kashmiri biryani recipe, how to make kashmiri veg biryani recipe

kashmiri biryani recipe with step by step photos – a no onion and no garlic recipe from the kashmiri pandit cuisine.

this delicious biryani recipe is loosely adapted from the two pocket sized books i have on kashmiri pandit cuisine. i often make kashmiri food at home and had made this veg biryani when my parents had visited us.

they did feel the difference in taste due to the absence of onions but nevertheless liked the biryani. onions and garlic impart their own flavors in any dish. crisp fried onions or birista also add a touch of sweetness to biryani recipes.

in this kashmiri biryani recipe – ‘hing’ or asafoetida plays an important role in substituting the flavor of onions and garlic. also the fried dry fruits mainly raisins add sweetness to the final dish. fennel powder and dry ginger powder also add their flavors as well as aroma along with the other whole spices. i have used garam masala powder too. but if you have kashmiri ver masala, then you can use it.

this is a layered biryani recipe, so some prep work has to be done before like preparing the rice and the vegetable curry. after finishing the layers you can bake the biryani in an oven or dum cook on a stove top.

if baking the biryani, then you can be served directly. also when you bake the biryani, the base of the biryani does not get burnt. if cooking on stove top, then keep the pan on a hot griddle or tava and dum cook the biryani. remember to cover the pan with a tight fitting lid.

if you are looking for veg biryani then you can check the veg hyderabadi biryani recipe. you can also have a look at kashmiri pulao and kashmiri dum aloo recipe.

the kashmiri biryani can be served with a raita like boondi raita or even with a bowl of yogurt. i served the biryani with mint coriander raita.

if you are looking for more biryani recipes then do check mushroom biryani, easy palak biryani, veg biryani in pressure cooker, hyderabadi veg biryani, chole biryani, mangalorean style veg biryani and paneer biryani recipe.

kashmiri biryani recipe card below:

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veg kashmiri biryani recipe

a no onion no garlic biryani from the kashmiri pandit cuisine.

COURSE main

CUISINE Indian, kashmiri

PREP TIME 40 minutes

COOK TIME 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME 1 hour 10 minutes

SERVINGS 5 -6

AUTHOR dassana amit

INGREDIENTS (1 cup = 250 ml)

for rice:

• 1.25 cups basmati rice soaked for 30 mins
• 5 cups water to cook the rice
• salt as required
• 1 pinch saffron (kesar)

for the veg curry:

• ½ cup chopped carrot (gajar)
• ½ cup chopped cauliflower (gobi)
• ½ cup green peas (matar)
• ½ cup chopped potato
• 3 tablespoons ghee or oil
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera)
• 2 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
• 2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
• 3 to 4 green cardamoms (hari elaichi or choti elaichi)
• 3 to 4 cloves (lavang)
• 1 or 2 single strands of mace (jayitri or javitri)
• 1.5 teaspoon fennel powder (saunf powder)
• 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder (saunth powder)
• ½ or 1 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder or kashmiri ver masala
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg (jaiphal)
• 5 to 6 tablespoon beaten fresh yogurt (curd or dahi) - dairy or cashew yogurt
• 1 cup water or add as required
• salt as required

for the layers:

• 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
• 2 pinches of saffron soaked in ⅔ cup warm water or warm milk or warm yogurt

for garnish:

• 20 to 25 whole cashews or a mix of almonds, cashews and raisins - roasted or fried in some oil
• a few mint leaves (pudina patta) - optional

HOW TO MAKE RECIPE

cooking rice for the biryani:

1. pick and rinse 1.25 cups of basmati rice in running water till the water runs clear of starch. then soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.

2. after 30 minutes drain the water and keep the rice aside. in a pot boil 5 cups of water and then add the soaked rice.

3. cook the rice till they are ¾ cooked or 75% cooked. then drain the rice in a colander. sprinkle 1 pinch saffron on the rice.

