This irresistible delicacy makes for a perfect meal, made with rice, spices and veggies. Biriyani is often prepared for special occasion and special people in one’s life.
Veg biriyani (Inset:Chef Ramaa Shanker)
Chennai:
Chennai in the best of times is humid and during the onset of the monsoon, becomes even more so. A few days ago, I was driving down East Coast Road on the way to Chennai to wish some special people and I was craving a cool, soothing drink to quench my never-ending thirst.
However, after I reached my destination, I instantly cheered up, as it was a pleasure to meet my friend — one of the nicest people I know and who I have a lot to learn from. Spending time with him reminded me of how relationships are like biriyani — you need to put in so many ingredients to make it interesting and tasty. Meeting many like-minded people in a day, really satisfies my soul’s hunger and leaves my heart saying, ‘Yeh dil mange more!’
That afternoon, my friend treated me to a truly delicious satvic lunch and it was wonderful to try out so many dishes without feeling stuffed. Be it the keerai curry or the ragi kanji, the akki rotti or mixed fruit and vegetable salad, it was truly delicious. To wash it all down was served a fantastic neer moru.
Post-lunch, I met up with another friend, who is a truly compassionate man and does a lot for the education of the under-privileged. He co-founded a trust with Kamal Haasan in aid of vulnerable children to provide them the support necessary to overcome the hurdles they face in life. I thank the lord for giving me such wonderful friends. Yet again, I was reminded of how true friendship has in it different characteristics, much like a well-cooked vegetable biriyani. When all the masalas and vegetables meet, all the flavours come together and present themselves as one of the best dishes ever.
I would like to dedicate this dish, made with tonnes of love, to all my loved friends and ‘brothers’ on the occasion of Rakhee. Based on my lunch experience, I’d suggest that those of you trying out this dish, pair it with a good raita and neer moru while serving.
— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes
Vegetable Biriyani
Ingredients
200 gm soaked Basmati rice
2 large onions, sliced
8 cloves
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons garlic paste
100 gm potato, chopped
100 gm green beans, chopped
100gm carrots, chopped
100 gm cauliflower, chopped
100 gm green peas
salt as required
1/2 cup hung curd
1 cup milk
4 green cardamoms
2 sprigs mint leaves
1/4 teaspoon kewra
8 cups water
8 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons ginger paste
2 pinches powdered black pepper
4 black cardamoms
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon rose water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Method
- Wash the rice under cold, running water and soak it for half an hour.
- Heat a pan with four tablespoons of ghee in it over medium flame.
- Fry the sliced onion till golden brown and remove with a slotted spoon.
- Drain fried slices of onion on absorbent paper.
- In the same pan, sauté half of the black cumin seeds till they begin to sizzle.
- Add cloves, cinnamon, half the nutmeg, peppercorns and sauté till release fragrance.
- Add ginger and garlic paste and sauté for one minute.
- Now, add salt, pepper and yogurt. Add milk and vegetables and sauté them over low heat till the vegetables are almost tender.
- Meanwhile, in a separate large pan, bring eight cups water to a boil with two teaspoons of salt.
- Tie the remaining cloves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, black and green cardamoms in a muslin cloth and make a small bundle (potlam) and add it to the water with bay leaves.
- Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, allowing the spices to infuse the water with their flavour.
- Drain the rice, add to the pan and cook till half-done. Remove from the heat and reserve the strained water.
- Stir the remaining ghee into the rice and set aside. To assemble the biriyani, spread half the fried onions at the base of a deep, heavy-bottomed heatproof, casserole.
- Spread half the rice over the onions. Then spread a layer of the vegetables and the chopped mint over the rice. For garnishing, sprinkle rose water over the rice.
- On a tava, place the vessel and cover it with a lid and seal the sides with wheat flour dough. The seal should be airtight.
- Cook on low fire for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle some rose water and a little elaichi essence before serving hot.
- Serve with yogurt raita and neer moru to drink.
Kitchen Tip
Never heat all the food stored in the fridge, only the quantity required. If all the food is heated, do not save it in the fridge again. It is so unhealthy that it is considered ‘toxic’ to do so
Prep Time: 25 min
Total Time: 1 hr
Serves: 4 - 5
Calories: 60 per serve