Spicy Vegan Biryani Recipe

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5 from 4 votes

Spicy vegan biryani that you can prepare in a pressure cooker or stove-top.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Building Pressure/Natural Release15

Total Time35

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Assyrian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Persian

Servings: servings

Calories: 452kcal

Author: Hilda Sterner

Equipment

Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker (I used a Ninja Foodi)

Ingredients

Biryani Seasoning

2 cups cubed eggplant
2¼ teaspoon salt (divided)
2 tablespoon biryani spice (recipe)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
¼ cup avocado oil (divided)
1 medium yellow onion (sliced)
2 medium russet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
½ cup baby carrots (julienned)
½ large red bell pepper (sliced)
½ medium zucchini (sliced or cubed)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups Basmati rice
3 cups vegetable broth
½ cup frozen peas

Toppings

1 cup cashews
1 cup raisins

Instructions

Prepare all the vegetables and measure all the ingredients before you begin. Sprinkle cubed eggplant with ¼ teaspoon salt and allow to drain over a colander.
Mix biryani seasoning with the remaining salt and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pressure cooker and select sauté.
Sauté sliced onions for a few minutes, then add potatoes and 1 tablespoon of biryani spice. Continue to cook until the potatoes are browned and the onions are caramelized, stirring frequently.
Add carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, and more oil, if needed. Sauté for a few minutes longer.
Rinse the salt off of the eggplant, then transfer to the pot, along with the minced garlic. Sprinkle with additional biryani spice and continue to Sauté.
Meanwhile, wash and strain the rice, then stir into the pot with the vegetables.
Dissolve the remaining biryani spice into the vegetable broth and pour into the pot. Add the remaining oil (except for 1 teaspoon which will be used for toasting the cashews and raisins).
Mix the ingredients in the pressure cooker and top with the frozen peas. Cover the pressure cooker with the lid. Lock into position and set the vent to seal.
Select the pressure cook option and set the timer to 5 minutes. When the time is up, do a natural release for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the remaining teaspoon of oil to a medium skillet and heat. Add cashews and raisins and stir until toasted, but not burned.
Note: Another option is to cook them separately so that your guests can choose one or the other without having to choose both.
When the ten minutes are up, vent the seal to release the remaining pressure and gently stir the biryani.
Serve the biryani topped with toasted cashews and raisins, along with a Middle Eastern salad.

Notes

Be sure to deglaze the bottom of the pot before sealing it to avoid a "burn" error code that can occur on some Instant pot models.
If you get a "water" error code on the Ninja Foodi, which indicates more liquid is required, just leave the biryani in there for the allotted time. The built-up pressure in the pot will cook the biryani perfectly. If you add more water, the biryani will be mushy.
If you're serving this dish to a crowd and not everyone is vegan, serve some Sumac Chicken on the side.

Nutrition