Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani (Veg Biryani)

bowl of vegetable biryani garnished with lemon wedge and some spoons placed in the background along with a plate of sliced onions

4.93 from 112 votes

Restaurant Style Vegetable Biryani (Veg Biryani)

This aromatic and flavorful restaurant-style vegetable biryani is packed with veggies, spices, herbs and nuts and is an explosion of flavors in every bite!

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Manali Singh

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
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons ghee divided
2 medium red onion thinly sliced, divided
2 tablespoons broken cashews
1 small potato cubed
½ cup cauliflower florets medium sized florets
1 medium carrot cut diagonally
5-6 green beans cut diagonally
2 tablespoons milk I used whole milk
saffron strands generous pinch
1 inch ginger crushed
4-5 large garlic cloves crushed
2 green chilies crushed
1 & ½ tablespoons oil I used avocado oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds I used shahi jeera
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
3 whole black peppercorns
⅓ cup plain yogurt I used whole milk plain yogurt, whisked and at room temperature, can add ¼ teaspoon cornstarch and whisk to prevent curdling
1 & ½ teaspoon biryani masala or use 1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder or use regular chili powder for heat
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 & ½ teaspoon rose water or kewra water

Instructions

Cook the rice

Soak 1 cup basmati rice in 3 cups water for 30 minutes. After the rice has soaked, drain the water using a colander.
Heat a pot full of water (I use a 6 qt stockpot and fill it until it’s ¾th full), add 3 green cardamom, 2 cloves and ¾ teaspoon salt to it. Let it come to a boil on medium high heat). Now, add rice and stir with a spoon.
Let the rice cook uncovered (don't lower the heat) until it's almost cooked, the rice needs to be around 70-75% cooked but not fully cooked. When you bite the rice grain, it should not be completely soft at this stage, there should be a nice bite to it. This takes around 6 to 7 minutes.
Once done, remove pan from heat and drain rice using a colander. Add 1 teaspoon ghee to the rice at this point and toss it with the rice. Set this aside.

Caramelize onion & cashews and pan fry the veggies

Heat 1 & ½ tablespoons ghee in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1 medium onion (sliced) to it and cook until it turns golden brown in color and caramelizes. This takes around 8 to 9 minutes. Remove it on a plate.
To the same pan, now add 2 tablespoons cashews (broken) and cook until golden brown, around 1 to 2 minutes. Remove on plate and set aside.
To same pan add ½ tablespoon ghee more and then add 1 small potato (cubed), cook for 2 minutes until light brown. Remove it on a plate.
Now, add ½ cup cauliflower florets, 1 medium carrot (cut diagonally), and 5-6 green beans (cut diagonally). Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until veggies appear light brown in color. Remove them on the same plate with potatoes.

Make saffron-milk and flavor the vegetables

Heat 2 tablespoons milk in a small pan on medium heat. Once warm, add generous pinch saffron strands (crush it before adding) to it. Let it sit for 10 minutes for that beautiful yellow color to develop. Saffron milk is ready, set it aside.
Crush 1-inch ginger, 4-5 large garlic cloves and 2 green chilies using a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Now, it's time to cook the pan-fried vegetables with yogurt and spices. Heat 1 & ½ tablespoons oil in a pan/pot on medium heat. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 3 whole black peppercorns, remaining 3 green cardamom and remaining 2 cloves.
Stir and let the spices sizzle for few seconds. Add 1 medium onion (sliced) and add ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until onions turn light brown. Then add the crushed ginger-garlic and green chili paste that we had prepared earlier.
Cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes away. Remove pan from heat and whisk in ⅓ cup plain yogurt, whisking continuously until it's all absorbed. Put the pan back on heat. Add all pan-fried veggies to the pot now and toss to combine.
Add 1 & ½ teaspoon biryani masala and ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and mix. Then add around ¼ cup water. 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 a thick mixture. Remove from heat.

Layer the biryani

Now take a heavy bottom deep pan (I use a 6qt stockpot). I first grease the bottom of the pan with a little ghee. Then add a layer of rice (half of the rice). Top with half of fried onions, half of fried cashew, 1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped) and 1 tablespoon mint (chopped). Add ½ teaspoon rose water. Now layer the veggies on top of this (all of it).
Then add another rice layer (remaining rice) on top of the veggies. Then top it with remaining fried onion and cashews, remaining 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and remaining 1 tablespoon chopped mint.
Add the prepared saffron milk and the remaining 1 teaspoon rose water on top. And finally drizzle the last remaining 1 teaspoon ghee on top. Sprinkle some biryani masala (optional).
I did 2 layers of rice and 1 layer of veggies. If your pan is small, you may do more layers, but the end layer should always be of rice.

Dum the biryani

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum 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).
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

I have used potato, beans, carrots and cauliflower in this recipe, you can use mushrooms, peas as well.

Nutrition