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Vegetable Biriyani

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This recipe is morphed from Mama’s Biryani recipe. Sometimes, I would serve Vegetarian Biryani instead of Biryani with meat or chicken. This saved me the hassle of fixing two types of pilafs for a lunch or dinner party. I would pair it with channa dal, two different styles of sabzis (Indian sauteed vegetables), a paneer curry, and a non-vegetarian dish. Along with that came the usual array of pickles, raita, and rotis. It made quite a meal!

There is a less elaborate Vegetarian Pilaf, which I shall share as well.

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Vegetable Biriyani

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6
An array of exotic spices infuse this layered dish of Basmati rice mixed with chicken, beef, or vegetables to tempt the most fastidious eater.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups Basmati rice
  • ½ cup oil (plus a little extra, if needed)
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 cinnamon sticks (or ½ tsp cinnamon powder)
  • 1 large black cardamom
  • 6 small green cardamoms
  • 6 cloves (or ¼ teaspoon clove powder)
  • 3 large onions (peeled, cut in half, and sliced thin)
  • 2 medium Serrano chilies (washed, remove stem, and slice in half)
  • 3 tbsp ginger paste (freshly ground is best, but ready-made is fine, too)
  • 2 tbsp garlic paste (freshly ground is best, but ready-made is fine, too)
  • ½ cup fresh green coriander ground fine (mainly leaves, but a portion of stem is okay)
  • 3 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder (or to your taste—remember this and the green chilies will add heat to the pilaf)
  • 6 medium tomatoes (finely chopped or puréed)
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds ground smooth (optional)
  • 1 can coconut milk (or the fleshy, white part of 1 fresh coconut ground smooth with the poppy seed)
  • 8 cups water (plus a little extra)
  • 2 cups peas and diced carrots (you may combine it with other vegetables such as cauliflower, cut into flowerets, or diced beans)
  • 2 tbsp mint leaves (finely chopped)
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh green coriander leaves
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 2 limes (juice only)

Garnish

  • ½ onion (or use pre-fried store-bought onions to make it easy)
  • sautéed cashews (or use cocktail cashews)
  • sautéed raisins

Instructions 

To Prepare

  • Gather all the ingredients before you start.
  • Wash and soak the 5 cups of rice for 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • Mix coconut milk, ground poppy seed(optional), and 8 cups water.
  • Together they should measure 10 cups plus 2 tablespoons of liquid.
  • Combine chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves with the juice of 2 limes in a small bowl.

To Cook

  • Heat ½ cup of oil in an 8-quart heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. You may need a tablespoon or two extra as you start to sautée.
  • Add the whole Bay leaf cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
  • Add cut onions and slit green chilies.
  • When half-fried (about 6 minutes), add the ground ginger, garlic, spice powders (including the ground cinnamon and cloves, in case you decided to use them instead of the whole ones), and green coriander paste.
  • Fry for about 3-4 minutes until fragrant, then add the chopped and pureed tomatoes. Sauté for another 5 minutes.
  • Now add the drained rice and sauté on medium heat, stirring carefully to not break up the rice grains. About 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour in the water, coconut milk, and salt. Cover and bring to a boil.
  • Once the water starts to boil (10-15 minutes), add the vegetables and cook on medium-low until the water is almost evaporated and you see little pits on top of the rice.
  • Stir gently. Sprinkle the chopped mint, coriander, and lemon mix over the rice.
  • Put on low and cook another 10 minutes until the pits disappear on top and the rice is cooked. You can test by testing a grain between your thumb and forefinger. If it's grainy, let it cook for a little more, but make sure the underside is not getting burnt.
  • Fluff with a fork and plate on a rice platter or serving dish.
  • Garnish with sauteéd onions, cashews, and raisins.     

