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Biryani rice is mixed rice dish eaten in many countries with different styles. It is made with spices, rice, vegetables, or meat. This flavorful Indian style biryani rice dish is easy to cook, and is great for vegetarian or non-vegetarian meals.
- Prep time: 60-150 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 90-180 minutes
Ingredients
Vegetarian Biryani
- 4 cups basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons Ginger & garlic paste
- 5 green chilies (or less, depending on taste)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 tomato finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ea. cinnamon, cloves, cardamom
- Cashew nuts
- 4 tablespoons oil or ghee
- 2 cups carrot, peas, & finely cut beans
- 2 teaspoons Garam Masala powder
- 3 teaspoons chili powder (or less, depending on taste)
- Mint leaves & coriander leaves (handful)
- Juice of ½ lemon
Steps
Preparing the Ingredients
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1Wash the basmati rice. Before you begin cooking, you need to wash the rice. Fill a large bowl with cold water and pour in the rice. Use your hand to stir the rice in one direction. The water should get cloudy, so pour off the cloudy water. Refill the bowl with water. Continue rinsing the rice until the water is clear.
- Washing the rice removes surface starches and any debris.
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2Soak the rice. After you have you rinsed the rice, soak it. Place the rice in a bowl of cold water and let it soak for 30 minutes to 2 hours.[1] Soaking the rice helps the grains expand and be fluffy.
- You can soak the rice in the water you plan on boiling it in. If you do this, then the amount of water you need to use is 1.25 times the amount of rice. For 2 cups of rice, use 2 1/2 cups of water.
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3Chop the vegetables. If you are adding mixed vegetables, such as carrots, beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, or peas, cut them into smaller pieces. Make sure you wash the vegetables and set them aside, ready to be added to your rice.
Cooking the Biryani
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1Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon to the pan. Sauté for a few seconds, then add onions. Sauté until the onions turn transparent.[2]
- Add tomatoes and cashew nuts after the onions turn translucent.
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2Add mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chilies to the pan. Stir and Sauté for a minute or so. Then add the ginger and garlic paste. Stir into the mixture in the pan, then Sauté for a couple of minutes.
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3Add garam masala, chili powder, carrots, peas and beans. Sauté for a few more minutes, stirring regularly.
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4Pour in 8 cups of water. After adding the water, add salt to taste. Stir everything together, then bring the mixture to a boil.
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5Add the rice. Pour the rice into the boiling water. Add the lemon juice. Cover the pot with a tight lid. Let the rice cook until done.
- The rice is done when it is al dente, not mushy.[3]
- As you check the rice, refrain from stirring. This will break the rice grains.
- Add more water to the pot if you believe the water level is getting too low. Recover the rice and continue letting it cook.
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6Serve. Once the rice has cooked, serve the biryani hot. Try serving the biryani rice with rich curries or other delectable Indian main courses.
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhen do I add cashew nuts?
Community AnswerYou add the cashew nuts with the tomatoes after the onions turn translucent. -
QuestionWhat does Biryani also taste good with?
Community AnswerIt tastes good with sherva or shorba. -
QuestionIs the rice in step five boiled during step two of part two?Community AnswerNo. You put uncooked rice in the pot as shown in step five.
References
About This Article
To make biryani, rinse basmati rice until the water runs clear, then soak it for at least 30 minutes. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, then add cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon to the oil. After a few seconds, add onions and saute until they turn transparent, then add all of the remaining ingredients except for the rice. Saute these ingredients for a minute or two, then pour in 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the rice and lemon juice, cover the pot with a tight lid, and let the rice cook until it’s done. If you want to learn what to serve your biryani with once it's finished, keep reading the article!
