Recipe · Rice & Biryani
Vegetable Dum Biryani
காய்கறி தம் பிரியாணி
Saffron-laced basmati steamed over a bed of spiced vegetables, topped with fried onions and cashews.
Method · stovetop
- 01Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes. Drain.
- 02Deep-fry sliced onions in ghee until golden brown. Reserve half for layering.
- 03In the same ghee, temper whole spices. Add ginger-garlic paste and vegetables. Stir 4 minutes.
- 04Add yoghurt, half the mint and coriander, and salt. Simmer 8 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- 05Parboil the drained rice in salted water with a bay leaf until 70% cooked. Drain.
- 06Layer: half the vegetables, half the rice, fried onions, herbs; repeat. Drizzle saffron milk on top.
- 07Seal the pot with dough or foil under the lid. Cook on very low heat for 20 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before opening.
A note from Lavanya
My mother-in-law taught me that dum biryani is less about the spice list and more about patience — let the lid stay sealed with dough for twenty full minutes. The waiting is the recipe.
