Best Vegan Dum Biryani Recipe
Vegetable Dum Biryani is one dish that brings the essence of Indian Cuisine to your table. Here, I share the vegan version which substitutes dairy ingredients with plant-based alternatives.
Servings: 6
Calories: 426kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup basmati rice aged
- 1 onion large (half sliced, half chopped)
- 12 ounce mixed vegetables or 2 cups (fresh or frozen)
- 2 star anise
- 3 potatoes chopped (2 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 4 green cardamom
- 2 mace
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder spicy
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 cup yogurt almond milk
- 6 saffron strands
- salt for taste
- 15 mint leaves
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kewra water optional
- 2 cups water
Instructions
Step 1: Preparing rice
- Soak the basmati rice in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Place the soaked and drained rice into the instant pot pressure cooker; add water, salt, star anise, and saffron strands.2 cup basmati rice, 2 star anise, 2 cups water, 6 saffron strands
- Cook for 4 minutes on high pressure, and allow to release naturally. Once done, set aside.
Step 2: Preparing vegetables
- Placa a big bottom pan over medium-high heat. Add oil, and once hot, add the thinly sliced onions. Fry them until they become golden brown. Place it aside.3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion
- Using the same oil, add all the whole spices, including bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon stick star anise. Allow them to sizzle for a few seconds.4 green cardamom, 2 mace, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Add the ginger, garlic, and chopped onions and fry until the raw smell disappears.1 teaspoon ginger, 3 garlic cloves
- Add mixed vegetables and potatoes, and cook on medium heat until they turn tender.12 ounce mixed vegetables, 3 potatoes
- Add all the spice powders and mix well. Add yogurt and cook for a few minutes until well combined.1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 cup yogurt, salt for taste
Step 3: Dum biryani assembly
- Take another large pot with a lid, or use the same pot. Start layering the vegan Biryani by first adding the vegetable mixture, topped with a layer of cooked rice, then layer with fried onions and mint leaves. Repeat until the rice and vegetable mixture are done. I got 3 layers of rice and 3 layers of the vegetable mixture.15 mint leaves
- Pour kewra water or rose water all over. Place a moist, clean cloth to seal the rim. You can also use aluminum foil to seal the utensil. ( I used foil) Put the lid on.1 tablespoon kewra water
- Cook for 10 - 15 minutes on Dum/ low flame(dum cooking). After that, turn off the heat and do not open the lid for another 5-7 minutes. Enjoy your veg dum biryani with vegan raita.
Video
Notes
- Use a 1:1 ratio for rice and water for the instant pot or 1:3 for the stove pot.
- The cooking time during "dum" can vary slightly depending on the thickness of your utensil. So you can be the best judge for that. A perfect biryani must not burn at the bottom or be moist either.
- You can add plant-based protein alternatives like tofu or chickpeas for added texture and flavor.
- Aged basmati rice works best for this dish, as it is less starchy and cooks into individual grains without getting mushy.
- Instead of all the listed spices, you can use 1 -2 tablespoons of biryani masala, which you can find in any Indian grocery store.
- Instead of adding saffron to the rice, you can add saffron milk (saffron strands soaked in oat milk) while assembling the vegan biryani.
Nutrition
Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 767mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 903IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg