Bombay biryani is an aromatic, spiced and tasty Mumbai style dum cooked biryani made with mixed vegetables, basmati rice, curd, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 60 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 90 minutes
  • Yield: 5
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups basmati rice (or 300 grams basmati rice)
  • 4 to 5 whole black pepper
  • 1 star anise ((chakriphool))
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1 large tej patta (or 2 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf))
  • 2 single strands of mace
  • 5 cups water
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt (or add as required)
  • 250 grams onions (or 2 large onions or 2 cups thinly sliced onions)
  • 7 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon shahjeera ((caraway seeds))
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 single strands of mace
  • 2 all spice ((kabab chini) - optional)
  • 1 large tej patta (or 2 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf))
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or 1 inch ginger and 9 to 10 medium sized garlic crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle)
  • 1 green chili (- chopped)
  • 250 grams tomatoes (or 3 medium to large tomatoes or 1.25 cups tomatoes)
  • 300 grams potatoes (or 4 medium potatoes or 1.5 cups diced potatoes)
  • 2 to 3 medium or small to medium carrots (or 1 cup chopped carrots)
  • 1/3 cup fresh or frozen peas (- tightly packed)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 4 to 5 prunes ((dried plums) - optional)
  • ½ cup curd ((yogurt))
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or add as required)
  • ½ tablespoon chopped mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
  • ½ tablespoon ghee
  • 1 to 2 teaspoon kewra water ((pandanus extract) - optional)
  • a few drops of natural orange (or yellow color - (optional))
  • ½ cup birista or fried onions

Method

Preparing rice

  1. Rinse basmati rice very well in water. Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
  2. When the rice is soaking, chop all the veggies and keep aside. Take all the spices and keep aside.
  3. After 30 minutes drain the water from the rice.
  4. Heat 5 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil on medium to high heat.
  5. Add the whole spices or garam masala mentioned under 'For the rice' list.
  6. Then add the rice. Season with salt.
  7. Add lemon juice.
  8. On the same flame intensity, simmer the rice till the grains ¾th cooked.
  9. Drain the cooked rice in a colander and keep aside.

Making birista

  1. Heat oil in a pan. Add thinly sliced onions.
  2. Stir and stirring often saute the onions till they turn golden. Add a pinch of salt to hasten the cooking process.
  3. Stir often and saute till the onions become golden.
  4. Remove the crisp fried onions or birista with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels. From 2 cups of sliced onions, you will get about 1 cup of birista. We will use ½ of the birista in the gravy and the remaining half in the layering.

Making vegetable gravy

  1. In the same pan, add the whole spices for the gravy.
  2. Stir and saute till the spices become fragrant.
  3. Now add diced or chopped potatoes and carrots. Stir well.
  4. Saute the potatoes and carrots for 5 to 6 minutes.
  5. With a spoon, bring them to the sides and add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. Saute the ginger-garlic paste in the same place till the their raw aroma goes away.
  6. Now add 1.25 cups chopped tomatoes.
  7. Stir and mix very well.
  8. Add the spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Also add prunes or dried plums if you have them. About 4 to 5 dried plums. Stir and saute for a minute.
  9. Add ⅓ cup tightly packed fresh or frozen green peas. Stir.
  10. Now add ½ of the birista or fried onions.
  11. Season with salt and stir again.
  12. Add 1 cup water.
  13. Stir very well. Cover and cook on a medium heat till the veggies are cooked. You can also use a stovetop pressure cooker for the cooking of the veggies. Just add less water, about ⅔ to ¾ cup if cooking veggies in a stovetop pressure cooker.
  14. The veggies have to be cooked well but should retain their shape. The gravy should also thicken and should not be of watery consistency.
  15. Whisk ½ cup fresh curd (yogurt) in a bowl till smooth and keep aside.
  16. Once the veggies are done, place the pan down and add ½ cup beaten or whisked curd (yogurt).
  17. Stir and mix very well. Check the taste and add more salt if required. Keep this vegetable gravy aside.

Layering and cooking bombay biryani

  1. I cooked the biryani in the oven. You can also cook in a thick bottomed pan or pot or even in a dutch oven. Pour half of the vegetable gravy in the pan or pot.
  2. Layer evenly with the cooked rice.
  3. Sprinkle ¼ tablespoon of chopped mint leaves and ½ tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves.
  4. Now sprinkle ¼th portion of the fried onions evenly.
  5. Again make a second layer of the vegetable gravy evenly.
  6. Spread a third layer of the rice.
  7. Top up with the remaining chopped mint, coriander leaves and fried onions. Also add kewra water.
  8. Dot with ghee. You can also sprinkle some natural color if you want.
  9. Cover tightly with a foil. Bake the biryani at 180 degrees celsius for 30 to 35 minutes.
  10. If dum cooking on a stove top, then also you can cover with a foil or with a moist kitchen towel. Place the pan on a hot tava/griddle. On a low to medium flame dum cook the veg biryani for 30 to 35 minutes.
  11. Allow the bombay biryani to stand for some minutes. Then serve this aromatic and spiced bombay biryani with your favorite raita or plain yogurt.
  12. It makes for a filling and satisfying lunch or dinner.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.