Aromatic vegetable biryani hidden beneath a layer of crispy, buttery filo pastry ruffles. This show-stopping vegetarian dish is inspired by "dum" cooking where pastry is used to seal a pot so the dish cooks gently in steam.
Prep Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time2 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: rice, vegetables, vegetarian
Servings: 6
Author: Sanjana
Equipment
1 x 26cm (10-inch) diameter springform cake tin, 10cm (4-inch) deep or cake tin, casserole or pie dish of a similar capacity
Frying pan or pot
Ingredients
For the rice:
225glong-grain basmati rice
2Lhot water
1tspsalt
2green cardamom pods
5cmcassia bark or cinnamon stick
3cloves
1tbspdried rose petals(optional)
For the vegetables:
1tbspghee or oil
1/2tspcumin seeds
80gcashews
1tbsptomato purée
2tbspBiryani masalarecipe below
150gplain yoghurt
350gpotatoescut into large chunks and fried until cooked and golden
200gcauliflower floretsfried until slightly golden
150gcarrotssliced into batons and steamed until 75% cooked
100gpeasI used frozen
100gpepperssliced into large pieces
200gpaneercubed and fried until golden
1large onionsliced and fried until golden and crispy
150mlwater
You will also need:
150mlhot milk
1large pinch saffron
1large onionsliced and fried until golden and crispy
1tbspfresh mint leaves
2tbspchopped coriander leaves
For the pastry top:
500gfilo pastry sheets
200gbuttermelted
Instructions
To prepare the rice:
Gently wash the rice in cold water, changing the water out 2-3 times. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water for one hour.
Heat a large pot of water (around 2L) over a medium-high heat. Add salt, cassia bark or cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods, 3 cloves and 1 tbsp optional rose petals. Bring to a boil.
Add the rice and bring to a boil again. Simmer over a medium heat until the rice is 80% cooked. It should break when you press a grain between your fingers, not smush. Drain in a colander and set aside.
To make the vegetable mixture:
Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Allow to melt, and then add some whole cumin seeds. Sizzle for 20 seconds or so, then add tomato purée, cashews and biryani masala. Cook for a further 30 seconds, and then add plain yoghurt. Stir constantly, for about 2 minutes until the paste cooks through. You'll know it's ready when the oil separates from the paste. Turn the heat down low.
Add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas, peppers, paneer and fried onions. Stir well. Pour in around 150ml water and bring to the boil. Cook for no longer than 2 minutes and then switch the heat off.
To layer the biryani:
Grease a springform cake tin, cake tin or pie dish with plenty of oil. Spread another third of the rice mixture in the bottom of the tin. Top with half of the vegetable mixture, some fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and fried onions.
Add another third of the rice and the remainder of the vegetable mixture. Flatten it gently - don't press it down too hard. Top with some fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and fried onions.
Layer in the final third of rice. Pour over the saffron milk and sprinkle some fresh coriander leave on top.
For the filo pastry ruffles:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Take the first sheet of filo pasty and generously brush it with the melted butter. Keep the rest of the pastry covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Scrunch the pastry up from one end to the other, like a rough concertina. Take one end and wrap it around into a spiral or rosette. You don’t have to be neat — the more rustic, the better.
Place the scrunched pastry on top of rice, starting from the outside edge. Repeat for the remaining pastry until all of the rice is covered with ruffled pastry. This pastry top will help the rice and spices gently steam in the oven whilst the surface becomes golden and crispy.
Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until golden and crispy.
Serve hot with your favourite biryani accompaniments. Raita and mirchi ka salan are my favourites.