Indian Main Courses
Vegetable Biryani! (Stirfried Vegetables with Rice Indian style)
We were very tired on Sunday after a hectic weekend full of steam cleaning the house. some shopping and a…
- Ready 50 minutes
- Serves 2 people
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes

Recipe
Vegetable Biryani! (Stirfried Vegetables with Rice Indian style)
Vegetable Biryani is a vegan main dish that is packed full of flavor and veggie goodness.
- Serves 2 people
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
Ingredients
Rice:
- 1.5 cups basmati rice
- 2.5 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
Veggies:
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (I used frozen ones as I was too lazy.. so carrots, corn, peas, bell pepper, green beans etc)
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 1 Serrano pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 dried red chili
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- pinch of asafetida (hing)
- 2 teaspoons saffron water (pinch of saffron soaked in warm water)
- 1 cup cilantro/coriander leaves chopped
- 1 cup mint leaves chopped
- 2-4 teaspoons lemon juice
- fried cashews and onions for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Wash rice and soak for 10 minutes.
- 2
The rice can be cooked in a pressure cooker or a covered container. In the cooker pan, add oil and let it heat up on medium heat.
- 3
Add in cumin seeds and wait for 2-3 minutes or until they start browning and giving out an aroma.
- 4
Add in the chopped garlic and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- 5
Add in the rice and water and salt and give the mixture one slight whirl and keep the rice for cooking. 1 whistle in pressure cooker and 10-15 minutes on covered container. The rice should be cooked to almost cooked, but not fully cooked. Keep rice aside.
- 6
In a large pan, heat oil and Add in the chopped onions and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- 7
Add in the Serrano peppers and red chili and mix well.
- 8
Add in the cumin and coriander powder, turmeric and asafetida and mix well.
- 9
Add in the rest of the spices(bay leaves, cardamom,. cinnamon, cloves) and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- 10
Add in the thawed vegetables, salt and ginger and mix well.
- 11
Cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are half cooked.
- 12
Reduce heat to low and spread out the veggies to cover the bottom evenly. If you have a slim pan with more depth, you can keep some veggies to add another layer.
- 13
Top the veggies with half of the coriander and mint leaves.
- 14
Top this off with rice and sprinkle the saffron water on the rice.
- 15
Sprinkle some lemon juice on it as well.
- 16
Top the rice with the remaining coriander and mint leaves.
- 17
You can add addition veggies and rice layers. I made only one layer.
- 18
Cover the container and cook on low for 10-15 minutes.
- 19
Garnish with 1/2 cup fried cashews and 1/2 cup fried onions.
- 20
Serve hot with yogurt or raita!
Notes
Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
- Calories510 kcal
- Carbohydrates105 g
- Protein13 g
- Fat5 g
- Sodium648 mg
- Potassium674 mg
- Fiber10 g
- Sugar1 g
- Vitamin A8455 IU
- Vitamin C30.9 mg
- Calcium193 mg
- Iron5.4 mg







