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Love is in my Tummy

Plant-based flavor

January 23, 2017 By Tina Dawson 12 Comments

Vegetable Dum Biriyani for two

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious & fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

If you’ve never heard of a Biriyani (um, living under a rock, are we?), it’s rice and meat cooked with fragrant spices, assembled in layers and slow cooked to perfection. The origins of Biriyani seem varied although everyone concedes that it was a nutritious, filling, one-pot meal for soldiers of the Persian/Mughal army as they walked the conquering route. The rice and meat would be assembled into a giant pot, covered in hot coals, sealed shut and slung on a camel. By the time they made camp in the afternoon, the hot coals and the desert heat would have worked their magic and the biriyani would be ready to sate the hunger of a thousand soldiers on the march all morning!

Serves 2

So clearly, the concept of Biriyani was designed to feed an army and even when we attempt it at home, it’s always made in a giant pot that two kids can comfortably sit in. The bigger the better and as you prep the ingredients, you are automatically expected to have take-out containers on standby to pack away leftovers (an absolute certainty). Not anymore! You don’t have to reserve making this delicious Dum Biriyani for special occasions only, because this recipe will make enough to serve just two! No more! Although, it’s fairly easy to scale up, if you want!

Full of flavour

And all you Vegetarians rejoice! The last time I was at an exclusive Biriyani joint, finding vegetables in the the vegetarian biriyani was something of an Easter egg hunt – one that I was loosing! Ugh and it was absolutely flavourless. No more! This Vegetarian Dum Biriyani is no slack when it comes to flavour, and stands its ground against its meaty counterparts!

[Vegetables not your thing? Here’s a meaty version – Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biriyani ]

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

Just remember, that when you pre-cook the rice in whole spices before setting the Dum, don’t fully cook it. Once the grains start to ‘curve’ like below, strain them and spread on a wide plate to cool. It will seem like a crime to pour all that flavour-infused water into the drain, but kid, the job’s done: it’s time to let it go!

Basmati Rice cooked perfectly al dente- notice the curve?

Another mandatory ingredient – fried onions. You can use the store-bough ones, but the best flavour comes from homemade. Slice up some shallots (or onions work!) and deep fry them on medium heat until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and store in an air-tight container until needed. I usually snack on leftovers shamelessly! And don’t throw away the oil. Bottle up and use in stir-fry.

Fried Onions are the secret to a good Dum Biriyani

Once you have all the elements prepped, get the assembly line ready. While setting the layers of rice and vegetables, you’ll be interspersing them with fried onions, lemon juice, fresh coriander and orange colored milk. Saffron colored rice among the sea of white is a signature look of the Biriyani!

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

Use a heavy bottomed vessel to arrange the layers – alternating vegetables and rice interspersed with the assembly ingredients above.

Note: I found that cauliflower in the second layer did not cook as well as the ones in the bottom layer. So I think it’s safe to par-boil the ‘bulky’ vegetables before marination.

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

See how pretty it is? And it’s not even ready to eat yet! Now, we set the ‘dum’!

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

‘Dum’ or Dum pukht is an ancient Persian cooking technique that involved cooking rice, meat and vegetables in a sealed container for several hours over very low heat. Hot coals are often added to the top for even cooking on the top as the fire cooks the bottom, and the vessel is sealed shut with dough. While you are free to do that, this makeshift method cooks the food in a sealed container sans hot coals with the same effect. A tight-fitting lid, moist muslin/kitchen towel and a stove are all you need.

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

Follow the cooking times in the recipe below, starting with scalding high heat, and gradually reducing to the lowest setting. And wait for the best part. The moment when you pop off the lid and inhale the fragrance that’s been brewing beneath the seal; be sure you breathe it all in. It’s all yours, hun – you’ve earned it! And here’s a tip – Biriyani ALWAYS tastes better the next day. And you can take that to the bank!

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.

Vegetable Dum Biriyani

Created by Tina Dawson on January 21, 2017

Dum Biriyani is never a small batch affair, but this delicious and fragrant Vegetable Dum Biriyani serves just two! Easily made VEGAN too!

