Bombay Biryani | Mumbai Biryani
Bombay Biryani embodies the essence of Mumbai's culinary style – an aromatic, flavorful, and delectable dum-cooked biryani. Crafted using a medley of mixed vegetables, fragrant basmati rice, yogurt, onions, tomatoes, along with a blend of herbs and spices, this dish showcases the rich flavors of the city.
Ingredients
For The Rice
- 1.5 cups basmati rice or 300 grams basmati rice
- 4 to 5 whole black pepper
- 1 star anise (chakriphool)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 large tej patta or 2 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
- 2 single strands of mace
- 5 cups water
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
For Birista
- 250 grams onions or 2 large onions or 2 cups thinly sliced onions
- 7 tablespoon oil
For Vegetable Gravy
- 1 teaspoon shahjeera (caraway seeds)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 4 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 2 single strands of mace
- 2 all spice (kabab chini) – optional
- 1 large tej patta or 2 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 1 inch ginger and 9 to 10 medium sized garlic crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- 1 green chili – chopped
- 250 grams tomatoes or 3 medium to large tomatoes or 1.25 cups tomatoes
- 300 grams potatoes or 4 medium potatoes or 1.5 cups diced potatoes
- 2 to 3 medium or small to medium carrots or 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1/3 cup fresh or frozen peas – tightly packed
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 4 to 5 prunes (dried plums) – optional
- ½ cup Curd (yogurt)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
For Layering Bombay Biryani
- ½ tablespoon chopped mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
- ½ tablespoon Ghee
- 1 to 2 teaspoon kewra water (pandanus extract) – optional
- a few drops of natural orange or yellow color – (optional)
- ½ cup birista or fried onions
Instructions
Preparing Rice
- Rinse basmati rice very well in water. Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
- When the rice is soaking, chop all the veggies and keep aside. Take all the spices and keep aside.
- After 30 minutes drain the water from the rice.
- Heat 5 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil on medium to high heat.
- Add the whole spices or garam masala mentioned under 'For the rice' list.
- Then add the rice. Season with salt.
- Add lemon juice.
- On the same flame intensity, simmer the rice till the grains ¾th cooked.
- Drain the cooked rice in a colander and keep aside.
Making Birista
- Heat oil in a pan. Add thinly sliced onions.
- Stir and stirring often saute the onions till they turn golden. Add a pinch of salt to hasten the cooking process.
- Stir often and saute till the onions become golden.
- Remove the crisp fried onions or birista with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels. From 2 cups of sliced onions, you will get about 1 cup of birista. We will use ½ of the birista in the gravy and the remaining half in the layering.
Making Vegetable Gravy
- In the same pan, add the whole spices for the gravy.
- Stir and saute till the spices become fragrant.
- Now add diced or chopped potatoes and carrots. Stir well.
- Saute the potatoes and carrots for 5 to 6 minutes.
- With a spoon, bring them to the sides and add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. Saute the ginger-garlic paste in the same place till the their raw aroma goes away.
- Now add 1.25 cups chopped tomatoes.
- Stir and mix very well.
- Add the spice powders – turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Also add prunes or dried plums if you have them. About 4 to 5 dried plums. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Add ⅓ cup tightly packed fresh or frozen green peas. Stir.
- Now add ½ of the birista or fried onions.
- Season with salt and stir again.
- Add 1 cup water.Stir very well. Cover and cook on a medium heat till the veggies are cooked. You can also use a stovetop pressure cooker for the cooking of the veggies. Just add less water, about ⅔ to ¾ cup if cooking veggies in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- The veggies have to be cooked well but should retain their shape. The gravy should also thicken and should not be of watery consistency.
- Whisk ½ cup fresh curd (yogurt) in a bowl till smooth and keep aside.
- Once the veggies are done, place the pan down and add ½ cup beaten or whisked curd (yogurt).
- Stir and mix very well. Check the taste and add more salt if required. Keep this vegetable gravy aside.
Layering And Cooking Bombay Biryani
- I cooked the biryani in the oven. You can also cook in a thick bottomed pan or pot or even in a dutch oven. Pour half of the vegetable gravy in the pan or pot.
- Layer evenly with the cooked rice.
- Sprinkle ¼ tablespoon of chopped mint leaves and ½ tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves.
- Now sprinkle ¼th portion of the fried onions evenly.
- Again make a second layer of the vegetable gravy evenly.
- Spread a third layer of the rice.
- Top up with the remaining chopped mint, coriander leaves and fried onions. Also add kewra water.
- Dot with ghee. You can also sprinkle some natural color if you want.
- Cover tightly with a foil. Bake the biryani at 180 degrees celsius for 30 to 35 minutes.
- If dum cooking on a stove top, then also you can cover with a foil or with a moist kitchen towel. Place the pan on a hot tava/griddle. On a low to medium flame dum cook the veg biryani for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Allow the bombay biryani to stand for some minutes. Then serve this aromatic and spiced bombay biryani with your favorite raita or plain yogurt.
- It makes for a filling and satisfying lunch or dinner.
Nutrition
Calories: 547kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 9gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 881mgPotassium: 807mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gCalcium: 126mgIron: 3mg
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