Description
Quick and Easy Vegetable Biryani! A fragrant Indian rice dish infused with Indian spices – vegan adaptable and gluten-free. A quick and easy weeknight meal. I highly recommend serving with Cilantro Mint Chutney.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white basmati rice (see notes for brown basmati)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or sub ghee or coconut oil)
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup diced carrot (or use match sticks)
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated or use ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin (or sub 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds)
- 2 teaspoons coriander (or use 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, cracked open)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (or sub chili powder w/a pinch cayenne)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or one cinnamon stick)
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (or 3 crushed cardamom pods)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 star anise pod (optional)
- 4 cups veggie stock (or chicken stock) (For fluffier rice use 3 1/2 cups.)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Garnish: 1/4 cup cashews and chopped parsley or cilantro
Serve with yogurt or our Cilantro Mint Chutney (vegan adaptable!)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, or braiser or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until tender and golden, 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium, add the veggies, garlic and ginger, and sauté 4-5 minutes until tender-crisp.
- Add spices and bay leaf, and stir one minute, toasting the spices. Remove one cup of the mixture and set aside.
- Add the rice and saute it with the veggies for one minute. Add the with veggie broth and salt, stir.
- Top with drained chickpeas, raisins, and the cup of veggies you set aside. Bring to a boil over high heat, then gradually lower heat to medium-low, maintaining its simmer. When simmering, cover the pot with a thin dish towel, then place the lid over the top of the towel, and bring the four corners of the towel up and over the lid. This will tighten the seal and keep the steam in, allowing the rice to cook more quickly and evenly.
- Simmer on medium-low, 15 to 20 minutes or until the rice has soaked up the liquid. Take a quick peek, if done, replace the lid, turn the heat off, and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
- While it is simmering, make the Cilantro Mint Chutney!
- Uncover the Biryani and fluff up with a fork. Top with the toasted cashews and cilantro.
- Serve with optional Chutney.
Notes
***Instant or “Quick Cooking” Basmati Rice does not taste good here.
Basmati Rice: The liquid rice ratio may vary -please refer to your rice package instructions. For example, my basmati rice says 1 cup rice to 2 cups water. If yours says 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water, please adjust veggie stock accordingly.
Brown basmati rice: soak it in hot water while you prep your ingredients. Brown rice will require 10-15 more minutes of cooking time and more liquid. Check package directions for cooking time and liquid requirements- adding more liquid if need be! Each rice is different.
Variations: You are welcome to add other veggies to the biryani- here I’ve added thinly sliced sweet peppers. Zucchini, eggplant or even mushrooms (saute them first) would be nice. If you want to add chicken to this, make sure to season it well and brown it first before adding to the rice mixture to simmer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ¼ cups
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 10.2 g
- Sodium: 416.2 mg
- Fat: 6.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 73.6 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 8.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg