Layered Vegetable Biryani with Raita

A fragrant, celebratory Indian rice dish where spiced vegetables are layered with aromatic basmati rice, slow-cooked to perfection, and served with a refreshing cucumber and mint raita.

• Prep: 30 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 15 min
• Servings: 3
• Cuisine: Indian
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $2.17/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• Gluten-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Fiber
• Kosher
• Halal

Tags

• comfort food
• savory
• steam
• bake

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 red onion (medium, thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 0.5 cup carrot (diced)
• 0.5 cup green beans (trimmed, chopped)
• 0.5 cup green peas
• 0.5 cup potato (diced)
• 0.5 cup Roma tomato (diced)
• 0.75 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 0.25 teaspoon red chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1.75 cup water
• 0.5 cup cucumber (grated)
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)
• 1 pinch roasted cumin powder
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Rinse 1 cup of basmati rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in fresh water for at least 30 minutes, then drain.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced red onion and cook until deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 10-12 minutes. Remove about half of the fried onions and set aside for garnish.
3. To the remaining onions in the pot, add the grated fresh ginger and minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the diced carrots, green beans, green peas, and diced potato. Sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the diced Roma tomatoes. Cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Lower the heat, then add 1/2 cup plain yogurt, garam masala, ground coriander, turmeric powder, red chili powder (if using), and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes, adding 1/4 cup water if the mixture becomes too dry.
6. To layer the biryani, spread half of the drained basmati rice evenly over the vegetable mixture in the pot. Then spread the remaining spiced vegetables over the rice. Finally, top with the remaining basmati rice.
7. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water over the rice layers gently. Cover the pot tightly (you can use foil under the lid for a better seal) and cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
8. Once cooked, remove the pot from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the biryani with a fork.
9. Meanwhile, prepare the raita. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup grated cucumber, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, a pinch of roasted cumin powder, and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix well.
10. Garnish the biryani with the reserved fried onions and fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve hot with the cooling cucumber and mint raita.

Notes

Soaking the rice is crucial for fluffy, separated grains. For extra authenticity, a pinch of saffron steeped in warm milk can be drizzled over the top layer of rice before cooking.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 520
• Protein: 14.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 84.1 g
• Fat: 15.3 g
• Fiber: 9.5 g
• Sodium: 650 mg
• Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
• Sugar: 7.8 g
• Cholesterol: 10 mg