Notes

You can also finish cooking the rice in the oven. When pits start forming on the rice’s surface, stir carefully. Your pot should be oven-proof. If not, pour the rice into a roaster pan or oven-proof dish large enough to hold the rice. Sprinkle with the chopped mint coriander and lemon juice mix. Bake for half an hour at 200°F. Remove from oven and fluff rice before transferring to a serving platter. Garnish with the sautéed onions, cashews, and raisins.
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Basmati, biriyani, vegetarian

 

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In Recipes

Lauki Curry (Opo Squash Curry)

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I am standing in my mother-in-law’s kitchen with my hair up in a knot and my kaftan hitched up to my knees. It is summer and the monsoons are in full swing. The humidity makes me hot and sweaty, but I am the sous-chef for the day and dare not leave my post!

Since Mummy is on her own, she does not believe in keeping a cook and prefers to do everything herself, except for a domestic helper for sweeping, swabbing, and general help around the house.

I wash and peel the bottle gourd, cut it up into bite size bits, and then peel and chop the onions. Once the cilantro has been cleaned, we get started.

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Lauki Curry (Opo Squash Curry)

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
A lightly spiced, fragrant, and tangy curry. Lauki can be sautéed, curried, mixed with lentils, and used in soups.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium lauki/opo squash
  • 1 medium onion (finely diced)
  • 1 large tomato (chopped finely)
  • 1 small dry red chili (or a fresh green Serrano chili, to taste)
  • 2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp red chili powder
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3-4 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro (for garnish)

Instructions 

  • To prep your squash, wash it, and then cut both ends and peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler.
  • Slice the peeled squash in half. You can remove the seeds and any squishy pulp if these seeds are too large (as in older squash).
  • Now slice each half lengthwise, then across to form bite-sized cubes.
  • Heat oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or stock pot (need a lid).
  • Add the red/green chili until it turns dark, for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the cumin seeds, let them sizzle, and immediately add the finely diced onion. Do this quickly so that the cumin seeds don't burn.
  • Sauté the onions until they are medium brown (5-7 minutes).
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste along with the turmeric and chili powder. Stir.
  • Now sauté the mixture for about a minute or so, until you feel the ginger-garlic paste sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the chopped tomato. Continue to sautée for another 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes are well cooked and mushy.
  • Add the squash, stir, and sauté for approximately 2 minutes until the squash is nicely coated with the onion-tomato mixture (masala).
  • Add the water and salt. Stir, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes until the squash is fork-tender.
  • Pour into a serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro.
  • Serve with boiled white or brown rice, roti, or as a side to a meal.

Notes

Adding more or less water can increase or decrease your gravy. 
 
Course: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: curry, lauki, opo squash
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Taridar Mattar Allu (Peas and Potato Curry)

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The morning is beginning to heat up. I look out my kitchen window at the small patch of peas I am growing. It needs a weeding. Armed with my garden hat, gloves, and shovel, I head out to see if I can tackle the weeds before it gets too hot. I am pleased to see that there are enough peas I can pick to fix a curry or sabzi (sautéed vegetable of any kind without gravy). A little while later, I return to the kitchen with fresh peas.

I recall walking through the sabzi mandi’s (vegetable markets) in India or stopping by the wayside vegetable vendors’ stalls by the primary market. The vegetables were always farm fresh. You would make your selection. The grocer would weigh these on scales and put them into the ‘thaila’ (cloth bag) you carried with you—before plastic bags hit the scene! Of course, there was always bargaining to be done. It was an essential part of the buying process. I didn’t bargain much, knowing how hard they worked to make a living, so I always caved. I never quite got used to it!

Taridar Mattar Allu is a vegetarian, North Indian dish that is delicious with dals, rice, and rotis!

