Recipe- Most Popular Hyderabadi Veg Biryani

Hyderabadi Veg Biryani is a very popular traditional and authentic delicious royal dish. Historically Hyderabadi Veg Biryani came in India from Mughal (Navab Family), and the origin of biryani is from Hyderabad State (Nizam State). In North India, it is traditionally associated with the Bengali cuisine of Bengal, Mughlai cuisine of Delhi, the Awadhi cuisine of Lucknow and in South India, it is traditionally associated with the Hyderabadi cuisine.

Although originally Biryani cooked with meat, but it can be also cooked with vegetables called Hyderabadi Veg Biryani, especially in India, where a substantial number of people practice vegetarianism. The Hyderabadi Veg Biryani is prepared with rice, masala and non-meat ingredients such as potatoes and cauliflowers. Hyderabadi Veg Biryani is having mixed vegetables marinated in spicy yogurt and made with steamed rice.

Ingredients

Semi Steamed Rice

2 cup Long Grain Basmati Rice
Salt
1 tsp Ghee
Whole Dry Spice Potli (small cloth bag)
(2-3 Green Cardamom, 1-2 Bay Leave, 2-3 Cloves, 2-3Peppercorn and Small Piece of cinnamon)

Vegetable Masala Gravy

1 cup Cauliflower florets
½ cup Green Peas
½ cup Chopped French Beans
½ cup Chopped Capsicum
1-2 Chopped Baby Brinjal/Eggplant
1 Medium Sized Potato Peeled and Cubed
3 Tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Caraway Seeds/Shajeera
1-2 Star Anise
2 Mace Strands/Javintri
2 Black Cardamom
2-3 Green Cardamom
2-3 Peppercorn
2-3 Cloves
Small Piece of Cinnamon
2-3 Bay Leaves
5-6 Cashew Nuts
1 cup Sliced Onion
2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1-2 tsp Red chili Powder
2-3 tsp Ginger-Garlic-Green Chili Paste
½ cup Chopped Coriander-Mint Leaves
Salt
1 cup Yogurt/Dahi

Biryani Process

1 tbsp Ghee
¼ Cup Milk
Few Threads of Saffron
Pinch of Food Colors (Green and Red)

Garnishing

Chopped Coriander-Mint leaves
¼ cup Fried Onion Slices
5-6 Fried Cashew Nuts

Method

Steamed Rice

* Wash and drain the rice, add rice in a large vessel, add 3-4 cup water, salt, ghee and whole Dry Spices Potli (small thin cloth Bag).

* Boil the rice till semi cooked (70%) (Do not fully cook), then drain it and remove the potli (cloth bag) and keep aside.

Vegetable Masala Gravy

* Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a deep pan, add caraway seeds, mace, clove, peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, bay leaves, and then sauté for few seconds.

* Add ginger-garlic-green chili paste, cashew nuts and sauté, then add sliced onion and stir it till golden brown.

* Add red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and stir it, mix well.

* Add all vegetables, salt, ¼ cup water, and then mix well, cover it for 5-7 minutes or till almost cooked, but not fully cooked. While Cooking check occasionally.

* Add whisked/beaten yogurt/Dahi, chopped coriander-mint leaves, and mix well, stir it for few minutes (3-4minutes) and keep aside.

Process

* In a small cup, take a warm milk, saffron thread and keep aside.

* In heavy bottom/deep vessel or presser cooker, heat the ghee, spread 1/3 part of steamed rice, then spread half quantity of vegetable gravy, again spread half of rice from remaining rice and sprinkle some chopped coriander-mint leaves. Now again spread leftover vegetable gravy and spread leftover rice.

* Now sprinkle already prepared saffron milk over the rice layer, sprinkle some food color (red and Green), sprinkle chopped coriander-mint leaves and lastly sprinkle fried onion slices and fried cashew nuts.

* Cover the vessel using foil paper, cover the lid and keep heavy weight on lid for dum, you can cover the lid with using flour dough for dum, and cook the biryani on low flame for 10-15 minutes.

* You can put griddle/tava on low flame then put vessel on it for avoid burning the biryani.

* Your Hyderabadi Veg Biryani is ready to serve, with salad, dahi or Boondi Raita.