Vegetable Biryani

The Biryani is to India, what Paella is to Spain, the rice is cooked in with whatever base you choose. In this case, it’s a selection of vegetables, such as mushrooms, peppers, onions and cauliflower, cooked in a spicy masala sauce and the rice is added to cook in the juices. Water is added slowly while the rice cooks. the trick is to stop adding the water just as the rice is ready. And just as the rice is ready, spinach and peas are folded in.

Slice the onions and put them in a large deep frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, add all the dry spices and fry for several minutes to release the spices and soften the onions.

Add the chopped tomatoes and a little water and continue to cook and stir.

Once the tomatoes are cooked down, add the chopped peppers, chopped cauliflower, sliced mushrooms and continue to fry. add a little water if necessary.

Now add the rice and stir and coat the rice and fry for a few minutes. Now add enough water to cover the mixture in the pan.

Over the next 15 mins check the cooking and slowly as the rice cooks and absorbs the water, add more water, stopping it from drying out.

Once the rice is cooked add in the fresh spinach and frozen peas and stir in and cover. Let the the spinach wilt and stir again

It is now ready to serve.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Vegetable Biryani

Basmati rice simmered in spices loaded with vegetables, almost a meal on its own

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 305kcal

Equipment

• large wok

Ingredients

• 60 gm onion
• 100 gm fresh tomatoes
• 350 gm cauliflower
• 100 gm brown mushrooms
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 3 tbsp frozen peas
• 60 gm fresh spinach
• 150 gm basmati rice
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red chilli

Method

• Slice the onions and put them in a large deep frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, add all the dry spices and chilli and fry for several minutes to release the spices and soften the onions.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and garlic and a little water and continue to cook and stir.
• Once the tomatoes are cooked down, add the chopped peppers, chopped cauliflower, sliced mushrooms and continue to fry. add a little water if necessary.
• Now add the rice and stir and coat the rice and fry for a few minutes. Now add enough water to cover the mixture in the pan.
• Over the next 15 mins check the cooking and slowly as the rice cooks and absorbs the water, add more water, stopping it from drying out.
• Once the rice is cooked add in the fresh spinach and frozen peas and stir in and cover. Let the the spinach wilt and stir again

  It is now ready to serve.

Notes

This is really about making a spicy base ( a masala sauce) adding any vegetables  and then cooking the rice in with them and slowly adding water.  

Any vegetables that do not need long cooking should be added at the end like the peas and the spinach.  Mushrooms, carrots, onions don’t seem to mind being cooked for ages ?

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 873mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2868IU | Vitamin B12: 1µg | Vitamin C: 165mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 5mg

(All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more).

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