This recipe is great for people with a gluten-free diet. Please check each ingredient you purchase to ensure it does not contain gluten, paying close attention to the garam masala.
Vegetable Biryani with Cucumber Raita
Ingredients
FRIED ONIONS
6 tbsp sunflower oil
4 onions, thinly sliced
BIRYANI
1 small cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
3 bay leaves
4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 red onions, roughly chopped
1 cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
200 g frozen peas
200 g green beans, cut into half
¼ cauliflower cut into small 1 inch pieces
1 carrot, cut into circles
200 ml boiling water
8 cups of cooked basmati rice
6 drops of rose water
CUCUMBER RAITA
250 g natural yogurt
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp cumin powder
Handful of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
½ cucumber
Method
Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onions until golden brown. Remove them and place on some paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Reduce the oil in the pan to just 1 tbsp removing the excess and to that add the cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, bay leaves and cloves. Cook for a few seconds and then add the cumin and once that starts to sizzle add the chopped onions and cook until soft, around 3-4 minutes.
Now add the ginger and cook for a minute before adding all the spices. Mix well and throw in the peas, beans, cauliflower, carrot and boiling water. Mix well, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Take an oven proof dish and to that transfer all the cooked vegetables and spread it evenly. Now spread the cooked rice evenly on top of the vegetables followed by the fried onions and drizzle the rose water. Cover it with foil and bake it for 30-35 minutes.
Let it rest for 10 minutes before removing the foil.
In a bowl mix the yogurt with the salt, chilli, cumin and mint and combine it all well. Grate the cucumber in another bowl and squeeze the excess water out of it and put it in the spiced yogurt. Mix it well and serve it with warm biryani.