4. keep the rice covered so that the rice does not dry out.

preparing veg gravy for kashmiri biryani:

1. chop cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, mint leaves and coriander leaves. also soak 2 pinches of saffron in ⅔ cup warm water or warm milk or warm yogurt. 

2. heat 3 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a pan or pressure cooker.

3. add the following whole spices - 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 2 inch cinnamon sticks, 2 black cardamom, 3 to 4 green cardamoms, 3 to 4 cloves and 1 to 2 strands of mace.

4. fry till the spices splutter and become fragrant.

5. now add ½ cup chopped cauliflower, ½ cup chopped carrots, ½ cup chopped potatoes and ½ cup green peas. saute the veggies for 1 to 2 minutes.

6. then add the following spice powders - 1.5 teaspoons fennel powder, 1 teaspoon ginger powder, ½ or 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala powder or kashmiri ver masala, ¼ teaspoon asafoetida and ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg. saute for 2 minutes. keep on stirring.

7. keep the flame to a low and then add 5 to 6 tablespoons beaten fresh yogurt (curd or dahi) and stir well. 

8. add water and salt as required. mix well.

9. cover the pan with its lid and cook till the veggies are done. if there is too much water in the gravy then simmer till some water dries up. the gravy should be of medium or slightly thick consistency and should not be watery.

10. if using pressure cooker, then pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles till the veggies are cooked. don’t over cook the veggies.

assembling and layering kashmiri biryani:

1. in a heavy thick bottomed pan, layer half of the gravy first.

2. next layer half of the rice.

3. sprinkle some of the chopped mint and coriander leaves.

4. also sprinkle some of the saffron which was dissolved in warm milk or warm water or warm yogurt.

5. now layer with the rest of vegetable curry.

6. next layer with remaining rice.

7. sprinkle the mint, coriander and saffron milk again.

8. then cover the pan or pot with a tight fitting lid.

9. take a tawa or griddle and heat it on medium flame. you can begin to preheat the tawa when you begin to assemble and layer the kashmiri biryani.

10. when the tawa becomes hot, then lower the flame. keep the sealed biryani pot on the tava. keep the flame to the lowest and dum cook biryani for 25 to 30 minutes. 
    

11. alternatively, you can also dum cook the biryani for the first 15 minutes on direct low flame and then for the last 10 minutes, place the pot on the hot tava and cook on a low flame.
    

12. after 25 to 30 minutes, switch off the flame. give a standing time of 5 to 7 minutes and then check the kashmiri biryani. if there is still some liquid or water at the bottom then the biryani needs to be dum cooked for some more minutes. cook till all the liquids are absorbed.

13. when the kashmiri biryani is getting dum cooked, you can roast 20 to 25 cashews or fry them in some oil or ghee. alternatively you can also roast a mix of cashews, raisins and almonds or fry them in some oil.

14. while serving, garnish kashmiri biryani with the roasted or fried cashews, almonds and raisins along with some chopped mint leaves.
    

15. serve the kashmiri biryani hot or warm along a raita by the side.

RECIPE NOTES

method to bake kashmiri biryani:

1. preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. when the oven is getting preheated then assemble the biryani as mentioned above in the oven proof utensil. remember to use an oven proof glass utensils like the pyrex bowl or oven safe steel pan for baking in the oven.
3. cover the bowl or pan with aluminium foil or the pyrex bowl lid and then bake biryani for 25 to 30 minutes. however the baking time will vary from oven to oven.
4. when done give a rest time of 5 to 7 minutes.
5. then check the kashmiri biryani. if there is still some liquid or water at the bottom then the biryani needs to be baked for some more minutes till all the liquids are absorbed.

SIMILAR RECIPES

how to make kashmiri biryani recipe:

preparing rice for the biryani:

1. pick and rinse 1.25 cups of basmati rice in running water till the water runs clear of starch. then soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.

2. after 30 minutes drain the water and keep the rice aside.

