The Best Veg Biryani Vegetable Biryani Recipe My Food Story

on Jan 19, 2022, Updated Aug 10, 2022 Okayyyyy, I can hear some of you all the way till here – “There’s no such thing as veg biryani Richa!” Hahaha.. I thought so too because we’re big fans of our Homemade Chicken Biryani and there’s never been a question of making Veg Biryani… Like, pfftt. You mean pulao? That’s what I thought too! But then this recipe is not pulao. It qualifies as a legit biryani. It’s a steamy pot full of aromatic biryani packed with masala and your favourite veggies. Trust me you need to try this! In fact, I was so inspired by the success of this Veg Biryani that I also have a Makhani Paneer Biryani for you to try. And if you’re making biryani for the first time, I highly recommend my 19 Tips to make the Best Biryani Ever! to make sure you nail it in the first go!

Difference Between Biryani and Pulao

The Right Rice for Biryani

I think you can excuse people for using any kind of rice for pulao, but a Hyderabadi style biryani demands basmati rice. Good quality basmati has long grains of rice, is aged and so aromatic. You might see many brands of rice labeled ‘long grain rice’, but make sure to look for ‘basmati’. Basmati has long grains but every rice with long grains is not basmati.

Cooking Rice for Biryani

Rice for biryani is always cooked in two parts. First we boil it until partially cooked, and then we layer it with veggies (or meat) before steaming till it’s fully cooked. This helps infuse the rice with flavour and aroma from the vegetables (or meat).

Add the rice grains to a pot of boiling water with salt and a dash of oil; drain off this water when the rice is about 85% cooked (see timings in the recipe card below). When you break a grain of rice, you should still feel a bite/some rawness Soak the rice half an hour before cooking. The grains soak up water and this helps speed up the cooking process It’s important not to stir the rice too much to prevent the grains from breaking. The mark of a good biryani is when the grains of rice are fully cooked, intact (not mushy) and separate (not sticky).

These steps ensure that the rice is cooked without getting mushy, and also takes on the flavours of the masala and veggies.

Soaking Saffron

Saffron adds a distinct aroma and flavour to biryani and gives the grains that unique orange tint that looks beautiful when the whites and oranges of rice mingle together. Soak the saffron in hot milk while you make the biryani masala in the next step. Saffron will take 10-15 minutes to release its aroma and colour so set it aside while you make the masala.

Making the Vegetable Biryani Masala

True to its name, my vegetable biryani has mixed vegetables that we love like onions, cauliflower, peas, carrots, potatoes and french beans. These are standard biryani/pulao veggies and taste really good. You could also add:

Cubes of paneer (add along with veggies) Soya chunks (soak beforehand separately for about 15 mins, squeeze out the water, and add them along with veggies)

Saute whole spices in ghee till they are fragrant
Saute sliced onions till they are brown and add ginger garlic paste. Cook the ginger garlic paste for a few minutes
Add all the veggies along with mint and coriander and roast for a few minutes. Add coriander powder, chilli powder, salt and stir fry again.
Add tomatoes and mix and cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked (stir occasionally). You should see the oil separating around the edges. Add a little water if you feel like the masala is sticking. Here’s how to prep your veggies – Make sure you cut the veggies approximately in the same size and shape. This is because each veggie has its own cooking time and will cook unevenly if not cut in similar shapes and sizes.

Layering the Biryani

Layering the biryani is pretty straightforward once the veggies are cooked. You can chose to create 4 layers, alternating between cooked veggies and rice or like I do – just one layer with rice on top of the veggies. Finish it with ghee and saffron for both flavour and aroma. 9. The final step in making the biryani masala is to add yoghurt and garam masala to the cooked veggies and keep stir-frying for 2-3 minutes till the yoghurt completely disappears. 10. Add all the parboiled rice on top, gently making an even layer. 11. Drizzle saffron milk and ghee on top. 12. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on a low flame. If you don’t have a heavy-bottomed pot, keep your pot on a tava or skillet with the flame on. This prevents the bottom from burning.

Richa’s Top Tips

Guys, I’ve jotted down some important pointers for you; make sure you look these up as and when you’re making the biryani – THESE MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

Use a heavy bottomed pan to make sure the heat everything cooks evenly and the biryani doesn’t stick to the bottom. You can lightly crush the spices and herbs just to cajole the aroma out of them. Roast the spices until they’re toasted and not burnt, because that’ll leave a bitter after taste. Don’t underestimate the power of the common mint and coriander leaf, as they are key in delivering the restaurant-style taste. Make sure to cut the veggies to the same size to help them cook evenly. Well-roasted veggies will lap up the flavours of the spices. Soak the rice half an hour before cooking to help speed up the cooking process. Make sure not to stir the basmati while it boils. Stirring might break up the grains The final touches of saffron milk and LOADS of ghee amp up the flavours of this veg biryani! Don’t skimp on the oil and ghee – Fat is essential in making sure the biryani is cooked well and tastes great

Be very generous with the ghee guys, it’s an age-old trick to making amazing food. And if you’re up to it someday, try making ghee at home with this recipe! If you are vegan, here are some substitutes so that you can turn this into vegan biryani. It tastes just as good:

Substitute ghee with vegan butter Replace the raita with a non-dairy yoghurt made of almond milk Soak the saffron in a non-dairy milk substitute

Serve this vegetable biryani with

Raita Cucumber Mint Raita Vegetable Korma

This recipe has precise cook times and instructions as to when to add what. Trust me, I’m a huge meat lover but this veg biryani has been a game changer!