Vegetable Biryani with Cauliflower, Carrots, and Peas from ‘Vegetarian India’
Every week, Yahoo Food spotlights a cookbook that stands out from all the rest. This week’s cookbook is Vegetarian India: A Journey Through the Best of Indian Home Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House). The legendary actress and Indian cooking authority has written seven James Beard Award–winning cookbooks. Read more about Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week here.
Photograph by Jonathan Gregson
Vegetable Biryani with Cauliflower, Carrots, and Peas
gobi, gajar aur matar ki biryani
Serves 4–6
Biryanis are generally complicated affairs: you partially cook the rice, you partially cook the vegetables, you brown onions by themselves, and then you layer the three in a pan and let them bake together. In my effort to simplify the dish for this book, what I have done is to cook the rice by itself, then quickly stir-fry the vegetables with onions, and then put everything together in a large warmed platter or serving bowl. Biryanis are usually served with a yogurt relish and a salad, but you could add a dal.
I like to remove the large spices, such as the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon, from the rice before mixing it with the vegetables. (No one does this in India, as we know they are not meant for eating. We just gently push them aside on the plate.)
Here is my timetable for making the dish: I first wash the rice and set it to soak. While it is soaking, I chop up everything needed to make the vegetables. Then I cook the rice. While it is in the oven, I cook the vegetables. If I am eating immediately, I warm up a large serving bowl and empty the rice into it, gently breaking up any lumps. I empty the vegetables on top of it and mix gently but thoroughly. If I am eating much later, I wrap the pan of rice in a heavy towel and set it aside. It will stay hot for 2 hours. If it has cooled off too much, I reheat it in the oven for 20 minutes or so. The vegetables are left in the pan and they warm up easily over low heat. Then I mix the two together.
2 cups of basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil or ghee (clarified butter), or a combination of the two
A 2-inch cinnamon stick
1–2 bay leaves
4–5 cloves
4–5 cardamom pods
¼ teaspoon whole black cumin seeds (use ordinary cumin seeds if you do not have them)
12 cashews, split in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons golden raisins
½ medium onion, peeled and cut into fine half rings
1 ½ teaspoons salt
For the vegetables
2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil or ghee (clarified butter), or a combination of the two
¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
½ medium onion, peeled and cut into fine half rings
2 teaspoons peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
2 cups small cauliflower florets, about ½ inch wide and 1 inch long, well washed and drained
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced to the size of peas
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼-½ teaspoon nice red chili powder
1 cup cooked fresh peas or defrosted frozen peas
2–4 fresh hot green chilies, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
Wash the rice in several changes of water. Place the rice in a bowl, cover generously with water, and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain.
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Put the oil or ghee for the rice in a heavy ovenproof pan with a well-fitting lid and set over medium heat. When hot, add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, and cumin seeds. Stir for a few seconds, then add the cashews. As soon as they are golden, add the raisins. They will plump up immediately. Quickly add the onions and fry until reddish. Add the drained rice, 2 ¾ cups water and the salt. Stir and bring to a boil, then cover tightly with foil and a lid. Place in the oven for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the vegetables. Put the oil into a medium, preferably nonstick frying pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the onions, ginger, cauliflower, carrots, turmeric, and chili powder. Stir gently for about 3–4 minutes, still over medium-high heat, until the onions and cauliflower are lightly browned.
Reduce the heat to medium low and add the peas, green chilies, salt, black pepper, garam masala, and lime juice. Stir gently and cook for another 3–5 minutes or until the vegetables are just done.
Take the rice out of the oven when it is ready and let it sit for 10 minutes. After that, empty it into a warmed bowl and break up any lumps without breaking the grains. Add all the ingredients from the frying pan and mix gently but thoroughly. Serve immediately.
Reprinted with permission from Vegetarian India: A Journey Through the Best of Indian Home Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey (Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House).
More vegetarian recipes to make at home:
Butternut Squash with Ginger Tomatoes and Lime Yogurt
