Take a ticket to aromatic flavour town with this Seeraga Samba biryani. This fragrant rice, packed with veggies, spices, herbs an explosion in every bite!
In this post, I share a fantastic recipe and method to make fluffy biryani using seeraga samba rice. Each morsel of vegetable and grain of rice is perfectly cooked and spiced. Trust me, you will make this on repeat in your household.
I was introduced to this short-grained aromatic variety of rice a few years ago at my friend Laxmi’s home. The aroma was divine and so different from what I had tried before. Meat-based biryanis in South India use seeraga samba rice variety as the grain soaks the flavours from the meat well. I have always wanted to try a vegetable biryani with it, but my earlier attempts have been a hit or a miss!
So, what is different in this recipe? It is the way the rice is cooked!
How to cook grainy seeraga samba rice for biryani
We pre-cook the rice by soaking it and adding it to boiling water so the grains are partially cooked before adding it to the biryani masala. In this, it is also important to ensure the vegetables and rice are both flavoured well with the biryani spice – so we cook the gravy and rice together in a ‘dum’ set-up.
If you follow my blog, you know how much I love the pressure cooker. I make various kinds of pulaos, biryanis on it regularly and it is usually my go to for a rice dish. I have no dearth of amazing biryani and pulao recipes on this site, like this matar paneer biryani or this easy mint pulao. A household favourite is this kala channa pulao! ALL of them are made in 30 minutes in a pressure cooker.
However – my favourite kind of biryani is the one where it is layered and cooked in a dum. The rice is cooked infused in spices and the masala is a rich with spices and vegetables. This recipe does justice to how I love my biryani. It is a little more complex than a pressure cooker biryani, but it is totally worth your time! I promise you will make it on repeat.
What goes into making this seeraga samba vegetable biryani
- Rice – obviously seeraga samba variety in case it is not evident yet.
- Whole spices – we use cinnamon, star anise and two varieties of cardamom. The bold flavour of the black cardamom and the subtle sweetness of the green ones.
- Aromatics – we use ginger, garlic, chillies and onions in this recipe
- Flavorings – we add curd and tomato for a tang along with mint, and coriander to infuse some freshness to this dish.
- Powdered spices – red chili powder and salt. There is no biryani masala in this dish.
- of course water and salt.
Method to make Seeraga Samba Biryani
We will be cooking a gravy for the biryani along with vegetables in a pan. In another vessel, we will cook the rice for a short period and add it to the biryani gravy vessel to complete the process. Accordingly, we will need utensils. The gravy takes time so when it’s cooking, it is a good idea to keep water to boil for the rice on a low flame.
Cooking rice and boiling water for cooking rice
- Soak the rice in plenty of water after rinsing it a few times.
- Keep 1 litre water for boil in low flame to cook the rice.
- Add 1 tbsp salt
- We will add the rice to this at a later stage in the recipe
Sauteeing spices, aromatics and vegetables
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan on low heat and add oil, onions, whole spices and mix well. (no need to wait till oil heats up)
- Cook until spices brown and onions become translucent and add the vegetables – carrots, beans, mushrooms peas.
- Do not add potatoes at this stage.
- Add a dash of salt. Let the onions turn translucent and vegetables become partially cooked.
- This process till take 7-8 minutes on low flame.
- Increase flame and let the onions brown well.
- Once the onions are browned, add potato and saute for one minute.
- Reduce flame and add add ginger garlic paste and mix for 30 seconds
- Next, add red chilli powder and saute for 30 seconds
- After that, add coriander, mint leaves and green chillies and saute for 30 seconds
- Now, add curd and saute for 30 seocnds followed by tomatoes
- Finally, add salt for the gravy. Mix everything together.
Cooking biryani masala
- Add 500 ml water and increase heat for it to come to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil (about 5 minutes) reduce flame to medium low and close the vessel with a tight lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- It’s in this time that the spices, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste get fully cooked and infused into the water.
- In between, open once and taste the water. It has to be spicy, tangy and a tad too salty. If it’s low on salt or spice, add some and if low on tang, squeeze a little lemon juice. Close again and let it cook on a low flame.
Cooking rice
- As the biryani gravy is cooking, we will cook the rice.
- Add the soaked and drained rice to the boiling water we kept when we started cooking.
- Make sure the rice is fully drained and there is no residual water from soaking.
- Cook the rice stirring slowly for 4 minutes and drain completely in a colander.
Assembling and dum cooking the biryani:
- Add the drained rice to the masala.
- Spread the rice evenly using a flat ladle.
- At this stage it will seem like the water/gravy fully covers the rice and there’s no additional liquid. This is right consistency.
- Close the lid tight and keep on a low flame for 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork, the rice will be fully cooked.
Serving the biryani:
- To serve, start by ‘breaking’ the biryani on the side, take a deep sharp ladle and scrape from the side bottom taking a serving of rice and vegetables. Serve with a portion of plain rice from the top.
- Ideally served with a plain egg and onion raitha.
