12/11/23, 2:45 AM Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani - Cook With Manali

Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani

Aromatic and flavorful restaurant style Vegetable Biryani! This fragrant biryani is
packed with veggies, spices, herbs and nuts and is an explosion of flavors in
every bite!

Prep Time Cook Time Total Time

20 mins 50 mins 1 hr 10 mins

Course: Main Course Cuisine: Indian Servings: 3 Author: Manali 4.98 from 103 votes

Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice 200 grams, soaked in 3 cups (24 oz) water for 30 minutes
6 whole green cardamom divided
4 cloves divided
1 teaspoon salt divided
1.5 tablespoon +1 teaspoon ghee divided
2 medium red onion thinly sliced, divided
2 tablespoons broken cashews
1 small potato cubed
1/2 cup cauliflower florets medium sized florets
1 medium carrot cut diagonally
5-6 green beans cut diagonally
2 tablespoons milk 30 ml
saffron strands generous pinch
1 inch ginger crushed
4-5 large garlic cloves crushed
2 green chilies crushed
1.5 tablespoons oil 22 ml
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds I used shahi jeera
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
1/3 cup plain yogurt whisked and at room temperature, can add 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch and
whisk to prevent curdling
1.5 teaspoon biryani masala or use 1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or use regular chili powder for heat
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1.5 teaspoon rose water or kewra water

Instructions
Cook the rice

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12/11/23, 2:45 AM Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani - Cook With Manali

1. Soak the rice in 3 cups (24 oz) water for 30 minutes. After the rice has soaked, drain the water
using a colander.
2. Heat a pot full of water, add 3 green cardamom, 2 cloves and 3/4 teaspoon salt to it. Let it come
to a boil.
Add rice, stir with a spoon.
3. Let it cook uncovered (don't lower the heat) until it's almost cooked (around 70-75% cooked but
not fully cooked). There should be a bite to it. This takes around 6 to 7 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and drain rice in a colander. You may add a teaspoon of ghee to the rice.
Set aside.

Caramelize onion & cashews and pan fry the veggies

1. Heat 1.5 tablespoons ghee in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1 sliced onion to it and cook
until they turn golden brown and caramelize.
This takes around 8 to 9 minutes. Remove on a plate.
2. To the same pan, now add cashews and cook until golden brown, around 1 to 2 minutes. Remove
on plate and set aside.
3. To same pan add potato, cook for 2 minutes until light brown. Remove on a plate.
4. To the same pan, now add cauliflower, beans and carrots. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until veggies
appear light brown. Remove on a plate.
PS: This pan-frying veggies is an additional step and you can skip it and directly cook the veggies
later on. I like doing the extra step as it gives the veggies a nice texture.

Make the saffron-milk and cook the vegetables

1. Heat 2 tablespoons milk in a pan. Once warm, add saffron strands (crush it before adding).
Let it sit for 10 minutes for that beautiful yellow color. Saffron milk is ready, set it aside.
2. Crush ginger, garlic and chili using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
3. Heat 1.5 tablespoons oil in a pan/pot on medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, bay
leaf, peppercorns, remaining 3 cardamom and remaining 2 cloves.
Stir and let the spices sizzle for few seconds. Add the sliced onions also add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until onions turn light brown. Then add the crushed ginger-garlic and
green chilies paste.
Cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
5. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the yogurt, whisking continuously until it's all absorbed.
Put the pan back on heat. Add all the veggies and toss to combine.
6. Add the biryani masala and kashmiri red chili powder.
7. Add 1/4 cup water. Let it cook for around 6 to 7 minutes until veggies are almost cooked but not
overcooked. They should be firm to bite.
You may also cover the pan, I usually cook uncovered. There shouldn't be much water left, it
should be kind of thick mixture.
Remove from heat.
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12/11/23, 2:45 AM Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani - Cook With Manali

Layer the biryani

1. Now take a heavy bottom pan. I first grease the bottom of the pan with ghee.
Then add a layer of rice (half of the rice). Top with half of fried onion, half of fried cashews and
half of cilantro and mint. Add 1/2 teaspoon of rose water. Now place the veggies on top (all of it).
2. Then add another rice layer (remaining rice) on top of the veggies. Then top it with remaining
with fried onion, cashews, cilantro and mint.
Add the prepared saffron milk and the remaining 1 teaspoon rose water on top.
3. And finally drizzle 1 teaspoon ghee on top. Sprinkle some biryani masala.
I did 2 layers of rice and 1 layer of veggies. If your pan in small you may do more layers, but the
end layer should always be of rice.
4. Cover the pan tightly with aluminium foil. Then cover with a fitted lid.
Heat a flat pan on medium heat. Once hot, reduce the flame to lowest. Place your biryani pot on
top of the pan and let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes on lowest heat (dum).
5. Scoop out the biryani from the bottom of the pan so that each serving has both the veggies and
the rice.
Serve vegetable biryani with a side of raita.

Notes
1. I haven't added lot of vegetables here since I wanted the rice to shine through. You can add more
veggies if you like more veggies in your biryani.
2. To make the biryani vegan, use vegan yogurt or coconut milk in place of plain yogurt. Skip the
ghee and use non-dairy milk to make the saffron milk.

Nutrition
Calories: 533kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 27mg |
Sodium: 935mg | Potassium: 717mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3745IU | Vitamin C: 28.5mg |
Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 4mg

Get recipe at: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/restaurant-style-vegetable-biryani/

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