Finger-licking good

Pushpesh Pant

Biryani arguably is the most hyped Indian delicacy. Dozens of variants stalk the food streets of the land to confuse the diner. Hyderabadi dum ki biryani seldom loses the top spot in popular imagination, but dozens of regional and ethnic rivals refuse to give up the fight to dislodge it. There are those who refuse to believe that a true biryani can be prepared without meat and talk as if in a trance about flavourful juices that viands release in the process of cooking. Let us reassure you that the recipe we share this time is seeped in flavourful juices released by vegetables that put mutton and chicken to shame. Nor does it depend on artificial colours and aromas. The large quantity of vegetables used makes it fit for the health conscious.

• Vegetable Biryani
• Ingredients
• Basmati rice 1kg (washed, soaked and drained)
• Mixed vegetables (carrots, French beans, peas, cauliflower, tindli, green peppers, potatoes) 2 kg
• Ginger, garlic, green chilli paste
• Bay leaves 3-4
• Tomatoes 500g
• Onions 3 large (sliced finely)
• Haldi powder 1 tsp
• Dhania powder 2-3 tsp
• Kashmiri/degi red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Dahi 200 ml
• Garam masala (ground fresh with javitri, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, royal cumin seeds, green cardamom)
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan and put in green cardamoms and bay leaves. When these change colour, add onions and stir fry till red. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste. Continue stir-frying after adding tomatoes along with powdered spices. Bhuno for a few minutes more. Add dahi, ghee, garam masala and finally add the vegetables.

Parboil rice with salt, cumin seeds, green cardamom and star anise. Finish with the vegetables on dum by tightly sealing the lid and placing the pot on a preheated griddle for 30 minutes on very low flame.