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Who doesn’t love having biryani for dinner? If you are Indian, and even if you are not, this one-pot dinner with Mughal origins always makes for a rich and royal dinner. So unbelievably delicious and regal are biryanis that their mere presence can turn dinner into a veritable feast, especially with a side of salan and raita! But for vegetarians, the love of biryani is often limited by people saying that a veg biryani isn’t a biryani at all. This Ahmedabadi Vegetable Biryani will make you forget all of that!
The city of Ahmedabad, better known as Amdavad among locals, might no longer be the capital of Gujarat but when it comes to food, it is still a city which has plenty of culinary gems to offer. Ahmedabadi Vegetable Biryani is definitely one of those dishes. Now, there are so many versions of biryani found across the nation that you might find it difficult to set this one apart at first glance. But there are some additions that do make this Ahmedabadi Vegetable Biryani stand out.
Firstly, this veg biryani is indeed cooked on dum even if it is for 10-15 minutes to ensure the vegetables aren’t overcooked. Many vendors across the city also smoke the biryani by adding hot charcoal and ghee to give it that extra smokey flavour. Secondly, the gravy base for this Ahmedabadi Vegetable Biryani doesn’t just include whole spices but also peanuts. This unique addition gives the biryani a nutty flavour while also making it a cheaper option compared to cashews and almonds. Thirdly, along with fried onions or birista—which is a must in biryanis—this Ahmedabadi Vegetable Biryani also adds fried potatoes or aloo katri to the dish! This addition of aloo katri not only gives the biryani more oomph and allure, but also gives those who love the veggie more opportunities to soak in its flavours.
Despite these outstanding differences, Ahmedabadi Vegetable Biryani isn’t difficult to whip up. In fact, you can easily try this dish out for dinner tonight! Here’s the easy-peasy recipe.
Image used for representative purpose only. Image courtesy: seriouseats.com
Ingredients:
1 cup potato, cut into straws
1 cup onions, sliced thinly
½ cup potatoes, cubed
½ cup French beans, chopped
½ cup cauliflower florets
½ cup carrots
½ cup sweet potatoes
2 cups long grain basmati rice, parboiled
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ cup peanuts
1 bay leaf
2 green chillies
4-5 peppercorns
2 dry red chillies
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 cinnamon stick
2 green cardamoms
1 star anise
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 cup yoghurt
1 cup ghee
½ tsp saffron, soaked in milk
Mint leaves
Coriander leaves
Method:
1. To make the biryani gravy masala, heat some ghee in a pan.
2. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, dry red chillies, cinnamon stick, cardamoms, star anise and cumin seeds.
3. Once these stop spluttering, add the peanuts and roast until they turn brown.
4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and tomatoes.
5. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes are done.
6. Let the spice mix cool, then grind it into a fine paste in a mixer grinder.
7. Heat the remaining ghee in a biryani pot or wok.
8. Add the straw potatoes and deep fry until golden brown.
9. Remove this potato katri and set aside for later.
10. Add the sliced onions and deep fry until golden brown.
11. Remove this onion birista and set aside for later.
12. In the remaining ghee, add the chopped veggies one by one.
13. Mix well and cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are almost cooked.
14. Now add the masala paste and mix well.
15. Cook for a further 5 minutes, then add the yoghurt and mix well.
16. Once the yoghurt is cooked and you have a thick gravy, switch off the flame.
17. Add half the cooked rice on top, then add a layer of fried onions, fried potatoes and mint and coriander leaves.
18. Now add the remaining rice and layer the remaining onions, potatoes, mint and coriander on top.
19. Pour the saffron milk and seal the pot.
20. Cook on dum for 15 minutes ensuring that the flame is at the lowest possible.
21. Once the biryani is ready, give it a good mix and serve hot with raita.
