Hyderabadi Dum Biryani

I have explained the dum procedure before. To complete that list, this is the adaptaion of the hyderabadi dum biryani. It’s an adaptation because it’s the vegetarian version. The dum is a great way to bring the aroma and the flavor. There are many ways to do it and few are simple, when it comes to home cooking. Let’s look into the recipe and the dum method as well.

Ingredients:

2 cup	Vegetables, cubed (Carrots, Peas, Beans and Potatos)
2	Onions, cut lengthwise
¼ cup	Oil
2 table spoon	Ghee
3 cups	Basmati rice
¼ cup	Coriander leaves
¼ cup	Mint leaves
1	Bay leaves
2	Cloves
2 tea spoon	cumin Seeds
1 tea spoon	Saffron
Marinade mix
5 to 6	Green chillies, finely chopped
2 table spoon	Ginger-garlic paste
¼ tea spoon	Turmeric powder
1 table spoon	Coriander powder
	Salt to taste
½ cup	Yogurt
2 tea spoon	Cumin seeds
2 tea spoon	Red chilli powder
2 table spoon	Lime juice
To grind
¼ cup	Coriander leaves, chopped finely
½ cup	Mint leaves, finely chopped
7 to 8	Whole black pepper
2	Bay leaves
3	Cloves
3	Cinnamon sticks
3	Cardamon

Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Dum Time: 15 to 30 minutes

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced onions and fry them till it becomes crisp and dark brown.

2. Roast the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and peppercorns in a dry pan. Coarsely grind them along with the coriander leaves and the mint leaves.

 

3. Now add the ground mixture.  the marinade mix and some fried onions to the vegetables. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

3. Boil the water in a heavy bottomed wide vessel and when it comes to a full boil, add some oil, ghee, black cumin, bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon. Add the soaked rice and just cook the rice to al dente.

4. After 30 minutes, cook the vegetables in a pan with 1/2 cup of water. Once the water starts boiling, simmer and close the pan and let it cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Add the saffron in a 3 table spoon of hot water and mix it well.

5. Heat a tawa, add some ghee and spread some fried onions. Add in a layer of cooked vegetables, followed by a layer of rice. Add in the remaining mint leaves, coriander leaves on top of the rice. Finally pour the saffron water on top of it.

Close the tawa and dum. I have explained some dum techniques in the previous post. Here is another easy way of doing it. Refer my old post for other ways. 

DUM METHOD:

Place a flat heavy bottomed non-stick pan on the heat and allow it to get hot as much possible.

Now,  place the pan on top of the biryani tawa, place heavy weight(like a large pan filled with hot water) above it  and allow to cook for 30-35 minutes.

The Biryani tawa must be getting heated in low flame during the process of dum.

You can get the aroma filling the room as the dum is done.

 

 

Remove the top utensils slowly and you will see beautifully cooked dum biryani is ready.

 

 

When you dig in, you can see the perfectly layered vegetables and the rice.

Just Some Pointers:

1. For heavy weight, you can use anything you can find in your kitchen. It is simply to help seal the steam inside.
2. You can use the vegetables of your choice.
3. You can do caramelized onions in microwave too.
4. Heat the tawa in low flame possible during the dum process, Otherwise the vegetables may possibly get burnt.