Veg Dum Briyani

Vegetable dum briyani is slightly a dry version than normal vegetable briyani. I always do the latter, so for a change wanted to try dum briyani. I did the stove top method, you could try in oven too. Everyone has their own versions. This one does not have too many masalas. A mild version, if you want it to be strong add briyani masala, which has more flavor.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Curd - 1/4 cup
• Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
• Milk - 2 tbsp
• Saffron - a pinch
• Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
• Salt - to taste

Vegetables for briyani:

• Onion - 2, thinly sliced
• Green chilly - 1
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Tomato - 2, finely chopped
• Potato - 1, diced
• Carrot - 2, round sliced
• Beans - 10, sliced 
• Green peas - 1/4 cup, fresh or frozen

To temper:

• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Butter or ghee - 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Clove - 5
• Cardamon - 2

Method:

Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water. Boil 1 and 1/4 cup of water with salt and a tsp of oil. Add the rice and cover with a lid. Cook till it is done. Fluff the rice and let it cool.

Soak the saffron in warm milk. Chop all vegetables and keep aside, add a tsp of lemon juice in diced potatoes.
Heat ghee and oil in a pan, season with cinnamon, cloves and cardamons. Add sliced onions, green chilly and curry leaves. Saute until onions are translucent and then add carrot, beans, potato, green peas and ginger-garlic paste.

Add tomatoes, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and mix well. Add lemon juice, curd, coriander leaves and combine well.

Spread rice on top, sprinkle saffron milk over it. Take a wet kitchen towel and cover the pan. Close it with the lid and cook in a low-medium flame for 10 minutes.

Mix well and serve hot!! with raita.

Note:

• Adding lemon juice to potato helps to prevent oxidizing and potato absorbs lemon juice and taste good.
• This can be done in oven too. After adding vegetables and rice it can be kept in oven for 180 deg C for 10 minutes.
• This can be done in layers too. Cook vegetables and rice separately. Alternate rice and veggies, making sure the bottom and top are layered with rice. Add saffron milk on top and can be kept in stove top using dum method or kept in oven.
• For additional flavor and richness roasted cashews and fried onions can be added on top.