Veg Dum Biryani Recipe | How To Make Veg Dum Biryani | Layered Biryani

Vegetable Biryani or Veg Dum Biryani is a popular vegetarian dish fit for celebratory banquets and feasts. It is a deliciously fragrant blend of rice and vegetables and is ideal to serve to special guests or at parties where you want to impress with your culinary prowess.

It is believed that the recipe for vegetable biryani originated in the courts of the Mughal emperors where it was created for the vegetarian days in the court, a practice started by Akbar and continued by his son Jehangir, and grandson Shah Jahan. The popularity of this dish spread fast and wide in India, hastened by its deliciousness and the large percentage of vegetarians across the country Vegetarian biryani is now also a staple at wedding banquets and feasts. The use of ‘dum’ method of cooking after the layering of vegetables and rice, gives this dish an unparalleled depth of flavours which are gratifying.

Our rich and delectable vegetable biryani recipe is adapted from the book ‘The Bangala Table: Flavors and Recipes from Chettinad’ written by Sumeet Nair and Meenakshi Meyyappan. It is a pakki Biryani (one in which the rice and vegetables are cooked before layering) which is redolent of the fragrance of long-grained basmati rice and aromatic from the use of whole spices such as bay leaf, cardamom, and cinnamon. Cauliflower florets, fresh green peas, and potatoes, all provide their unique flavour and characteristic texture to this veg dum biryani recipe. Mint and coriander enhance this dish with their fresh taste and herby aroma.

The subtle heat and a unique taste in our vegetable biryani recipe comes from the use of a variety of dried red chillies called goondu milagai. Goondu milagai is used commonly in the food of Tamil Nadu, especially in Chettinad cuisine. These chillies are also known as Ramnad mundu chillies as they are grown in the Ramnad district of Tamil Nadu. The word goondu translates to ‘fat’ and refers to the shape of the chillies which are round and fat in appearance. These chillies can be procured from the larger grocery store chains in various cities of India as well as the specialty stores catering to the Tamil population in pockets of various cities.

Easy Tips on How to Make Vegetable Biryani:

If you are wondering how to make Vegetable Biryani, you must first know that though preparing any Veg Dum Biryani takes longer than most other rice recipes, you could save time by working ahead. The vegetables can be prepared and cooked the previous night, though we always prefer to make them fresh. You could also make a checklist of all other ingredients to be used for the vegetable biryani and have them prepared and assembled ahead of making it. Basmati rice is the preferred variety of rice to make this biryani as its fragrance and longer grains are ideal for this dish.

One must not skip the step of soaking the rice while attempting this recipe as this step ensures fluffy separate grains of rice, which are the hallmark of a perfect biryani.

The use of ghee helps enhance the richness, flavour, and aroma of the vegetable biryani giving the dish the perfect finish. We feel the use of ghee for the best vegetable biryani is essential.

Vegetable Biryani Recipe Variations:

Though we have specified cauliflower, peas, and potatoes for our Vegetable Dum Biryani recipe, you could use local and seasonally available vegetables such as carrots and beans while making it. Vegetarians can add protein to this recipe by adding cubed and lightly fried paneer to this dish. One can also add medium-sized soya granules to this recipe. When done, you could garnish it with ginger juliennes and sliced chillies. Mint and birista or browned onions can make for a great garnish and an added layer of flavour. This veg dum biryani can be eaten for lunch or dinner.

This vegetable biryani is the centre of attraction at any dining table and can have mirchi ka salan, kachumber, and pomegranate raita playing the supporting roles. Veg Biryani can also be served with a variety of other accompaniments such as pickle, sliced onions, mixed salad, and fried papad or South-Indian appalams on the side.

Find the best vegetable biryani recipe step by step with all ingredients and easy instructions and method below and watch our supporting vegetable biryani recipe video to see all processes and details.
 

Or see all our Vegetarian Recipes right here!