One-Pot Green Biryani (Vegan)
Quick and easy, yet super aromatic and flavoursome, this vegan green biryani recipe will soon become a favourite on your weeknight dinner rotation. It’s loaded with green veggies, fragrant spices, sweet caramelised onions and perfectly cooked rice. Coming together in just 30 minutes, it makes the perfect family weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 250 g basmati rice* ~1¼ cups
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 3 medium red onions sliced
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 3 cardamon pods seeds removed and ground
- 400 g frozen peas ~3 cups
- 250 g broccoli florets ~1 head broccoli
- 400 ml vegetable stock ~1½ cups
- 200 ml coconut milk ~¾ cup
- 100 g spinach ~2 large handfuls
- 15 g mint or coriander chopped
Instructions
- Before you start, weigh out the rice, and leave it to soak in a bowl of water until you’re ready to use it.
- Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large lidded pot** over a medium heat. Add the onions, along with half a teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the onions to a plate and heat the other tablespoon of oil in the pot. Add the chopped garlic and spices, and fry until fragrant, around 4 minutes. Drain the rice and add it to the pan, and stir to combine with the spices.
- Add the peas, broccoli, stock and coconut milk, and stir well to combine. Bring to a low simmer, then cover tightly with the lid and leave to cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir the spinach through until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay the cooked onions on top of the rice.
- If the rice is cooked and all the water is absorbed, replace the lid and leave to stand for 5 minutes. If the rice still has a slight bite to it, return to the heat, covered, for 5 more minutes.
- To serve, sprinkle over chopped coriander leaves or fresh mint leaves.
Notes
*If you were in a pinch and needed to use a normal long grain rice, this is an option. Long grain rice is not as aromatic as basmati rice, so won’t be as flavoursome, but would work. I haven’t tested this recipe with long grain rice, but I would suggest using the ‘easy cook’ variety which has a shorter cooking time.
**The best type of pot to cook biryani in at home is a dutch oven. A cast iron pot like this has thick walls which helps the green biryani to cook evenly all over.
The heavy lid also creates a really good seal to keep all of the steam trapped inside. Enamel lined cast iron pots are great, as the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom and they are easy to clean.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!