Hyderabad Vegetable Dum Biryani | Authentic Dum Biryani Recipe

Biryanis are a set of rice varieties made with Basmati rice and vegetables, flavoured with aromatic spices and nuts and most importantly slow-cooked so that the flavours blend excellently. The Persian word 'Birian' refers to 'Roasted before cooking'. Vegetables are roasted and rice is par-cooked first and then layered and slow-cooked on a Dum. The cooking method of Biryani originated in Persia. All authentic Biryanis are essentially cooked using a special technique called 'Dum Pukht', which is steam-cooking in a sealed Claypot, on a very low fire, thus retaining the maximum nutrition and allowing the flavours to infuse into the Biryani. This Hyderabad Dum Biryani is a Mughlai food and the Mughal cuisine is known for its richness and exotic use of spices, dried fruits and nuts together with lots of milk or cream. They cooked each meal grand and to have a balance, reduced the number of meals in a day. Though the process of Dum cooking may seem to be elaborate and time-consuming, trust me, once you have tried this recipe and tasted the delectable Biryani, you would never cook an authentic Biryani using other Shortcut methods..The Hyderabad Dum Biryani was a superhit with my family and friends and the feedback I got was that it tasted out of the world and way beyond comparison with any other Rice delicacies. Do try and see for yourself!

Blogging Marathon 89- Wk2, Day2

Theme - One-pot meals

Preparation time - 15mins

Cooking time - 1hr

Serves - 6

Ingredients:

For cooking the rice:-

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Green & Black cardamom - 2, each

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1/2" piece

Bay leaf - 1 

Mace / Jadhipathri -2strands

Other Ingredients:-

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Shah Jeera - 1tsp

Green & Black cardamom - 2, each

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1/2" piece

Bay leaf - 1 

Mace / Jadhipathri -2strands

Garlic pod - 1, finely cut (optional)

Ginger - 1/2" piece, julienned

Green Chilli - 1,slit

Onion - 1, finely sliced

Potato - 1, diced

Carrot - 1, diced

Beans - 10, julienned

Cauliflower - few florets

Green Peas - 1/2cup

Turmeric powder - 1tsp

Red Chilli powder - 1-2tsp

Biryani Masala - 1-2tblsp

Curd - 1cup, beaten

Milk - 1/4cup

Saffron strands - 1/4tsp

Fresh lemon juice -1 tbsp (Optional)

Mint / Pudhina - 3tblsp

Coriander leaves - 3tblsp

Salt - As needed
Cashews - 2tblsp, chopped
Raisins - 2tblsp

Method:-

1. Wash and soak the Basmati Rice in lukewarm water for 30mins. Bring around 2cups of water to boil, add in the spices and the soaked rice and let the rice get cooked until 3/4th cooked. It should not be fully cooked, as we would again cook it over DUM. Adding the spices is important as they get infused in the rice which gives a lovely flavour.

2. Let it cool down a bit. Fluff up the rice so that the grains are separate. 

 

3. In a handi or Pressure cooker, heat the ghee and add all the given whole spices followed by ginger, garlic, green chilli and onion. Saute for a min until onion is browned.

  

4.  Add the veggies,1/2 of the curd, turmeric powder, chilli powder and Biryani masala and stir well to combine. Pressure cook for just 2mins until veggies are half-cooked

5. Warm milk and soak the saffron for few mins until it softens. In another 1/2cup curd, add the milk-saffron mixture and keep this ready.  

6. Now, the layering for Biryani starts. Spread 2tblsp of Saffron mixture over the veggies.

7. Top it with some coriander-mint mix, then 1/2 of the rice and some cashews and raisins.

8. Again, spread another 2tblsp of Saffron mixture and top with coriander-mint mix.

9. Spread the remaining rice. For DUM cooking, place a mosit cloth on top and cover with a lid. Place a heavy weight on top. Cook on a very low flame for 15mins on direct flame. Then, its better to heat an iron Tawa and place the Handi on top of it and cook for another 10mins. 

10. In a tblsp of oil, fry some onion and top it on the cooked Biryani for added deliciousness.

DUM Biryani is ready to be served hot! Pair up with some gravy or a simple Raita and enjoy.

This goes for Valli's Blogging Marathon for day 1 of Wk-2. Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 89