Ramadan 2021: Give iftar a vegetarian spin with Zaitooni Subz Biryani recipe

Ramadan 2021: Here is a biryani recipe packed with the goodness of veggies and flavourful spices all tossed together for a delightful, rich dish to savour any time of the day.

The final days of Ramadan or Ramzan are finally here, and while one can't go to the usual sehri and iftar parties, pray in mosques or meet relatives like one did before the coronavirus pandemic, there are still many ways to feel the magic of Ramadan before it ends. There are many who believe vegetarian biryani is just pulao, but this Zaitooni Subz Biryani will sure change the minds of even the most hardcore meat lovers. This biryani recipe is packed with the goodness of veggies and flavourful spices all tossed together for a delightful, rich dish to savour any time of the day. This recipe is perfect as given the current heat, eating too much non-vegetarian is only more difficult on the stomach and creates more heat. This recipe is perfect for two people and takes less than an hour to cook. Check it out:

Zaitooni Subz Biryani

Ingredients

1/4 cup, Basmati rice, soaked

10 units, Green olives

10 units Black olives

4 units Carrots (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

10 units Babycorn (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

2 units Zucchini (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

1/2 cup Diced mushrooms

10-12 units Broccoli florets

1 cup Green peas

Saffron as per taste

50 ml Milk

300 mililitres, Oil for frying

4 units, Onions sliced

2 units, Green cardamom

1 units, Black cardamom

4 units, Cloves

1/2 units, Cinnamon

1 units, Bay leaf

1 1/2 tablespoons, Red chilli pickle paste

4-5 units, Green chilli chopped

1 teaspoons, Coriander powder

1 teaspoons, Red chilli powder

1 teaspoons, Turmeric powder

3/4 teaspoons, Garam masala powder

2 tablespoons, Fresh coriander and mint leaves chopped

2 units, Kewra essence drops

1 teaspoons, Ginger thin stripes

Salt as per taste

Instructions

Soak the saffron in the warm milk.

Drain and boil rice in four cups of boiling salted water with green cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf, until three-fourths done. Drain excess water.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep-fry the onions till golden. Drain on absorbent paper.

Blanch all the vegetables separately. Drain and refresh in cold water.

In a bowl, mix the vegetables with the yogurt, red chilli pickle paste, green chillies, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, half the garam masala powder, salt and half the browned onions.

Transfer the mixture to a non stick deep pan; Spread the rice over the vegetables along with olives. Sprinkle the saffron-flavored milk, coriander leaves, mint leaves, kewra essence, ginger strips, remaining garam masala powder and remaining browned onions over the rice.

Seal the pan with the lid and cook over medium heat, till the rice and vegetables are done. This may take around 15-20 minutes.

Serve hot with a boondi raita of your choice.

(Recipe courtesy Foodism)