Vegetable Biriyani

The other day my friend's son said to me"Vegetable Biriyani cannot be called biriyani". Well Kavin, I disagree.Vegetable biriyani can be made just as well as any other biriyani. My daughter's friends came to visit us during the winter break. One of them loves Indian food. My daughter who loves biriyani wanted me to make it. I made it in the Instant Pot this time. It was simply amazing. I made the plain biriyani with few vegetables this time. But you can add soy protein (meal maker) to give the meaty flavor.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons ghee
1 small cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 green cardamom
1 mace
1 star anise
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
2 teaspoons biriyani masala powder
salt to taste
1 or 2 green chili, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 small potato, diced
1 carrot, diced
6 green beans, diced
2 tablespoons green peas
1 small green pepper, diced
1/2 cup each fresh chopped cilantro and mint leaves
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in water for 1 hour ( the longer you soak the better)
2. Set the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add ghee. Add dry whole spices when pot is hot.
3. Add chili and  onion, saute until translucent. Stir in ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder,  chili powder, and salt. Add vegetables. Saute for 2 minutes. Mix in chopped cilantro and mint.
4. Mix 2 cups coconut milk with 2 cups water. Stir it into pot. Bring it to a boil. Cancel saute mode.
5. Drain water from rice. Stir it into the pot with vegetables and water. Check for salt. Cover the cooker with the lid and on vent. Cook on pressure cook mode (manual-14 minutes). Let pressure release naturally.
6. Serve hot with raita or kurma.

Note:

You can cook biriyani in a pan over stove top using the same recipe. after adding rice in the pan, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, checking in between.