Veg Biryani | Restaurant Style Biryani

Veg Biryani | Restaurant Style Biryani is a one-pot delicious and exotic rice dish made with layers of rice and vegetables, flavored with Indian spices.

My family is a great fan of Biryani and we love it as it is a one-pot meal. My hubby requires a bowl of curd or some salad or papad on the side, but for me, I am happy with just the Biryani. Veg Biryani | Restaurant Style Biryani is actually very exotic and makes an excellent party dish. It is perfect to serve for lunch as well as dinner.

Veg Biryani | Restaurant Style Biryani has a long ingredient list, trust me they are basic ingredients available in every kitchen. The procedure looks elaborate, but each and every minute spent on it is worth it. You will love the flavors, they are mild but exotic. You will want to eat more and more.

When we talk of Veg Biryani, A lot of people think of it as a Pulao. It is the Non-Veg Biryani, which is considered as Biryani. So, before we start making the Biryani, let us understand the difference between a Pulao and Biryani.

What is the difference between Pulao and Biryani?

Both Pulao and Biryani are rice-based dishes with vegetables or meat.
Pulao is a one-pot dish made with the absorption method. The rice and vegetables are cooked together. It is simple to cook them. But a traditional biryani needs time and patience. The rice is cooked in an open pot, where each grain is separate. This is layered with vegetables or meat and cooked over dum or slow cooking. Ingredients like caramelized onions and saffron-infused milk are key in a biryani which are usually not used in a pulao. The key difference is

To make this Biryani it is important to choose the correct Ingredients.

Rice: To make biryani, Basmati rice that is aged is best. The rice is long-grained and fragrant. I always wash it well and then soak it for 30 minutes. Cooking rice for biryani is an art. The rice should be cooked perfectly, about 80%. Make sure it is not mushy. I have a special post on How to Cook Perfect Rice for Biryani that will help you.

Vegetables: I like to add cauliflower, beans, carrots, and potatoes to this biryani. You can minus or add the vegetables as per your taste.

Spices: I add whole spices like bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper to the rice as well as the masala for the vegetables. The whole spices release their aroma slowly and make the biryani very flavorful. Among the dry spices, I use my homemade Garam Masala and red chilly powder. Alternatively, use store-bought Biryani Masala.

Ginger Garlic Chilly Paste: I make a paste of ginger, garlic, and chili to season the vegetables. They impart a strong and delicious flavor.

Dairy: For this biryani, I have used Ghee, milk, curd, and paneer. If you are a vegan, substitute ghee with oil, paneer with tofu and milk with almond milk, and curd with vegan curd.

Herbs: I have used both coriander and mint leaves. They add freshness and flavor.

Nuts: I have used pan-fried cashews, alternatively use almonds. A handful of ghee-sauteed raisins tastes delicious too.

Birista: Birista is thinly sliced onion that we deep-fry in oil till golden brown and crisp. This is a special ingredient and a must for Biryani.

Saffron: Dissolve the saffron in milk, I even dissolve it in water and then rub it well in my mini mortar and pestle.

Flavoring: I use either Rose Water or Kewda Water

How to make Veg Biryani | Restaurant Style Biryani

Rice

Wash the rice till the water runs clear, and soak it for about 30 minutes.
Place 6 cups of water to boil in a big pot and add a bay leaf, 3-4 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 3-4 cloves, 1 stick cinnamon, and 3-4 peppercorns.
After the water comes to a rolling boil, add rice and salt.
Let the rice boil on full flame till 80% cooked.
Remove from the fire and using a sieve drain all the water.
Pour cold water over the rice, this shall stop the rice from cooking further.
Let the rice stand in the sieve, all the extra water will drain out. Once the water has drained, spread the rice in a tray to dry.
Drizzle a tablespoon of oil.
The rice is ready, keep it aside.

Let’s cook the Vegetables

Boil the vegetables or alternatively steam cook them with salt. Make sure not to overcook them.
Keep aside. They should be firm to bite.

Prepare the Masala

Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon each of ghee and oil. Add the whole spices and saute till the aroma of the spices is released.
Add a sliced onion and saute it till translucent.
Now add garlic, ginger, and chilly paste and saute for a minute.
Next, add the steamed veggies and cubed paneer. Season lightly with salt and half the coriander leaves. Add the red chilly powder and gram masala. Toss well so the veggies are well coated with the masala.
Add the whipped curd to this masala and gently mix in. Cook for a minute or two, then switch off the flame. Check for salt and spice level.

Dissolve the Saffron

Warm the milk and add the saffron to it. Let it soak, and then rub the strands.

Let us Layer the Biryani

Grease a thick bottom pan with a tablespoon of oil. Now divide the rice into three parts and the vegetable mix into two parts.

Add one part of the rice to the greased pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mint leaves and 1/3 of the birista. Drizzle a few drops of rose water. Now add one part of the vegetable mix. This is our first layer.
Repeat the procedure till the rice and vegetables are finished. So we have two layers of vegetables and three of rice.

Once I make the third rice layer, I poke the rice at different spots and pour ghee and sprinkle the saffron milk.
Now sprinkle birista, and cover the rice. Place it on a very slow flame over a griddle. Let cook for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to infuse.

Garnish with cashews, lemon slices, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and dried rose buds. Serve hot with a side of Boondi Raita.