3. in a pot or pan, boil 5 cups of water.

4. then add the soaked basmati rice. also add salt as required.

5. cook the rice till they are ¾ cooked or 75% cooked.

6. then drain the rice in a colander.

7. sprinkle 1 pinch saffron on the rice.

8. keep the rice covered so that the rice does not dry out.

preparing vegetable gravy for kashmiri biryani:

9. chop cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, mint leaves and coriander leaves. also soak 2 pinches of saffron in ⅔ cup warm water or warm milk or warm yogurt. measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making kashmiri biryani.

10. heat 3 tablespoons oil or ghee in a pan or pressure cooker.

11. add the following whole spices – 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (shah jeera), 2 inch cinnamon sticks (dalchini), 2 black cardamom (badi elaichi), 3 to 4 green cardamoms (choti elaichi) , 3 to 4 cloves (lavang) and 1 to 2 strands of mace (javitri).

12. fry the spices till they splutter and become fragrant.

13. now add ½ cup chopped caulifower (gobi), ½ cup chopped carrots (gajar), ½ cup chopped potatoes (aloo) and ½ cup green peas (matar).

14. saute the veggies for 1 to 2 minutes.

15. next add 1.5 teaspoons fennel powder (saunf), 1 teaspoon ginger powder (saunth), ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder), 1 teaspoon garam masala powder (or kashmiri ver masala), ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing) and ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg (jaifal).

16. mix well and saute for 2 minutes. keep on stirring.

17. keep the flame to a low and then add 5 to 6 tablespoons beaten fresh yogurt (curd or dahi) and stir well.

18. pour 1 cup water.

19. next add salt as required.

20. stir and mix well.

21. if using a pan, cover with its lid.

22. cook till the veggies are done. if using pressure cooker, then pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles till the veggies are cooked. don’t over cook the veggies. if there is too much water in the gravy then simmer till some water dries up. the gravy should be of medium or slightly thick consistency and should not be watery.

assembling and layering kashmiri biryani:

23. in a heavy thick bottomed pan, layer half of the vegetable gravy first.

24. next layer half of the rice.

25. add 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves.

26. also add half of the saffron which was dissolved in warm milk (or in warm water or warm yogurt).

27. now layer with the rest of the vegetable curry.

28. layer with the remaining rice.

29. sprinkle the remaining mint leaves and coriander leaves. also add the remaining saffron which was dissolved in milk. you can make 1 or 2 or 3 layers this way. but do remember that rice should be the last layer.

30. there are 2 ways the biryani can be dum cooked:

• method one – cooking on a gas stove.
• method two – baking the biryani, which i have explained in the notes section of recipe card above.

for cooking on gas stove, seal and secure the pot with an aluminium foil.

31. take a tawa or griddle and heat it on medium flame. you can begin to preheat the tawa when you begin to assemble and layer the biryani.

32. when the tawa becomes hot, then lower the flame. now place the pot or pan on the tawa. then cover the pan or pot with a tight fitting lid. keep the flame to the lowest and cook the kashmiri biryani for 25 to 30 minutes. alternatively, you can also dum cook the biryani for the first 15 minutes on direct low flame. then for the last 10 minutes, place the pot on the hot tava and cook on a low flame.

33. after 25 to 30 minutes, switch off the flame. give a standing time of 5 to 7 minutes and then check the kashmiri biryani. if there is still some liquid or water at the bottom then the biryani needs to be dum cooked for some more minutes. cook till all the liquids are absorbed.

36. when the biryani is getting dum cooked, you can roast 20 to 25 cashews or fry them in some oil or ghee. alternatively you can also roast a mix of cashews, raisins and almonds or fry them in some oil.

37. while serving, garnish kashmiri biryani with the roasted or fried cashews, almonds and raisins along with some chopped mint leaves.

38. serve the kashmiri biryani hot or warm along a raita by the side.

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