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Vegetable Dum Biryani

Serves 3
45 mins
701 Kcal
Vegetarian Dum Biryani is a very tasty and fragrant rice dish comprising fresh vegetables, aromatic basmati rice, and a blend of rich, flavoured spices. Originating from the Indian subcontinent, this is the vegetarian version of the traditional biryani; it surely pleases any crowd, whether as a part of a family gathering festive occasion or simply a great meal. It is truly magical as Dum ensures each flavour is mingled through slow cooking. For the vegetable dum biryani recipe, the blended vegetables like carrots, peas, potatoes, and beans are marinated with curd and spices containing red chilli powder, garam masala, and turmeric. These marinated vegetables are layered with partially cooked basmati rice, sealed in a pot, and then cooked low on the heat; the steam cooks everything to perfection. The cooking of dum ensures that the rice gets fluffy, but the veggies remain tender and spice-infused. Vegetable dum biryani is a feast for both eyes and taste buds. Garnished with fried onions, coriander, and mint leaves, this biryani is always irresistible with its aroma and spicy savoury flavours. Accompanied by the cooling of raita, a side salad, or tangy pickle, vegetable dum biryani makes a satisfactory and wholesome meal. This easy-to-follow vegetable dum biryani recipe will surely be one of the must-try options for those who love bold, aromatic, comforting, and compulsive vegetarian delicacies.

Ingredients required for Vegetable Dum Biryani

  1. 1 1/2 cups rice
  2. 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  3. 1 tsp biryani masala
  4. 1/3 tsp red chilli powder
  5. 1/8 tsp turmeric
  6. 1 cup curd
  7. 4 tbsp oil
  8. Saffron strands
  9. 3 tbsp milk
  10. Raisin
  11. Cashews
  12. 1 onion
  13. 8 florets cauliflower
  14. 1 potato
  15. 2 cup carrot
  16. 1 handful green peas
  17. 4-5 beans
  18. 11/2 tbsp mint leaves
  19. 2 tbsp coriander leaves
  20. 2 green chillies
  21. 2 inch cinnamon stick
  22. 4 green cardamoms
  23. 1 black cardamom
  24. 1 anise
  25. 6 cloves
  26. 1 bay leaves
  27. 1/2 tsp jeera
  28. Salt
  29. 2 mace

Cooking steps for Vegetable Dum Biryani

  1. 1
    Let's begin the recipe of vegetable dum biryani. Begin by preparing the saffron milk.
  2. 2
    Soak a few strands of the saffron in 3 Tbsps of hot milk or water for 10-15 minutes to release the colour and aroma.
  3. 3
    Then, heat 4 Tbsps of ghee or oil in a big pan. To that, add mixed whole spices- two-inch cinnamon stick, four green cardamoms, one black cardamom, two strands of mace, one-star anise, six cloves, one bay leaf, and half a Tsp of shahi jeera.
  4. 4
    Saut all these spices for about a minute till they froth out their fragrance.
  5. 5
    Add one Tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and let it cook till the raw smell is gone.
  6. 6
    Add in 1 Tsp of biryani masala powder or garam masala, depending on how much spice you can tolerate, along with 1/3 tsp of red chilli powder and 1/8 tsp of turmeric.
  7. 7
    Add chilli according to your spice tolerance, mix everything well, and let it cook for a minute.
  8. 8
    Begin with a marinade of yoghurt preparation: mix in 1 cup of curd, ensuring it is neither too thick nor too thin; 250 ml of yoghurt is perfect.
  9. 9
    Stir this yoghurt into your spice mix. The yoghurt will give the vegetables a creamy base as it marinates.
  10. 10
    Add salt to taste and then add the vegetables, 8 florets of cauliflower, one large boiled, cubed potato (¾ cooked), one big chopped carrot, a handful of green peas, and 4 to 5 chopped beans.
  11. 11
    Gently toss all the vegetables to uniformly coat them with the spiced yoghurt mixture.
  12. 12
    Let that cook for 5-7 minutes to let the flavours infuse well.
  13. 13
    In another pan, boil water, add 1 1/2 cups old basmati rice along with a pinch of salt, ¼ Tsp shahi jeera, and a bay leaf.
  14. 14
    Once it is 70 to 80 percent cooked, drain the water and keep the rice as is.
  15. 15
    Once the fried vegetable spice mixture is ready, layer the biryani.
  16. 16
    Spread the first layer of cooked rice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
  17. 17
    Sprinkle over these fried onions that add crunchy and delightful flavoured.
  18. 18
    Add raisins and cashews for sweetness and nutty contrast. Add spiced vegetables over rice.
  19. 19
    The last layer will be, once again, all the rice.
  20. 20
    Sprinkle the saffron-infused milk over the rice to give it a nice colour and fragrance.
  21. 21
    Add some finely chopped coriander, mint leaves, and slit green chillies for a zesty flavoured.
  22. 22
    Lastly, seal the pot with a lid or seal it and let the biryani simmer on low heat; that is, cook on dum for 20-25 minutes.
  23. 23
    This slow-cooking process allows the flavours to blend all together.
  24. 24
    Once your Vegetable Dum Biryani is ready, fluff the rice gently with a fork without breaking the grains.

