Rice Dishes Recipes - Vegetable Biryani Rice Recipe

Ingredients

• 60ml/4 tbsp oil or ghee

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed

• 1cm/1/2 in ginger root, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 60ml/4 tbsp desiccated (shredded) coconut

• 5ml/1 tsp garam masala

• 5ml/1 tsp ground coriander (cilantro)

• 5ml/1 tsp ground roasted cumin

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground red chili

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• salt

• 400g/14 oz canned tomatoes

• 250g/9 oz frozen sweet corn, thawed

• 150g/5 oz paneer, cut into 1cm/1/2 in pieces

• 30ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

• 30ml/2 tbsp lemon juice

• 15ml/1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Rice

• 90ml/6 tbsp ghee

• 5ml/1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 4 cloves

• 4 black peppercorns

• 2.5cm/1 in cinnamon stick

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 black cardamom pod

• 225g/8 oz patna or basmati rice, washed and drained

• 5ml/1 tsp garam masala

• 5ml/1 tsp ground roasted cumin

• salt

• 100g/4 oz raisins

• 50g/2 oz blanched almonds, halved

• 50g/1/2 cup cashew nuts, halved

• 500ml/2 1/4 cups water

To finish

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground saffron

• 45ml/3 tbsp warm milk

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Method:

1. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-based pan and fry the cumin seeds until lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger and onion and fry until golden brown. Stir in the coconut and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, chili, turmeric and salt.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, sweet corn and paneer. Cook for about 20 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the coriander, lemon juice and mint. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, cook the rice. Heat the ghee in a heavy-based pan and fry the cumin seeds until lightly browned. Add the onion, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and cardamom and fry until golden brown. Mix the rice and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the garam masala, cumin and salt. Stir in the raisins, nuts and water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Dissolve the saffron in the warm milk.

4. To assemble the dish, layer the vegetables and rice in a heavy-based pan and pour over the saffron milk. Cover and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Before serving, place a serving dish on the saucepan and carefully turn them over. Tap a little with a spoon on the pan and gently lift it off, leaving the biryani in the serving dish. Serve hot with raita, salad, and potatoes and peas.