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. serve it with onion tomato Raita and enjoy.
Notes
1) Adding orange colour is optional.
2) You can skip marination if making in hurry, and can directly cook the vegetables with the ingredients.
3) You can use refined oil instead of ghee but this Biryani tastes best when cooked with ghee.
4) I have used the Cinnamon stick, Bay leaves, Cloves, Cardamom and Peppercorns separate in rice and gravy as it enhances the flavour of biryani however you can use them together in one place only.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Vegetable Dum Biryani
Amount Per Serving
Calories 653
Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 9g56%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 34mg11%
Sodium 1406mg61%
Potassium 829mg24%
Carbohydrates 101g34%
Fiber 11g46%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 18g36%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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You cant go wrong with a good Biryani & the one you made looks delish.