Zero Oil – Healthy Veg Biryani
Zero Oil Healthy Veg Biryani is a nutritious twist on the traditional Indian rice dish, made without any added oil or ghee. Packed with a variety of colorful vegetables and aromatic spices, this biryani retains all the classic flavors while being light and heart-healthy. Steamed or pressure-cooked to perfection, it offers a guilt-free option for biryani lovers who seek wellness without compromising on taste. Ideal for lunch, dinner, or meal prep, it’s a wholesome, flavorful one-pot meal.
Ingredients
FOR MARINATION
- Onion, thinly sliced – 2½ cups
- Carrots, diamond cut – 1½ cups
- Beans, diamond cut – 1 cup
- Cauliflower, florets – 2 cups
- Turmeric – ¾ tsp
- Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Cardamon – 7-8 nos
- Javitri, large – 1 no
- Shahi Jeera – 2 tsp
- Cinnamon, 2” piece – 1 no
- Green chilli slit – 3-4 nos
- Mint Leaves – 1 cup
- Ginger Garlic Paste – 1½ tbsp
- Curd – 1½ cups
- Water – ½ cup
- Rose water – 2 tsp
- Kewra water – 2 tsp
- Green peas – 1 cup
- Green chilli, slit – 3-4 nos
FOR RICE
- Rice, Basmati (बासमती चावल) – 2½ cups
- Water – 3 lts
- Salt – 2½ tbsp
- Cardamom – 7-8 nos
- Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp
- Rose water – 2 tsp
- Kewra water – 2 tsp
- Saffron, dissolved in milk – a pinch
- Rice Water (चावल का पानी) – ½ cup
- Curd – ¼ cup
- Salt – a pinch
- Dough – for sealing
Instructions
- To prepare Zero Oil Healthy Veg Biryani, start by cooking the rice. In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked basmati rice along with whole spices like cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, and a pinch of salt. Cook the rice until it is 90% done—just tender with a slight bite—then drain and set it aside.
- Next, prepare the vegetable base. In a non-stick or thick-bottomed pan, add thinly sliced onions with a pinch of salt and 1–2 tablespoons of water. Sauté on low heat until the onions soften and turn light brown, adding small splashes of water as needed to prevent sticking. Stir in ginger-garlic paste and slit green chilies, cooking for about a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they become soft. Mix in the turmeric powder, red chili powder, and biryani masala. Then, add the chopped vegetables, salt, and curd. Stir well, cover, and let it cook on low heat for 8–10 minutes until the vegetables are tender, adding a little water only if needed.
- To assemble the biryani, layer half of the cooked rice over the vegetable mixture in the same pan or a separate pot. Sprinkle half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves over it. Add the remaining rice on top, followed by the rest of the herbs and saffron milk if using. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil.
- For the final steam or "dum" cooking, simmer the biryani on the lowest heat for 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, place the pot on a tawa to diffuse the heat evenly. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This method locks in the flavors and gives you a delicious, aromatic biryani without using any oil.
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