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Taridar Mattar Allu (Peas and Potato Curry)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Taridar Mattar Allu is a vegetarian, North Indian dish that is delicious with dals, rice, and rotis!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 stick cinnamon (1 inch stick)
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 4 peppercorns
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 medium Serano chili, slit (to taste, or optional )
  • ¾ cup yellow onion (diced finely)
  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic (paste)
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (to taste, or optional)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) (chopped finely)

Instructions 

  • Scrub, peel, and quarter the potatoes. Place them in a bowl of water so that they don't brown.
  • Heat your oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat.
  • Add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, and cloves. Let splutter for 30 seconds, and then add the finely diced onions.
  • Sauté on medium-high heat until onions turn golden—approximately 7-8 minutes.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes. The ginger tends to stick at the bottom, so be sure to stir it well.
  • Now add the turmeric, cayenne, cumin, and coriander powder. Sauté for a minute, stirring well.
  • Now add the chopped tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes for approximately 4-5 minutes until the oil rises to the surface.
  • Now add your peas and potatoes. Give it a few stirs before adding your water and salt. Stir the pot. Bring the water to a boil.
  • Cover and cook on medium till the potatoes are cooked—approximately 15-20 minutes.
  • Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped cilantro.
    Serve with boiled rice, pilaf, flat or fried Indian bread, tortillas, or pita bread.

Notes

1. You can omit all the whole spices or only add the ones you like.
2. You may substitute the peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon by adding ⅛ teaspoon of the powders when adding the tomatoes.
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: allu, mattar, peas, potatoes
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In Main Dishes

Pork Vindaloo

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Goa is a State on the West coast of India, with its shoreline running along the Arabian Sea. It is about 250 miles south of Mumbai. The first part of India to fall to European colonial rule was Goa. It remained a Portuguese base in the East for 451 years until it became a part of India in 1962. It was, therefore, natural for Goa’s colonial past to leave its mark on its cuisine. The most notable of which is the use of vinegar and chilies.

The famous landmarks in Goa are the Basilica of Bom Jesus, enshrining the tomb of Saint Francis Xavier, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Church, one of the largest churches in the East.

Vindaloo is one of the signature dishes of Goa, and is based on a Portuguese dish called carne de vinha d’alho. It is tangy, spicy, rich, and delicious. I tone down the heat using less chili powder, but vindaloo needs a bit of a kick to be enjoyed!

I adapted this Pork Vindaloo from my Aunt Bonnie’s recipe, one of Mama’s younger sisters. We always enjoyed Mama’s sisters’ visits as they were fun. All the sisters were good cooks. Thank you, Cousin Debbie, for sharing your mom’s delicious recipe.

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Pork Vindaloo

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 4
Vindaloo is based on a Portuguese dish called carne de vinha d'alho, and istangy, rich in spices, and delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb cubed pork (shoulder cut is a good choice)
  • 4 medium yellow onions (sliced fine)
  • 2 medium tomatoes (chopped fine or 2 tbsp tomato paste)
  • 2 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1¼ tsp red chili powder (more or less to your taste)
  • 3 tsp coriander powder
  • ¼ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1¼ tsp salt (to taste)
  • ¼ tbsp white or palm vinegar
  • 2 tsp garlic paste (or 6-8 fresh garlic flakes)
  • 2 tsp fresh chopped ginger
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro/coriander leaves (for garnish)
  • 2 small green chilies (seeded and slit into strips)

Instructions 

  • Boil the meat with two cups of water and 1¼ tsp salt until almost tender. About 30 minutes.
  • Strain, reserving the stock. Set aside.
  • Grind or blend the ginger, garlic, and dry spices with the vinegar to a smooth paste. Do not use water.
  • In a heavy-bottomed deep skillet or pot, add 3 tbsp of oil and heat on medium heat.
  • Add the finely sliced onions and fry until golden brown—approximately 7-8 minutes.
  • Add the blended spice (masala) paste and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes until the oil separates.
  • Add the cubed pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan so that none of the masala burns. When the pork mixture is dry and starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, approximately 5 -7 minutes, add the finely chopped tomatoes.
  • Continue to cook the meat until the oil starts to separate again, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the test of the reserved stock plus water to measure at least 1 1/2 cups. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the skillet again for any brown bits.
  • Cover and simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes until the pork is well done and fork tender and the oil starts to surface.
  • Add the teaspoon of sugar. Stir, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes. The pork should be sitting in a nice thick gravy and some pork fat. I like to remove some of the fat before serving.
  • Transfer to your serving dish and garnish with cilantro/coriander leaves.

