Pressure Cooker Vegetable Biriyani

Vegetable biriyani is a rice dish loved by all. But after work, i feel reluctant to cook the same since i feel it to be a very long time consuming process. I tried many a times cooking biriyani in a pressure cooker and the result was mushy rice without any flavour. Then i came across an idea from Padhuskitchen for making rice varieties in pressure cooker without making it sticky. I was eager to try the same and for a weekend lunch tried it out. The technique worked out successfully and now i prepare biriyani and many other rice varieties too in the pressure cooker which save me a lot of time.

 

Ingredients

• Basmati Rice – 2 cups
• Water – 4 cups
• Onion – 2 big thinly sliced
• Tomato – 1 big finely chopped
• Carrot – 2 medium cut lengthwise
• Beans – 8 cut lengthwise
• Potato – 2 medium cubed
• Green peas – 0.5 cup
• Green chilli – 3 slit
• Ginger – 1 inch piece finely chopped
• Garlic – 1 clove finely chopped
• Mint leaves – 2 tbsp finely chopped
• Coriander leaves – 2tbsp chopped
• Lemon juice – 1.5 tbsp

Spice powders

• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1.25 tsp
• Biriyani masala powder – 2.5 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 0.25 tsp

Seasoning Ingredients

• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cloves – 5
• Cinnamon – 2 (1 inch piece)
• Bay leaf – 1
• Cardamom – 2

Garnishing Ingredients

• Coriander leaves finely chopped

Preparation

Wash and soak the rice for half an hour.Drain and keep it aside.

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add all the ingredients mentioned under seasoning.Saute for few seconds.
2. Add thinly sliced onions.
3. When the onions become translucent, add finely chopped ginger, garlic and slit green chilies. Saute until the raw smell of garlic goes.
4. Add finely chopped tomatoes. Saute until it turns mushy and start leaving oil from the sides.
5. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder,coriander powder and biriyani masala. Saute for few minutes.
6. Add mint leaves, coriander leaves and chopped vegetables.Mix well and saute for few minutes.
7. Add drained basmati rice. Mix well.
8. Add 4 cups of hot water. Add salt and lemon juice.Mix well and bring it to boil.
9. When water starts boiling, reduce the flame to low and close the cooker. Do not use whistle/weight. Just invert a small cup to prevent steam from escaping.
10. Cook on very low heat for 6 min and switch off. Open the cooker after 5 min.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot and enjoy.

Notes

1. Ginger garlic paste can be used. We personally do not prefer it. So always use freshly chopped ginger and garlic.
2. I used Kitchen King Biriyani masala.