Vegetable Biryani

So we learned how to make great chicken biryani in my previous post. Now we turn to vegetable biryani. I love this recipe. Being vegetarian, I'm glad that people like the chicken biryani, but really, I'd rather make up my own mind by tasting. And that's why I love the vegetarian version - and it's really delicious.


Vegetable Biryani

1/4 cup Peas
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
10 Green Beans, chopped
1 Potato, chopped
1/2 bunch Mint Leaves
2 Onions, sliced
2 Green Chillies, slit
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Biryani Masala
1/4 tsp Chilli Powder
1 cup Basmati Rice
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tbsp Oil
1 piece Cinnamon
2 Tomatoes
2 Cardamom
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 tsp Fennel Seeds
2 Cloves
Salt, to taste

Heat the oil and ghee in a pan. Add the cloves, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Saute for a minute or two. Add the sliced onion and green chillies and continue to saute for a minute. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smell of the paste disappears. Add the mint leaves and saute for a minute.

Add the tomatoes to the mixture and continue to saute. Add the vegetables, biryani masala, chilli powder and fry for five to ten minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Add the salt and mix. Add the basmati rice and stir to combine. Close the pan and allow to cook until rice is tender. Keep checking to make sure there is enough water. The rice should be just tender and not mushy.

When done, mix together to combine the rice, the spices and the vegetables in the pan. Serve hot with yogurt.

*Biryani Masala: This is available in most Indian stores. But you could also make it at home. The spice powder is a mixture of red chilli powder, coriander powder, cloves, cinnamon, aniseed, cardamom, ginger, garlic, onion, star anise and salt. Roast these ingredients on a dry pan and then grind to a smooth powder.

Chicken Biryani

Biryani is rice cooked with spices and either chicken or mutton or vegetables. For a long time I've been trying to find a perfect biryani recipe. Naturally, home cooked biryanis don't taste as good as the ones in restaurants, but this one comes pretty darn close!


Chicken Biryani

1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
2 lbs Chicken Pieces
2 Onions, sliced
1 bunch Mint Leaves
2 Tomatoes, chopped
2 Green Chillies, slit
2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 Cloves
1 small piece of Cinnamon
2 Cardamom
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
2 tbsp Biryani Masala*
1 1/2 tbsp Ghee/ Clarified Butter
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt, to taste

Heat the oil and ghee in a pan. Add the cloves, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Saute for a minute or two. Add the sliced onion and green chillies and continue to saute for a minute. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute until the raw smell of the paste disappears. Add the mint leaves and saute for a minute.

Add the tomatoes to the mixture and continue to saute. Add the chicken, biryani masala, chilli powder and fry for five to ten minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Add the salt and mix. Add the basmati rice and stir to combine. Close the pan and allow to cook until rice is tender. Keep checking to make sure there is enough water. The rice should be just tender and not mushy.

When done, mix together to combine the rice, the spices and the chicken in the pan. Serve hot with yogurt. As I'm typing this, my husband is eating the biryani saying "its absolutely amazing".

*Biryani Masala: This is available in most Indian stores. But you could also make it at home. The spice powder is a mixture of red chilli powder, coriander powder, cloves, cinnamon, aniseed, cardamom, ginger, garlic, onion, star anise and salt. Roast these ingredients on a dry pan and then grind to a smooth powder.

Coming up next... Vegetable Biryani. Stay tuned.

Gram Flour Curry

This is a shortcut, quick curry made with gram flour and yogurt. Its delicious with rice and tastes a lot like a more (buttermilk) kozhambu.


Gram Flour (Besan) Pachadi

1 tbsp Gram Flour
1 cup Yogurt
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal/ split Black Gram
2 Green Chillies
4-5 Curry Leaves
a pinch of Asoefetida
2 tbsp Rasam Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt, to taste
a spring of Coriander Leaves, chopped, for garnish

Mix salt, gram flour and yogurt. Heat some oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, green chillies, asoefetida and curry leaves. Heat for 2 minutes.

Add the rasam powder and turmeric powder. Stir and remove from heat.

Vathal Kozhambu

Vathal kozhambu is a south Indian curry of vegetables simmered in a tamarind based broth with a variety of spices. It is usually served with cooked rice. Spicy and tangy and delicious! Here, I've made the basic curry without vegetables, but feel free to add your choice of cooked vegetables. The common vegetables used are okra, eggplant and onions.


Vathal Kozhambu
1 tbsp Gingelly Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/2 Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 Tomato
1 tbsp Chilli Powder
2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
A lime-sized amount of Tamarind concentrate, dissolved in 1 cup Water

Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and fenugreek seeds. Add the onion, garlic and tomato and saute until it becomes a brownish paste.

Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, tamarind water and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil.

When it starts to boil, turn off the heat and add the coconut milk. Stir to combine. Serve hot with cooked rice.

Spinach Kozhambu

Kuzhambu is a spicy curry, originating from south India, made with a combination of vegetables or fish/ chicken. Usually they do not have lentils, but this one does and is milder than most other kozhambus. When the kozhambu is made with yogurt, its called More (Buttermilk) Kozhambu and is a wonderful addition to rice on a hot day.


Spinach Kuzhambu

2 bunches Spinach
1/4 cup Toor Dal (Pigeon Peas)
2 Onions, chopped
4 cloves Garlic
2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tomato, chopped
2 Green Chillies, slit
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 small piece Cinnamon

Clean and chop spinach.

Grind together chilli powder, coriander powder, 1 tsp fennel seeds, cumin seeds, one onion and a little water. Keep aside.

Cook the dal in some water, until tender.

In a little oil, add the fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, remaining fennel seeds and chopped onion and saute. Add spinach and saute well. Add the ground spices, the cooked dal, about 2 cups of water, salt and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot with cooked rice.

Other kuzhambus in this blog: Tomato More Kozhambu, Puli Kozhambu, Vethal Kozhambu.

Aloo Kadhi

Kadhi is a spicy yogurt-based curry that is very popular all over northern India. It is commonly eaten with rice or roti. It is light and full of flavor.


Aloo Kadhi

4 Potatoes, boiled and coarsely mashed
3 cups Yogurt, beaten
1/2 tsp ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 Green Chilli
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
a pinch of Asafoetida
Salt, to taste

Boil and coarsely mash potatoes and add to beaten yogurt along with coriander powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and green chilli.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin, asafoetida and then the above mixture. Keep stirring till it boils and thickens.

Simple Rasam

When I wanted a quick rasam and didn't have time to grind my own spice powders and stew over the tamarind, I would use this easy recipe. The rasam still tastes great, but you spent half the time making it!



Easy Rasam
1/2 cup Moong Dal, cooked with turmeric and salt
1 tsp Rasam Powder (available in Indian stores. If you want to make your own, here's a nice video!)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 pinch Asoefetida
3 Tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
1 clove Garlic
2 tbsp Cilantro Leaves, for garnish

Heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan, add the cumin, asoefetida and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are mushy. Add the rasam powder and enough water to cook the tomatoes (about 2 cups). Add the cooked dal.

For the seasoning, heat some oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and garlic clove. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the seasoning to the rasam. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with cooked rice.

Other rasams on this blog: Mysore Rasam and Beetroot Rasam.