  • Prep Time:15m
  • Cook Time:48m
  • Total Time:2h 10m
  • Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the vegetable marinade

  • 250 g mixed vegetables (I used carrot, peas, cauliflower & potatoes)
  • 1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
  • a pinch of turmeric powder
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp. garam masala
  • a pinch of Kaala Jeera (Black cumin)
  • 1 tbsp. yogurt
  • Juice from 1/4 lemon (or 1/2 lime)
  • 1 sprig of mint
  • 1/4 c fresh coriander, chopped
  • 1/4 c fried onions

For cooking the rice

  • 1 c Basmati rice
  • 7 c water
  • 1/4 cinnamon stick
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 green cardamom pod
  • a pinch of Kaala jeera (Black cumin)
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp. ghee (substitute with coconut oil/vegetable oil)
  • Salt to taste

For the assembly

  • 2 tbsp. milk
  • a pinch of orange food color
  • 1/4 c fried onion
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/2 c fresh coriander, chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp. ghee (substitute with coconut oil/vegetable oil)

Instructions

Marinate the vegetables

  1. Par cook cauliflower and carrots till partially cooked.
  2. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, cover and let sit for an hour.

Cook the rice

  1. Soak Basmati rice in 2 cups of water for an hour.
  2. Bring the remaining 5 cups of water to a rolling boil and add the whole spices and ghee. Add salt (the water must be slightly saltier than you want the rice to be).
  3. Add the soaked rice+water and boil until the rice is partially cooked. You'll know it's ready when the grains start to curve slightly. (See image in post above).
  4. Drain over a colander fitted with a muslin cloth. Spread on a large plate and let cool.

Assemble

  1. Combine milk and orange food color. Ready the fried onions, lemon juice and chopped coriander.
  2. In a heavy bottomed pan, drizzle some ghee/oil and spread most of the marinated vegetables. If you have par-cooked the heavy vegetables, you can reserve some for a second layer. If you skipped the pre-cooking step, add all vegetables to the bottom layer.
  3. Top with half the rice, then drizzle some of the orange milk, some fried onions and coriander.
  4. Then do a second layer of remaining vegetables (if any), remaining rice, more fried onions, orange milk and chopped coriander.

Makeshift 'Dum' process

  1. Cover the pan with a moist kitchen towel, close with a tight-fitting lid and wrap the towel over the lid.
  2. Place on high heat for 2-3 minutes
  3. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes
  4. Reduce heat further to the lowest setting and cook for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat, stirring the layers carefully and serve hot with raita and sliced onion rings.
Source: Adapted from Kala's Chicken Dum Biriyani
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Filed Under: All Recipes, Cuisines, Gluten-free, Indian, Lunch/Dinner, Table for two, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: basmati rice, Biriyani, Dum biriyani, whole spices

Previous Post: « Savoury Veggie Puff Tart
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suchi @elegantmeraki says

    January 24, 2017 at 1:30 pm

    I am making this soon! I love biryani but cooking anything with rice and I get nervous! I think I never it right either they turn mushy or are still raw.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 24, 2017 at 4:39 pm

      Oh don’t you worry one bit about that! This is fool-proof! Send me pictures when you make them!

      Reply
  2. Megan Marlowe says

    January 23, 2017 at 11:45 am

    Those fried onions look delicious! I love everything about this vegetarian dum biriyani!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 23, 2017 at 2:17 pm

      Thanks Megan!

      Reply
  3. Veena Azmanov says

    January 23, 2017 at 11:31 am

    Oh it’s been ages since I made Vegetable Biryani! I love Biryani and this perfect! Love the colors and so much flavor.. Your recipe sounds delicious. Pinning for later – Thanks

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 23, 2017 at 2:18 pm

      Thanks Veena!

      Reply
  4. Erren says

    January 23, 2017 at 11:24 am

    This looks so perfect!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 23, 2017 at 2:18 pm

      Thanks Erren!

      Reply
  5. Julie says

    January 23, 2017 at 10:52 am

    This sounds wonderful. So fragrant of and full of flavor.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 23, 2017 at 2:18 pm

      Thanks Julie!

      Reply
  6. sue | theviewfromgreatisland says

    January 23, 2017 at 10:44 am

    Mmmmmm, I love veggie Biryani ~ I make my own, but now I need to try your version, I love that you’ve scaled it down, perfect for Valentine’s Day!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 23, 2017 at 2:18 pm

      That’s so great! This would be perfect for a quaint dinner for two!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Tina - the human behind all the content you see on this blog. Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I create flavorful and unique plant-based recipes.

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