Parda Vegetable Biryani

The word “Biryani” is derived from Persian word “Birian”. This dish is popular throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is prepared with rice, vegetables and flavorful spices.  You might have heard of Dum Biryani which is prepared in steam but Parda Biryani is cooked in steam with bread covering it. This makes parda biryani more unique and flavorful.  It is a delightful treat to all biryani lovers. Parda biryani can be also prepared with mutton, chicken and eggs.

For a long time, I was planning to try this unique style of biryani. Finally it happened  and was amazed with its  taste. The recipe might look long, but trust me if you follow the cooking  steps, you will definitely find the recipe is very easy. The best part of this dish is that you can also enjoy the delicious fresh baked bread along with flavorful biryani. Sheerva makes the best side dish for this recipe. My style of making Sheerva will be shared very soon. Till then enjoy cooking.

INGREDIENTS

To Make Rice

• Rice – 2 cups
• Water -6 cups
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Peppercorns- ½ tsp
• Star Anise – 1 no
• Green cardamom – 2 nos
• Cloves- 5 nos
• Salt – 1tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp (oil avoids rice from sticking to each other)

To Make Vegetable Masala Gravy for Biryani

• Green peas (Frozen or Fresh) – ¼ cup
• Carrots (cut into small cubes) - 2 small
• Beans (cut into 1 inch pieces) – 8 nos
• Potatoes – (cut into cubes) – 2 medium
• Cauliflower florets (cut into small pieces) – ½ cup
• Onion –1 big (thinly sliced)
• Tomato – 3 medium (finely chopped)
• Ginger Garlic paste – 2tsp
• Green chilies – 2 no (sliced)
• Coriander leaves or cilantro – ¼ cup
• Yogurt – ¼ cup
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder – 1&1/2 tsp
• Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1tsp
• Salt to taste
• Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
• Cloves – 2 nos
• Green cardamom – 2 nos
• Bay leaves – 2 small
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Kewra water or Rose water – 1tsp
• Ghee – 1tbsp

To Make Bread Covering (Parda) for Biryani

Note: If yeast is not available. Replaced it with 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1 tsp of baking powder.

• All-purpose flour – 2&1/2 cup
• Salt – ¾ tsp
• Oil – 1 tbsp +extra oil to apply on the dough
• Active Yeast – 2 tsp
• Lukewarm water – ½ cup
• Sugar – 1tsp

Other Ingredients needed while Assembling Biryani

• Fried onion – ¼ cup (Thinly slice 2 medium sized onions and fry in the oil)
• Dried rose petals – 1tbsp
• Cashew nuts (broken) – 2tbsp
• Pudina leaves (fresh or Dried) – 2 tbsp (optional)
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Kewra water or rose water – ½ tsp
• Saffron milk – (soak generous pinch of saffron into ¼ cup of milk)
• Garam masala – 1 tsp

Method

To Make Rice for Biryani

• Soak rice for at least 30 minutes.
• Boil 6 cups of water and add cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, peppercorns, and star anise. Let all the spices boil in water for 30 seconds.
• Then add salt and oil into the boiling water.
• Wash rice and add it into the spice infused water. Let the rice cook until they are 80% done.
• To check on the rice if they are done.  
• Just take one grain of the rice in between your fingers. When you press, if it breaks then rice is ready.
• Strain the rice and add into the cold water to avoid overcooking.
• Again strain the rice from the cold water.
• Spread the rice into the wide plate. This step will help the rice to cool down and avoid sticking to each other.

To Make Vegetable Masala Gravy for Biryani

• Heat oil into a pan and add in cloves, green cardamom, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Saute them for 30 seconds.
• Then add thinly sliced onion and fry till they light brown in color. Add salt to make cooking process of the onion faster.
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are soft an mushy.
• Add ginger garlic paste and sliced green chillies. Saute for 30 seconds till raw smell of paste goes off.
• Mix in all the masala powder mentioned in the “ingredients column”. Fry for 20 seconds.
• Add yogurt and stir in the masala. Cook till the masala leaves oil at the sides.
• Add all the veggies and mix in the masala. Also add salt as per taste.
• Cover and cook the veggies until they are 50 % done.
• Add chopped coriander leaves, kewra water and dried rose petals. Mix everything well.
• Lastly add ghee to the masala and mix everything again.
  
• Let the heat of the vegetable masala lower down before assembling the biryani.

 To Make Bread Covering

• Add sugar and yeast into warm water. Mix well and keep it aside for fermentation.
• Meanwhile mix in all-purpose flour, oil and salt into a wide bowl.
• Once yeast is fermented, add in the mixture into the flour mixture.
• Knead well and make a sticky soft dough.
• Apply more oil to the dough .Cover the dough and keep it aside for proofing time (dough will rise to double of its quantity)
• Once dough is risen, punch the dough to release air from it.
• Transfer the dough on the counter top and start kneading it with some extra flour and make a smooth dough ball.
• Do not worry, if the dough is sticking to your hand. As you need the dough with dry flour, you will get non sticky and smooth dough.

 To Assemble the Biryani

• Roll out the dough ball to the larger disk into a round shape.
• The wide pot for assembling the biryani gives the best results.
• Grease the pot with generous amount of oil.
•  Slowly place the rolled out dough into the greased pot. Covering all the sides properly.
• Now make layer with rice, vegetable masala, pudina leaves, fried onions and ghee.
• Repeat the same layering for second time.
• Lastly add garam masala powder, kewra water, dried rose petals, saffron milk and broken cashewnuts.
• Once the layering is done. Cover it with dough from all the sides and seal it properly.

• Place the biryani pot on medium flame to low flame.  Cover the pot with the tight lid and bake it for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the crust is golden brown in color.
• In between you can place tava under biryani pot to avoiding any burning.

• Similarly you can make biryani in the oven at 180- degree Celsius for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remember to use oven proof pot for biryani when making in oven.
  
• Parda Vegetable Biryani is ready.