Shop Ingredients

Mace (2)
128
1
48
1
100
1
Green Chillies (2)
9
1
21
1
25
1
Oil (4 Tbsp)
172
1
149
1
150
1
160
1
153
1
151
1
761
1
153
1
187
1
332
1
Milk (3 Tbsp)
32
1
Carrot (2 cup)
23
1
Potato (1)
37
1
29
1
29
1
Cauliflower (8 florets)
19
1
Cinnamon Stick (2 inch)
27
1
32
1
Cloves (6)
58
1
46
1
124
1
100
1
91
1
94
1
202
1
164
1
173
1
Bay Leaves (1)
29
1
19
1
17
1
44
1
Cashews
232
1
479
1
524
1
113
1
301
1
131
1
129
1
308
1
649
1
461
1
Jeera (1/2 Tsp)
55
1
720
1
310
1
387
1
209
1
121
1
67
1
96
1
140
1
340
1
Biryani Masala (1 Tsp)
69
1
73
1
237
1
49
1
237
1
166
1
90
1
49
1
199
1
135
1
Curd (1 cup)
28
1
32
1
76
1
117
1
50
1
100
1
62
1
45
1
33
1
150
1
Coriander Leaves (2 Tbsp)
9
1
Rice (1 1/2 cups)
85
1
345
1
229
1
376
1
93
1
72
1
201
1
370
1
424
1
159
1
Black Cardamom (1)
80
1
Beans (4-5)
27
1
25
1
19
1
19
1
21
1
36
1
Onion (1)
30
1
28
1
59
1
Salt
27
1
24
1
113
1
22
1
50
1
105
1
107
1
47
1
53
1
125
1
Green Peas (1 handful)
102
1
Green Cardamoms (4)
276
1
235
1
134
1
142
1
294
1
197
1
150
1
262
1
85
1
259
1
Saffron Strands
200
1
277
1
423
1
403
1
366
1
854
1
Ginger Garlic Paste (1 Tbsp)
45
1
46
1
38
1
59
1
50
1
42
1
99
1
51
1
Anise (1)
41
1
91
1
31
1
Raisin
82
1
96
1
109
1
204
1
120
1
182
1
249
1
49
1
179
1
239
1
Red Chilli Powder (1/3 Tsp)
510
1
97
1
290
1
70
1

FAQs

Do I have to use saffron while preparing Vegetable Dum Biryani?

If you desire, you can make vegetable dum biryani without saffron, as this spice gives the biryani a beautiful aroma and golden colour but is not necessary for the recipe. For a budget-friendly or saffron-free version, you could use turmeric for the colour and add a few drops of rose or kewra water for the fragrant floral note. You can also add yellow food colour, if that's your thing, for that same brilliant shine. Of course, the saffron adds a luxurious flavour, but the biryani will, without it, by all means, taste heavenly.

Can I make Vegetable Dum Biryani in a pressure cooker?

Yes, you can make vegetable dum biryani in a pressure cooker, though it's traditionally cooked on low heat for a long time sealed inside a pot (dum cooking). To make it in a pressure cooker, saut the vegetables and spices and layer the cooked rice and vegetables in the cooker. Close the lid but do not allow the pressure valve to make a hiss. Let it cook on low heat for approximately 10-15 minutes. It depends on the rice and, of course, the flavours that infuse it.

How can I make Vegetable Dum Biryani spicy?

The quantity of green chillies, red chilli powder, or garam masala can be increased while preparing your vegetable dum biryani to make it spicier. Finely chopped green chillies can also be added to the vegetable mixture, or red chilli flakes can be sprinkled over the layers before sealing the pot.