INGREDIENTS FOR GRINDING
- 1 star anise
- ½ mace
- 1–2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 black cardamom
- Small piece of nutmeg
- 1–2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp caraway seeds
- 5–6 green cardamoms
INSTRUCTIONS
- Grind all the whole spices into a fine powder.
- Alternatively, use Shilpa’s Masala Mill Special Biryani Masala.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ tsp caraway seeds
- 2–3 green cardamoms
- 1 kg yam, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1–2 potatoes
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup tomato purée
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp kasoori methi
- Salt, to taste
- 2–3 dried prunes or chaat masala
- 1–2 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
- 1 cup fried onions
- 2 cups rice, soaked
- Water
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- Fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2–3 green chillies
- Kewda essence (optional)
- Food colour (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil the soaked rice in plenty of water until it is about 70–80% cooked.
- Drain and keep aside for later use.
- Heat oil in a kadhai.
- Add the bay leaf, caraway seeds, and green cardamoms. Fry for a minute.
- Add the yam and fry for a few minutes.
- Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, turmeric powder, kasoori methi, garam masala, chaat masala, and the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste.
- Add the potatoes.
- Bhunao the yam and potatoes with the spices.
- Add 1 tbsp water and continue cooking.
- Add the prepared ground spice mix, reserving 1 tsp for later.
- Continue bhunao by adding a little more water if required.
- Add the tomato purée and some of the fried onions.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes.
- Add enough water to cook the yam and potatoes until about 90% done.
- Add a few drops of kewda essence.
- Add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, and green chillies.
- Remove half of the mixture and keep aside for layering.
LET’S LAYER THE BIRYANI
- Spread half of the partially cooked rice over the yam mixture.
- Add coriander leaves, mint leaves, and green chillies.
- Sprinkle fried onions.
- Sprinkle the reserved ground masala.
- Add the reserved gravy mixture.
- Finish with the remaining rice.
- Garnish again with fried onions, the remaining ground masala, and coriander leaves.
- Add food colour if desired.
- Cover and cook on dum for 10–12 minutes.
- Your delicious vegetarian and vegan Yam Biryani is ready.
- Serve hot with papad, boondi raita, and salad.
SPICE LEVEL: 🌶🌶