Notes

Best served with plain boiled  white rice, but you can also serve it with any flat bread, Indian fried bread, dinner rolls, or pav.
Pav is a Portuguese word for bread, which was introduced  during their rule in Goa. It is similar to a dinner roll but is made with the basic ingredients of flour, water, yeast, and salt.  
Pork Vindaloo also makes a great tangy and spicy filling for a vindaloo sloppy joe. 
The vindaloo can be prepared with meat or chicken. Chicken will require less cooking time so you can skip the boiling part and use the raw cubed chicken in place of the boiled pork. If using any other kind of meat the cooking time may remain the same, but keep on eye on the meat to ensure it is tender but not falling apart.     
Course: Main Course, Non-Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: pork, spicy, vindaloo
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Masala Sukha Allu (Spiced Potatoes)

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In India, it was not uncommon for friends or fellow officers in the military services to drop in for drinks after the usual tea time of 4.30 or 5.30 p.m. Drinks, of course, were like a cocktail hour, so one always had the bar or pantry stocked. Then, there was the namkeen (salty snack) that went with it. Invariably, the cocktail hour would extend into dinner time!

Indian hospitality being what it is, it is customary to have your guests stay on for dinner, so it is good to know recipes that can be fixed quickly to expand the food on the table.

This spicy and tangy potato recipe is a quick and easy addition to any meal.

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Masala Sukha Allu (Spiced Potatoes)

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Boil Potatoes 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
A spicy and tangy potato recipe is a quick and easy addition to any meal.

Ingredients

  • 5 medium potatoes (about 2 pounds )
  • ¼ cup cooking oil
  • 1 tsp fresh finely chopped or grated ginger
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp red chili powder (more or less, to taste)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur, available at Indian grocery stores)
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish)

Instructions 

  • Scrub the potatoes and boil them until they are done. Make sure they do not over-boil and split. 
  • Drain and cool.  When cool enough to touch, peel and dice into ¾-inch cubes. You don't have to be precise. Bite-sized bits will do. Set aside.
  • Add the chili, turmeric, coriander, and cumin powders in a small bowl. Mix and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a wok or skillet on medium heat.  
  • When the oil is hot add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 30 seconds. Be sure they do not burn.
  • Now add the mixed spice powders and stir for 10 seconds.
  • Add the cubed potatoes, dry mango powder, and garam masala. Gently stir the potatoes until nicely coated with the masala, about 3 minutes.
  • Let cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the chopped cilantro and stir it into the potato mixture for 2 minutes. If the potato sabzi looks a little dry, drizzle more oil over it. Potatoes tend to absorb a lot of oil. Do not overdo the oil, as you do not want the potatoes to taste oily.
  • Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with cilantro chopped for garnish.
  • This potato dish goes well as a wrap in a paratha, roti, or tortilla. It also pairs well with any dal (lentil) and is a great addition to any Indian meal.   

Notes

I normally use a manual pressure cooker or the Instapot  to boil the potatoes as it speeds up the cooking process. Just follow the manual for pressure cooking time.
If the potatoes do break up, don't panic. Just use them to fix my Dosa Allu recipe as that will go well with other meals as well.
Course: Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: allu, masala, potatoes
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In Side Dish

Vegetable Pilaf

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My husband calls from his office at the Indian Air Force Headquarters, where he has been transferred. A colleague and his wife are driving in from Chandigarh and have an early morning flight from New Delhi. They have asked to stay with us overnight.

The armed services are a close-knit community, and you help each other whenever needed.

