Mix vegetable biryani recipe - Veg biryani in pressure cooker

Mix vegetable biryani recipe - I am a  great fan of all kinds of  biryani, pulao and spicy rice. In fact, I can't live without rice. Today, I am going to share a classic Vegetable Biryani recipe which you can prepare and serve for a small party or your weekend meal. This vegetable biryani has been tried and tested many a times and ingredients are adjusted to suit our taste buds.

Traditionally, biryani is made in a heavy bottomed vessel, arranging the vegetables, rice, ghee, oil and other ingredients in layers. The lid of the vessel is sealed with wheat flour dough and then cooked on a low flame. But this method is really time consuming  and not practical during morning rush. Cooking biryani in pressure cooker is not only easy but quick too.

Looking at the long list of ingredients, it looks bit tedious. But in fact, it is damn easy once you exactly know how to proceed with proper steps. So, I have posted this recipe with step by step pictures. Once the biryani is done, the fragrance of it makes you hungry and you will be eager to eat it. This vegetable biryani tastes great when serve hot and accompanied by crispy papads, tempting pickles and chilled  raitas.

Mix vegetable biryani recipe

Prep time : 20 mins
Cook time : 45 mins
Total time : 65 mins
Recipe type : Main-Biryani
Cuisine : Indian
Yield : Serves 6
Author : Vidya Chandrahas

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups basmati rice
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 heaped tsp chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• Salt to taste

Vegetables Needed

• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 4 medium sized carrots
• 250 grams ivy gourds / tindora
• 250 grams fresh beans
• 2 cups parboiled dry green peas
• 1 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh coconut

For the tempering

• 4 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 7-8 clove / lavang
• 1/2 " cinnamon / dalchini
• 8-10 black pepper
• 6 green cardamoms, slightly crushed
• 2 allspice leaves or bay leaves

Preparation

1. Wash the basmati rice, drain and keep it aside for 20-25 minutes. 
2. Blend the grated fresh coconut into smooth paste adding some water and set aside.
3. Wash the carrots, peel and cut them into cubes
4. Wash the beans, cut the end parts and chop them into length wise.
5. Soak the dry green peas overnight, parboil them  and set aside. 
6. Peel the onions and chop them into small pieces.
7. Wash the ivy gourds, cut the end parts and slit them into half in the middle.

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker, reserve the remaining oil and add the cloves, cinnamon, crushed cardamoms and pepper. 
2. Add the allspice leaves and saute till they release fragrance.  
3. Add the onion and ginger garlic paste. 
4. Add the remaining oil and fry till the onions turn brown and aromatic. 
5. Then add the carrot and ivy gourds, mix well and saute for a while. 
6. Add the chopped beans and parboiled dry green peas.  Saute for a minute. 
7. Add the rice and ghee,  stir to combine. 
8. Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, saute for  2-3 minutes on high flame. 
9. Add the coconut paste. Add 5½ cups of hot water and salt. 
10. Add the chopped cilantro and mix well. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and take 2 or 3 whistles. . 
11. hen the pressure releases, serve the vegetable biryani hot with crispy papads, pickles, and chilled raitas

Note

1. I have used parboiled dry green peas in this dish. You can use fresh green peas in the place of dry green peas. 
2. Adding ghee and oil together gives a unique flavor to the biryani. So, I have used both oil and ghee in this dish. You can add more ghee or oil if you like it.
3. While cooking biryani in pressure cooker, cooking of biryani is identical to that of cooking rice. Therefore to avoid rice becoming too soft, take cooker whistles as of you are cooking normal rice.

Mix vegetable biryani - step by step pictures

1.  Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker, reserve the remaining oil and add the cloves, cinnamon, crushed cardamoms and pepper. Add the allspice leaves and saute till they release fragrance.  

2.  Add the onion and ginger garlic paste. Add the remaining oil and fry till the onions turn brown and aromatic. Then add the carrot and ivy gourds, mix well and saute for a while. 

3.  Add the chopped beans and parboiled dry green peas.  Saute for a minute. 

4.  Add the rice and ghee,  stir to combine. Add the chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, saute for  2-3 minutes on high flame. Add the coconut paste. Add 5½ cups of hot water and salt. 

5.  Add the chopped cilantro and mix well. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and take 2 or 3 whistles. . 

6.  When the pressure releases, serve the vegetable biryani hot with crispy papads, pickles, and chilled raitas