Seeraga Samba Biryani
Equipment
- 1 large vessel with tight fitting lid
- 1 large vessel with a capacity of 2 litres for cooking rice
- colander
Ingredients
For cooking seeraga samba rice
- 2 cups Seeraga Samba Rice 500 grams
- 2 litres water
- 1 tbsp salt
For cooking biryani masala
- 1/2 cup Cooking Oil 120ml
- 2 cups Onions thinly sliced 200grams
Dry Spices:
- 1 piece Star Anise
- 1 piece Black Cardamom
- 3 pieces Green Cardamom
- 2 inch Cinnamon
Vegetables
- 2 Carrots (medium-sized carrots diced into 1-inch pieces) 100grams
- 20 Beans (diced into 1-inch pieces) 100grams
- 8-10 Mushrooms(quartered) 100grams
- 3/4 cup Peas (frozen peas/fresh peas) 100grams
- 2-3 Potatoes(cut into big chunks of quarters) 200grams
Other items for biryani masala:
- 2.5 tbsp Ginger paste 40 grams, if making fresh, about 2-3 inch piece ginger
- 2.5 tbsp Garlic paste 40 grams, if making fresh, about 12-15 cloves garlic
- Mint leaves – a handful
- Coriander leaves – a handful
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder can increase to 1.5 tbsp if you prefer spicy
- 2-3 Green Chillis(whole or slit lengthwise)
- 3 Tomatoes (medium sized, finely diced) 200grams
- 1/2 cup curd (whisked) 100gms
- 1 tbsp salt
- 500 ml water in room temp
Instructions
Method:
- We will be cooking a gravy for the biryani along with vegetables in a pan. In another vessel, we will cook the rice for a short period and add it to the biryani gravy vessel to complete the process. Accordingly, we will need utensils. The gravy takes time so when it’s cooking, it is a good idea to keep water to boil for the rice on a low flame.
Cooking rice and boiling water for cooking rice
- Soak the rice in plenty of water after rinsing it a few times.
- Keep 1 litre water for boil in low flame to cook the rice.
- Add 1 tbsp salt
- We will add the rice to this at a later stage in the recipe
Sauteeing spices, aromatics and vegetables
- Heat a heavy bottomed pan on low heat and add oil, onions, whole spices and mix well. (no need to wait till oil heats up)
- Cook until spices brown and onions become translucent and add the vegetables – carrots, beans, mushrooms peas.
- Do not add potatoes at this stage.
- Add a dash of salt. Let the onions turn translucent and vegetables become partially cooked.
- This process till take 7-8 minutes on low flame.
- Increase flame and let the onions brown well.
- Once the onions are browned, add potato and saute for one minute.
- Reduce flame and add add ginger garlic paste and mix for 30 seconds
- Next, add red chilli powder and saute for 30 seconds
- After that, add coriander, mint leaves and green chillies and saute for 30 seconds
- Now, add curd and saute for 30 seocnds followed by tomatoes
- Finally, add salt for the gravy. Mix everything together.
Cooking biryani masala
- Add 500 ml water and increase heat for it to come to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil (about 5 minutes) reduce flame to medium low and close the vessel with a tight lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- It’s in this time that the spices, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste get fully cooked and infused into the water.
- In between, open once and taste the water. It has to be spicy, tangy and a tad too salty. If it’s low on salt or spice, add some and if low on tang, squeeze a little lemon juice. Close again and let it cook on a low flame.
Cooking rice
- As the biryani gravy is cooking, we will cook the rice.
- Add the soaked and drained rice to the boiling water we kept when we started cooking.
- Make sure the rice is fully drained and there is no residual water from soaking.
- Cook the rice stirring slowly for 4 minutes and drain completely in a colander.
Assembling and dum cooking the biryani:
- Add the drained rice to the masala.
- Spread the rice evenly using a flat ladle.
- At this stage it will seem like the water/gravy fully covers the rice and there’s no additional liquid. This is right consistency.
- Close the lid tight and keep on a low flame for 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork, the rice will be fully cooked.
Serving the biryani:
- To serve, start by ‘breaking’ the biryani on the side, take a deep sharp ladle and scrape from the side bottom taking a serving of rice and vegetables. Serve with a portion of plain rice from the top.
- Ideally served with a plain egg and onion raitha.
Notes
- This recipe is specifically for seeraga samba rice variety. Try not to substitute with another variety.
- The oil is necessary for the grains to be coated well with flavour. Try to use a neutral cooking oil and not ghee/coconut oil.
- Mushrooms can be omitted or substituted with soya chunks (parboil and use)
- Do not use vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli and it will become mushy.
- There is NO flavoring powder like coriander powder; biryani masala or garam masala in this recipe The whole spices and the fragrance of the rice is sufficient.
- Use non sour thick whisked curd only. To make this biryani vegan, substitute the curd with the juice of one lemon instead.
Making it vegan?
To make this biryani vegan, substitute the curd with the juice of one lemon instead.
How can I cook this in a pressure cooker or an Instant pot?
Honestly, I have not tried to and my earlier attempts to make a biryani with seeraga samba in a pressure cooker and instant pot were not this good. SO, if i am able to nail a recipe/method to make it, I will update it here.
Explore more amazing rice recipes from my blog!
No Onion No Garlic Vegetable Pulao
Matar Paneer Biriyani
Capsicum Peanut Rice
Vegetable Brinji
Please leave a comment below if you made this recipe, have any questions or thoughts! Your comment will help me learn more about your preferences and will help other readers.
Love this post? Here are some links if you would like to share it with your friends:
No Comments