I take stock of dinner. Rosy (our cook) has already fixed the evening’s planned meat curry and sabzi. She will make fresh rotis when we are ready to eat. I decide to add a quick vegetable pilaf. Along with raita, pickles, and kuchumbar (Indian salsa), it would be a good dinner for hungry travelers. I head to the kitchen and call out to Rosy in her living quarters next to the kitchen. Together, we start fixing the pilaf and getting the table set for the two extra guests.

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Vegetable Pilaf

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
A flavorful vegetable pilaf that goes perfectly with curries and lentils.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Basmati rice (washed 4 times and soaked for 20 minutes )
  • ¼ cup cooking oil (your choice)
  • 2 medium Bay leaves
  • 5 pepper corns
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 small green cardamoms
  • 1 small cinnamon stick (about 1 inch)
  • 2 whole Serrano green chilies (stem removed, slit half-way down the middle (optional))
  • 2 medium onions (peeled and sliced thin)
  • 1 tbsp fresh garlic paste (or you can use ready-made garlic and ginger paste)
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger past (or you can use ready-made garlic and ginger paste )
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • dash red chili powder (optional)
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro (pick leaves and a bit of the stem, grind to a paste or chop finely, about ¼ cup)
  • 4 medium tomatoes (chopped or pureed coarsely)
  • 1 cup mixed peas and carrots (I use a frozen pack )
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • Salt to taste

Garnish

  • ½ sliced onion, cashew nuts, and raisins (all optional—or you could sprinkle the pilaf with some chopped cilantro/coriander leaves)

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a large (6-quart) cooking pot over medium heat.
  • Add whole spices and whole green chili. If you slit it midway down the center, it adds more heat to the curry. If you don't want that, just punch it once with a fork so it does not burst in the hot oil. Let it splutter for about 30 seconds, and then add the onions.
  • Sauté the onions until they turn opaque and start to brown slightly at the edges. Stir occasionally so that the onions don't burn. About 4 minutes.
  • Add ginger paste, garlic paste, and spice powders. Continue to sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing sticks and burns. Add the chopped tomato and cilantro.
  • Cook, stirring frequently, until most of the moisture is absorbed and the oil starts to rise on the edges of the pan. About 10 minutes.
  • Add the drained rice and carefully sauté it for about 3 minutes until the rice starts to turn opaque. Make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn!
  • Pour in the stock and water, stir, cover, and boil on medium heat. About 10 minutes.
  • Add the peas and carrots and gently stir them in.
  • Cover and cook on medium-low. When the water starts to evaporate and pits form on the top of the rice, reduce the heat to low. Cook another 5-6 minutes.
  • Check a few grains of rice to see if the rice is done by pressing a grain between the thumb and forefinger. If it is still gritty, cover it and cook on low heat for 2 minutes more.
  • Turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff rice with a fork.     
  • Serve on a rice platter or serving dish and garnish with sauteed onions, cashews, raisins, or chopped fresh cilantro/coriander.
  • This makes for a  satisfying meal paired with raita.  It also goes well with any curried lentil, or vegetarian or non-vegetarian curry, or with any style raita. 

Notes

You can finish fixing the rice in the bake. Be sure it is an oven safe pot or transfer to a roaster pan or dish. Heat oven to  200 degrees F and place the pilaf in the oven when pits start to appear on the rice surface. It needs to be covered while baking. You could use a foil cover if your dish does not have one. Bake at 170-180 degrees F for half an hour.
If you are familiar with an Insta Pot or manual pressure cooker you could follow cooking instructions until you add the water (you need half the amount in a pressure cooker). Follow the manual instructions for cooking the rice. 
You can also add 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered or a cup of cauliflower flowerets.
Sometimes, I add a teaspoon of store bought korma masala from the Indian grocery store. If you use it, go easy. It packs a punch!
Once the rice starts to boil you can add a tablespoon of kasturi methi or chopped mint. 
Course: Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: pilaf, rice

 

 

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