Instant Pot Vegetable Biryani
Quick and easy Vegetable Biryani using Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 3 cups Basmati Rice Soak for 20 mins
Biryani Seasoning
- 4 tbsp Ghee
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 6 Cloves
- 2 Cardamom (Black)
- 3 Cardamom (Green)
- 2 Star Anise
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 Onion sliced
- 3 Green chilies slit
- 3 tbsp Ginger/ Garlic Paste
- 1 cup Mint leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped, optional
Vegetables
- 2 Potatoes chopped
- 2 Carrots chopped
- 1/2 cup Green Beans cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup Cauliflower small pieces
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper small pieces
- 1/2 cup Mushroom small pieces
- 1/2 cup Lima beans fresh, frozen or soaked
- 1/2 cup Green Peas if frozen, add at the end
- 1/2 cup Soya chunks soak and squeeze out water
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/4 tbsp Black pepper powder
- 1/4 tbsp Jeera powder
- 4 tbsp Yogurt
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Lime juice
Instructions
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Wash and soak basmati rice for about 20 mins with 1.5 times water.
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Click the “Saute” mode in Instant Pot and pour ghee, and when is hot, do the whole garam masala tadka.
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Add sliced onions, fry them till golden brown, add green chilies and ginger/ garlic paste and fry till raw smell is gone from the paste.
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Add chopped mint (and coriander leaves if preferred) and fry for some time.
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Add chopped tomatoes and fry till tomato is fully cooked and mashed.
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Add vegetables of your choice – potato, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms, soya chunks, lima beans, etc. If you are using frozen green peas, reserve them to add at the end.
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Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, black pepper/ jeera powders, sour curd, salt to taste and fry for few mins.
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Now add the rice (with 1.5 times water), mix well and check/ adjust salt level.
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Close the Instant Pot lid and ensure the pressure release seal is in closed position (for older models). Select the “Pressure Cooker” mode and set cooking time to 6 mins. The pressure will build up and the biryani will get cooked in 6 mins and then the pressure will release naturally in about 15 to 20 mins (dum stage).
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You can then open and add some sautéed frozen green peas (I generally add the frozen green peas at the end so it does not get overcooked), more chopped mint/ coriander leaves, some more ghee, 1 tablespoon lime juice and give a gentle stir.
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Biryani is ready to be enjoyed!
Recipe Notes
- “Burnt” error message came up on the display some 10 mins before the end of the overall cooking time. Just to be sure (because I was cooking for a party!), I manually released the pressure and switched off the Instant Pot). I noticed some slight browning of the biryani at the bottom like I get whenever I cook in a regular pressure cooker or in a dum pot. My son and I like to eat the browned bottom portion of the biryani. I am reading online on how best to handle this “Burnt” error message and got some tips. I will experiment those steps and will share with you later.
- Some people get upset when biryani gets browned a bit at the bottom. Do you know elsewhere (in Middle Eastern cuisine), the browned, crusty bottom portion of cooked rice is considered a delicacy? It is called Tahdig and is even listed as a special item on the menu sometimes, or served to the most preferred guests!!!
- You can make some tweaks to this recipe by adding biryani masala powder (homemade or store bought) instead of whole garam masala.
- You can also add some coconut milk.
- You can cook this biryani in oil instead of ghee (or use half ghee/ half oil.