This Cauliflower biryani is a one-pot recipe of a dum cooked South Indian style biryani made with cauliflower florets, coconut, herbs and spices.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cauliflower florets (or 1 small to medium-sized cauliflower)
  • hot water (- as required for blanching cauliflower)
  • ½ teaspoon vinegar (- optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 1 small piece of stone flower ((dagad phool) - optional)
  • 2 to 3 strands of mace
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon poppy seeds ((khus khus) - optional)
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 5 whole black peppers
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut (or fresh coconut)
  • 2 green chilies (- chopped or ½ tablespoon chopped - you can add more green chillies for a spicy biryani)
  • 1 inch ginger (- chopped or ½ tablespoon chopped ginger)
  • ½ tablespoon chopped garlic (or 4 to 5 medium-sized garlic cloves)
  • 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro))
  • ¼ cup water (for grinding)
  • 1.5 cups seeraga samba rice (or 280 grams - can sub with basmati rice)
  • water (- as required for soaking rice)
  • 3 tablespoons oil (- any neutral tasting oil)
  • ½ cup thinly sliced onions (or 1 medium-sized onion)
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes (or 2 medium-sized tomatoes)
  • 1 pinch of turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
  • 1 medium potato (or a fistful of green peas - both are optional)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt (as required)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves ((cilantro) - for garnish)

Method

Soaking rice

  1. Rinse 1.5 cups seeraga samba rice (280 grams) 3 to 4 times in water. Then soak rice grains for 30 minutes in enough water. After 30 minutes, drain the rice and keep aside.

Blanching cauliflower

  1. Next rinse and then chop 1 small to medium cauliflower in medium sized florets. You will need about 3 cups of cauliflower florets. Take the florets in a bowl. Add hot boiling water till it cover the cauliflower florets. Also add ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep aside for 5 to 6 minutes.
  2. Blanching the cauliflower is to get rid of the worms or insects. This step is optional. To get rid of the cauliflower aroma, you can add ½ teaspoon vinegar in the hot water and mix it well before adding gobi florets.

Preparing spice paste

  1. Meanwhile prepare the spice paste or masala paste. Take all the whole spices mentioned above in the list 'spices to be ground' in a small grinder jar or chutney grinder jar.
  2. Also add desiccated coconut, green chilies, ginger, garlic and coriander leaves.
  3. Add ¼ cup water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep the spice paste aside.

Sautéing onions and tomatoes

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a thick bottomed heavy pan or pot. Add ½ cup thinly sliced onions.
  2. Begin to sauté onions on a low to medium flame till they turn golden.
  3. Then add 5 to 6 curry leaves and 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes. Mix very well.
  4. Cover the pan and cook the tomatoes for 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame, till they soften and become mushy. In between do check a couple of times and stir, so that the tomatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  5. Then add the ground masala paste. mix and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Then add a pinch of turmeric powder and mix again.

Adding cauliflower and rice

  1. Now add the blanched cauliflower florets.
  2. Mix the cauliflower florets with the rest of the masala.
  3. Then add the rice and gently mix the rice grains with the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Add 3 cups water. next add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and salt as per taste.
  5. Check the taste of the water and it should have a slight salty taste. Stir well.

Dum cooking cauliflower biryani

  1. Seal the pan with an aluminium foil.
  2. Now cover the pan with its lid. You can even directly keep the lid on the pan without using the foil. Since this lid has a vent on it, I have sealed the pan with the foil.
  3. Dum cook the biryani for 18 to 20 minutes on a low flame or sim. Do use a thick bottomed heavy pan or else the base can get browned or burnt. If doubtful, then keep the pan on a hot heavy tawa (griddle) which is placed on the burner and cook on a low flame.
  4. Give a standing time of 6 to 8 minutes. Then open the lid. Gently fluff the biryani and serve hot.
  5. Garnish with coriander leaves while serving gobi biryani. Serve any raita or salad of your choice with this cauliflower biryani.

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.