CUISINE: South Indian
PREP TIME: 45 mins
COOK TIME: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
5 mins
SERVES: 3-4
INGREDIENTS (measuring
cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)
For Rice Marination:
o 1 heaped cup basmati rice, 200 grams
o 1 tsp oil
For Veggie Marination:
o 1 cup curd, 200 grams or 1 cup thick coconut milk, 250 ml
o 1 to 2 green chilies, chopped
o ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste or 4 to 5 garlic and ¾ inch
ginger, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
o 90 to 100 grams carrots, 1 medium to large carrot or ½ cup
chopped carrots
o 90 to 100 grams potatoes, 3 small potatoes or 2 medium
potatoes or ¾ to 1 cup chopped potatoes
o 150 grams of nutrela
o 1 medium capsicum or ½ cup chopped capsicum
o ⅓ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
o ½ tsp turmeric powder
o ½ tsp red chili powder
o ½ tsp garam masala powder (optional)
o 1 tsp coriander powder
o 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
o 3 tbsp chopped mint leaves
o salt as required
For Frying onions:
o 3 tbsp oil or ghee
o 165 to 175 grams onions, 1 large onion, sliced or 1 cup
sliced onions
o whole spices:
o 1 inch cinnamon
o 3 cloves
o 3 green cardamoms
o 1 black cardamom
o 2 single strands of mace
o ½ tsp shah jeera/caraway seeds
o 5 to 6 black peppers
For Layering:
o 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
o 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
o a generous pinch of saffron
o ½ inch ginger, julienne or chopped
o 1 to 2 tsp kewra water or rose water
o 1 to 1.25 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS
Soaking & Marinating
rice
Rinse rice in water many
times, till you see the water clear of starch. then soak the rice in enough
water for 30 minutes.After 30 minutes, strain the water very
well from the rice.Add 1
tsp of oil and salt to the rice.With a spoon or with your hands, mix the salt
and oil very well with the rice grains. keep aside.
Preparing the Veggie
Mixture:
When the rice is
soaking, you can chop and prepare the veggie mixture.Boiled the soya chunks i.e
nutrela.Take 1 cup thick coconut milk in a pan or a large mixing bowl.
Add the chopped veggies
and green peas. chop the veggies in small sizes so that they cook well.Add
ginger-garlic paste, green chilies and chopped coriander + mint leaves.Add the
spice powders - turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder,
coriander powder. season with salt too.Mix very well and keep aside. if you
want, you can marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.With curd - take curd in a bowl and
whisk till smooth,then add the spices, green chilies and ginger-garlic
paste.Add veggies, coriander + mint leaves and salt.Mix very well and keep
aside. you can even marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
Sauteing Onions:
Next step is to heat a
pressure cooker and add 3 tbsp oil. add all he whole spices mentioned above in
the list. saute till they crackle and become fragrant.
Then add sliced
onions.Stir and begin to saute the onions on a low to medium flame.Cooking
onions does take some time, so add a pinch of salt to quicken the cooking
process.Continue to
saute till the onions turn a light golden.When the onions become golden, switch
off the flame,remove the cooker from the stove top burner
and place it on the
kitchen table top or slab.Remove half of the fried onions in a plate. keep
aside. some shahjeera will also come with the fried onions.
but its fine. do not
take the other whole spices. keep them in the cooker.
Layering and Pressure
cooking:
With a spoon, evenly
spread the fried onions which are in the cooker.Now with a spoon, pour the
veggie mixture evenly.Make an even layer of all the veggie mixture along with soya
chunks.Next spread all the rice evenly on the veggie mixture layer.Spread the
fried onions which we kept aside evenly on the rice.Add chopped coriander leaves, mint
leaves and chopped ginger or ginger julienne.Sprinkle saffron threads.Now
sprinkle rose water or kewra water evenly all over.Now pour water along the sides of the
cooker. Don't add water in the center. 1.25 cups water will make the rice
grains more soft.Cover the cooker with its lid and the vent weight/whistle attached
to the lid.On a low flame cook the biriyani for about 20 to 25 minutes. if the
pressure cooker whistles, then its fine.Once the pressure
settles down, then open the lid and serve the pressure cooker vegetable
biriyani with your favorite raita, salad or a side gravy.
