Hyderabadi Style Vegetable Dum Biryani in Oven

Preparing Time: 40 Minutes
Cooking Time: 60 Minutes

Cuisine : Hyderabadi (South Indian )

Biryani is cooked in different styles in different cuisines ,but the aroma & taste of Hyderbadi Dum biryani stands out among the other styles , because of the exotic spices and herbs  used explicitly in it's prep. The preparation even uses less oil when compared to traditional  pulao  and the dum or slow cooking really helps the rice to acquire real and optimal taste of the veggies or meat and the spices used in the gravy or curry mixture . The fragrance of the mint leaves and the hot spiciness of the green chilies along with black pepper gives this dish a unique and exotic aroma . The fried onions added  during the layering gives more melting texture to the rice grains .
Serve with onion or mixed veg or mirchi ka salan which maximizes the taste even more .
You need not be a pro to prepare a restaurant style recipe if you can figure out the apt ingredients  for your recipe . In order to get the perfect Biryani whether it is dum or normal use at least year aged long grained basmati rice , which yields  the best texture and taste . Even though the preparing time and cooking time of the biryani is more than an hour the taste and the simpleness in  preparing  pays all the worth .

Try vegetable dum biryani along with salan (onion)  & Mirchi Ka salan recipes 

Mutton Dum Biryani 

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice 2 cups
Potatoes sliced  lengthwise  1 cup
Carrots sliced lengthwise 1 cup
Onions sliced lengthwise 1.5 cups
Green Peas 1/2 cup

Cauliflower florets 1/2 cup

Green beans chopped into inch length 1/2 cup
Green chilies slice length wise 8 to 10 or according to taste preference
Ginger Garlic  paste 2 table spoons
Coriander Leaves Chopped finely 1/2 cup
Mint finely chopped 1 cup
Oil 4 to 5 table spoons
Ghee 1 table spoon
Salt as per taste
Garam Masala 1 table spoon
Chilly powder 1 table spoon
Coriander Powder 1 table spoon
Cumin Powder 1/2 table spoon
Yogurt 1/4 cup
Fried Onions 1 cup

Whole Spices
Bay leaf 1
Biryani flower
Cloves 8 to 10
Cardamom 6 to 8
Cinnamon Sticks 4 to 5
Black Cumin 1 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds  1 teaspoon
Black pepper balls 10 to 15
Anistar 1

Procedure:
Step 1: Wash and soak basmati rice for about half an hour . Bring 4 cups of water to boil , add in cardamom , cloves , bay leaf ,cinnamon sticks along with a teaspoon of oil . Add basmati rice and cook until it is 75% to 80%  done , then drain off the excess water .

Step 2: Add oil and ghee into a heated sauteing pan , along with whole garam masala , when they sputter add in chopped mint and coriander leaves and fry for a minute or two.

Step 3: Now add in finely sliced onions and fry them until translucent , when done toss in ginger garlic paste and fry until it losses raw smell ,then add in chopped vegetables along with a dash of salt .
Step 4: Cook until the veggies are 70 to 80% done as the remaining should be done in dum
Step 5: After they are done cooking up to 75 % add garam masala , chili powder, salt , coriander powder, cumin powder and yogurt . Now carefully cook for another five minutes and then switch off the stove .
Step 6: Preheat the oven to 375 F for five to 10 minutes, then line a cookie sheet or tray with aluminium foil .Spread a layer of basmati rice as the first layer ,  then toss in fried onions about 1/4 cup

Sep 7: Spread the curry layer along with fried onions , followed with rice ,repeat until both rice and curry are done layering .
Step 8: Cover the rice with another aluminum foil and bake it for 20 to 25 minutes in a 325 F preheated  oven .Carefully remove the cover and serve hot with onion riata or salan

Chef''s Notes:

• Traditional recipe includes saffron , if you would like to add a bit of color to your rice sprinkle some saffron dissolved in milk over the top layer 
• The brown onions or fried onions are a special addition to the biryani , do add them for best taste 
• You can toss in some turmeric instead of saffron 
• The different spices along with mint added while preparing gives the aroma and flavor to the biryani