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A super delicious Mughlai Veggie Biryani packed full of flavor with delicious herbs, spices and veggies. This recipe is great for dinner or entertaining. Vegan Gluten Free Recipe.Jump to Recipe
I usually don’t like to cook much on weekends since I cook so much during the week. I want to spend the most time with hubbs and go out and all that. But as luck would have it, my eyes were singing a different song altogether and not letting me get out on long drives!. Hate this allergy season! So, on Saturday evening, random recipes were circling in my head. I decided to make a rice dish but not the usual Biryani or Pulao. I decided to use some of the elements of mughlai creamy curries and some cashews to make a Mughlai Vegetable Biryani!
Muglai Veggie Biryani
A super delicious Mughlai Veggie Biryani packed full of flavor with delicious herbs, spices and veggies. This recipe is great for dinner or entertaining. Vegan Gluten Free Recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 cups basmati rice, cooked
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 6-8 raw cashews, (you can use roasted or fried as well)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cloves
- 1 cardamom
- 1/2 inch cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds or powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, (methi)
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- Assorted chopped veggies: , ( I used 1 cup cauliflower, 1/2 cup green bell pepper,1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup peas, 1/2 cup french beans. You can add Tofu tikkas as well.)
- 1 cup cilantro, for garnish
- 1 cup chopped tomato, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the rice and keep aside.
- In a large pan, heat the oil at medium heat and add all the whole spices(cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel, coriander, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom)
- Let them cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the chopped onions and mix well. Cook the onions with occasional stirring.
- Add in the dried red chillies, raw cashews and turmeric after 10 minutes and cook for another 5 minutes or until onions turn golden.
- Cool this onion cashew mixture and blend with a little water to coarse paste.
- In the same pan, add a little oil and this mixture. Cook the mixture for 6-7 minutes on medium heat.
- Add in all the veggies, ginger garlic paste, salt and sugar.
- Mix well and cook on medium low heat, covered, with occasional stirring.
- Once the veggies are almost cooked, remove from heat.
- Grease a baking dish and layer half inch of rice.
- Drop the veggies mixture on top to cover all of the rice with a half inch layer. If here is more veggies mixture left, you can make another rice layer and veggies layer.
- Add a half inch layer of rice.
- Garnish the top with chopped tomatoes, cilantro and lemon juice.
- Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes right before serving.
Notes
Nutritional value is based on 1 serving
Nutrition
Calories: 577kcal, Carbohydrates: 117g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 5g, Sodium: 304mg, Potassium: 303mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 645IU, Vitamin C: 8.7mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
I like Biryani dish, because I’ve had it in an Indian restaurant. I want to make my own, but I’m not an Indian. I see you have few variations that I can not choose from. There are few of the same spaces in all of them, but there are also many different once. Is there a perfect combination of spaces that I can use in any Biryani and still have the same delicious taste? Thank you!
Indian restaurants have their own variations and biryanis also come in various flavors based on region. Try my jackfruit Biryani. That has a good base of the spices
Re: 2 dried chilis.
Cooking for friends with a mild palate.
Don’t want bland either. Wonder how to substitute paprika or minimal amount of cayenne?
yes, either would work. season to taste
Hi !
Is it ok to use frozen veggies ? And to freeze the meal ?
Yes
Easy and super tasty. Have tried this over and over now.
Hi there a question-
Is it 3 cups of cooked rice or 3 cups raw rice cooked?
Thank you
Hi Richa! I found a spice mix on Amazon called Biryani Masala- would this be an option to use in place of the different spices?
Hey Andrea – thanks for the question. sure that one would be excellent. it usually contains all of the same types of components like cardamon and fennel among others. Go for it =) also I like to use this lovely spice box
Great- thank you!!