Tips and Suggestions to Make a Perfect Biryani

• Use the finest long-grained rice for a good biryani.
• Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes.
• Cook the rice perfectly. Cook only till 80%. The rest will cook after layering.
• Use fresh vegetables and well-balanced spices.
• If you don’t like the whole spices, tie them in a muslin cloth and dunk them in the pot of boiling water.
• Choose a heavy bottom pot for layering the biryani.
• Greasing the pot is important so that the rice does not stick at the bottom.
• Saffron and rose buds give the biryani the exotic look and flavor that is available in restaurants.

Let us check some other delicious Veg Biryanis

1

Awadhi Biryani

Awadhi Biryani is a sensational biryani from the royal mughal kitchen. Layers of rice and vegetables are simmered , with ghee and saffron.

Check out this recipe

2

Shajahanvi Biryani

Shajahanvi Biryani is a royal, exotic biryani from the Mughal kitchen. The Biryani has been named after the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan.

Check out this recipe

3

Banarasi Tandoori Biryani

Banarasi Tandoori Biryani is a smoky biryani made with flavourful tandoori vegetables and long grain Basmati rice .

Check out this recipe

4

Vegetable Biryani Cake

A Protein Rich layered Biryani, which is compressed to make a cake.

Check out this recipe

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5 from 3 votes

Veg Biryani | Restaurant style Veg Biryani

Veg Biryani | Restaurant Style Biryani is a one-pot delicious and exotic rice dish made with layers of rice and vegetables, flavored with Indian spices.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Indian Cuisine, North Indian Cuisine

Keyword Festival Food, Restaurant Style

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Vaishali Sabnani

Equipment

• Pan / Kadai / Wok
• Strainer
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

Rice

• 2 cups Rice
• 6 cups Water
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 3-4 Green Cardamom
• 1-2 Black Cardamom
• 3-4 Cloves
• 1 stick Cinnamon
• Few Peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon Oil
• Salt to taste

Veggies

• 1 Onion , sliced
• 8-10 French Beans cut into 3-4 pieces
• 1 Potato sliced
• 1 Carrot sliced
• 1 cup Cauliflower Flowerets

Whole Spices

• 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 2 Bay Leaf
• 3 Green Cardamom
• 1 small piece Cinnamon
• 2-3 Cloves

Paste

• 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
• 1/2 tablespoon Ginger Paste
• 1/2 tablespoon Green Chilly Paste

Dry Spices

• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri Mirch
• Salt to taste
• 1 large pinch Saffron

Dairy

• 150 gm Paneer cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 cup fresh Curd whipped

Nuts

• 4 tablespoon Cashewnuts broken, pan fried

Herbs

• 1/2 cup Coriander Leaves
• 1/2 cup Mint Leaves roughly torn

Garnish

• Birista
• Dried Rose Buds | Petals
• Lemon Slices
• 4 tablespoon Oil
• 4 tablespoon Ghee

Instructions

Rice

• Wash the rice till the water runs clear, and soak it for about 30 minutes.
• Place 6 cups of water to boil in a big pot and add a bay leaf, 3-4 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 3-4 cloves, 1 stick cinnamon, and 3-4 peppercorns.
• After the water comes to a rolling boil, add rice and salt.
• Let the rice boil on full flame till 80% cooked.
• Remove from the fire and using a sieve drain all the water.
• Pour cold water over the rice, this shall stop the rice from cooking further.
• Let the rice stand in the sieve, so that all the extra water is drained out. Once the water has drained, spread the rice in a tray to dry.
• Drizzle a tablespoon of oil.
• Our rice is ready to be used for biryani.

Let’s cook the vegetables

• Boil the vegetables or alternatively steam cooks them with salt. Make sure not to overcook them.
• Keep aside. They should be firm to bite.

Prepare the Masala

• Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon each of ghee and oil. Add the whole spices and saute till the aroma of these spices is released.
• Add a sliced onion and saute it till translucent.
• Now add garlic, ginger, and chilly paste and saute for a minute.
• Next, add the steamed veggies and cubed paneer. Season lightly with salt and half the coriander leaves. Add the red chilly powder and gram masala. Toss well so the veggies are well coated with the masala.
• Add the whipped curd to this masala and gently mix in. Cook for a minute or two, then switch off the flame. Check for salt and spice level.

Dissolve the Saffron

• Warm the milk and add the saffron to it. Let it soak, and then rub the strands.

Let us Layer the Biryani

• Grease a thick bottom pan with a tablespoon of oil. Now divide the rice into three parts and the vegetable mix into two parts.
• Add one part of the rice to the greased pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mint leaves and 1/3 of the barista. Drizzle a few drops of rose water. Now add one part of the vegetable mix. This is our first layer.
• We will repeat the procedure till the rice and vegetables are finished. So we have two layers of vegetables and three of rice.
• Once I make the third rice layer, I poke the rice at different spots and pour ghee and sprinkle the saffron milk.
• Now sprinkle birista, and cover the rice. Place it on very slow flame over a griddle. Let cook for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to infuse.
• Garnish with cashews, lemon slices, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and dried rose buds. Serve hot with a side of Boondi Raita.

Notes

Tips and Suggestions to Make a Perfect Biryani

Use the finest long-grained rice for a good biryani.

Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes. Cook the rice perfectly. Cook only till 80%. The rest will cook after layering.

Use fresh vegetables and well-balanced spices. If you don’t like the whole spices, tie them in a muslin cloth and dunk them in the pot of boiling water.

Choose a heavy bottom pot for layering the biryani. Greasing the pot is important so that the rice does not stick at the bottom.

Saffron and rose buds give the biryani the exotic look and flavor that is available in restaurants.