What food would you say is your specialty? Comment it
Alright, let’s talk Dry Fruit Veg Biryani, where veggies meet royalty on a bed of fragrant basmati rice. This dish is basically a high-maintenance diva of the biryani world—demanding the spotlight with every bite, thanks to its crunchy cashews, sweet raisins, and a spice blend that can make even the most boring carrots do a happy dance.
Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati rice (because regular rice just won’t cut it here)
1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, potatoes)
1 onion, thinly sliced (prepare to cry a little—don’t worry, it’s worth it)
1/2 cup dry fruits (cashews, almonds, raisins – or whatever your pantry can spare)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (aka the dynamic duo)
2 green chilies, slit (spice things up—don’t be shy)
1/2 cup yogurt
A bouquet of spices: 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 2 cardamom pods
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (golden goodness)
1/2 tsp red chili powder (for the spice warriors)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp biryani masala (for the overachievers)
Fresh coriander & mint (to make things fancy)
Ghee or oil (whichever you want to feel less guilty about)
Salt to taste (be generous, it’s biryani after all!)
Instructions:
1. Cook the rice:
First things first, Keep your rice soaked for minimum 1 hour that makes your rice smooth.
Cook the soaked rice for half baked kind of. Don’t use pressure cooker. Keep checking the sample of rice if it is half cooked and then Drain it and set aside. You can add bay leaf and other masala items in 1 or two quantities while cooking rice.
2. Vegetable Masala Curd pre mixture
Take a vessel to add all cut vegetables, Add biriyani masala, turmeric, garam masala and add curd, salt and salt well and leave it for marinating for 10 mins atleast.
3. Sauté the dry fruits:
Heat up some ghee Lightly fry those cashews, almonds, and raisins until they’re golden. Watch them closely because raisins have a sneaky way of going from zero to “I’m burnt” real quick. Once done, set these babies aside. They’ll be the stars of the show later.
4. Deep fry the onions
in the same vessel where you sauted dry fruits , put sliced onions and deep fry them until they turn true brown color and give some good smell. Now add some ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Take some fried onions aside for designing your plate later. Add the mixed vegetable and curd into the same vessel and cook it for 10 mins for vegetables to smoothen a bit. You can also cook vegetables in cooker.
4. Layering the Biryani: The moment of truth! Take half of your cooked rice and layer it over your cooked veggie-spice masterpiece. Sprinkle in some fresh coriander and mint. Layer the remaining rice on top, and then top it with the fried dry fruits. Sprinkle some curd and kesar milk all over the rice.
5. Dum cooking:
Now, here’s where the magic happens. Cover the pan, sealing it with a lid tightly.Cook it on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Let it all steam and come together. And your rice will be fully cooked now.
6. Serving it up: Open the lid, and don’t be surprised if you feel a little emotional—this is what success smells like. Fluff the biryani gently and serve with raita on the side. Watch your guests be confused about how something can taste so rich, yet be vegetarian. Smile like you’ve been cooking biryani since birth.
And there you have it—Dry Fruit Veg Biryani, the dish that’s both fancy enough for a royal feast but still humble enough to take credit for on a weeknight. Perfect for those days when you want to impress someone… or just yourself!
