Vegetable Dum Biryani made in the slow cooker has the same authentic taste but without the fuss. A spicy and delicious dish to serve for any special occasion.
I have a delicious biryani that is made in the slow cooker for today’s blogging marathon. My theme is ‘Rice recipes’ and it would be unfair to not post one of my favorite rice dishes. I am sure hard core biryani eaters might turn their nose up on my vegetarian biryani love. But I love making and eating biryani with vegetables.
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Dum (pronounced the-um) is a very traditional cooking technique that is used to make rice and/ or meat casserole type dishes. It is a slow-cooking method that is believed to have been around for many many centuries. Mughals have introduced this type of cooking in India.
To make traditional dum biryani, partially cooked rice is layered with spiced meat in a heavy bottom pan/ pot. A tight fitting lid is used to cover the pot. The edges of the lid are sealed with a dough and then the pot is heated gently. This ensures that the steam doesn’t escape and all of the flavors are retained in the dish.
🍲Slow cooker to make biryani
Slow cooker aka crockpot is a great appliance to make dum biryani, because the heat is gentle and the lid is tight fitting. This creates the same cooking environment as using a heavy bottom pan and sealing it. So the crock used in the slow cooker is perfect to create ‘dum’ effect for biryanis.
Biryani is not a quick to make meal. Generally, most Indian families reserve Sunday lunch for biryani. This dish needs a little bit of time, patience (and lots of love). It needs a good 45 minutes to 1 hour of hands on time and the rest is waiting for all the flavors (and your hard work) to come together.
Do you need a Slow Cooker to make this biryani?
Not really. I originally made this slow cooker recipe in 2013 and continued making in it until I sold it in 2017. Then I started using the slow cook feature on my Instant Pot and it works beautifully. I have included the instructions on how to use the Instant pot in the recipe and in the tips.
So, don’t fret if you sold your old crockpot or if you never had one. Simply make it in your Instant pot or any heavy bottomed pot for that matter. In about 1 hour, your house will filled with the delicious aroma that will bring everyone to the table.
🥘Ingredients
There are 2 main layers in this dish – rice layer and the vegetable layer. Here’s what you need for each layer:
- Rice layer:
- Basmati rice – gives the dish it’s characteristic aroma and perfect texture.
- Whole Spices – bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick
- Oil – a little bit of oil in the cooking water ensures that the rice turns out fluffy and perfect.
- Salt
- Vegetable Layer:
- Any mix of your favorite vegetables can be used in this recipe. I used carrot, green beans, peppers, green peas, corn kernels. But broccoli, cauliflower, potato etc. are all great options.
- Herbs – Mint and Cilantro are quintessential to biryani. They add tons of flavor to the dish. I also added a little bit of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves).
- Tomatoes
- Ginger+garlic paste
- Whole spices
- Biryani/ Pulao Masala – I use Everest brand biryani masala, but feel free to substitute it with garam masala.
💭Top tips
Here are a few tips to keep in mind to make the perfect vegetable dum biryani:
- Cook rice until 90% cooked. DO NOT overcook the rice. Mushy rice is the bane of good biryani. So, stick around while making rice. It only takes a few seconds to end up with mushy rice.
- Add oil while cooking rice. This helps in keeping the grains separate after cooking.
- Add salt to the rice cooking water. This adds flavor to the final dish.
- Taste the vegetable mixture before layering. Since the rice is fairly bland, vegetable layer needs to have enough spice and salt. Otherwise the whole dish will turn out bland.
- Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to the dish. So, make sure you have fresh mint and cilantro before making this dish.
- Saffron milk is traditionally sprinkled on top to give nice color and subtle flavor to biryani. This is an optional step, but a highly recommended step.
- To use Instant Pot:
- Cook the rice separately as per the recipe and keep ready.
- Make the vegetable layer directly in the instant pot using the Saute feature. Once ready, remove half of the veggie mixture into a bowl.
- Turn off the Saute feature.
- Top the veggie layer in left in the Instant pot with the rice, fried onions, chopped nuts.
- Followed by the reserved veggie mixture, remaining rice, fried onions, herbs and saffron milk (if using).
- Cover and set it on ‘Slow Cooker’ feature for 1 hour on high or 2.5 hours on low.
🍚Vegetable Dum Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
For Rice Layer:
- 2 cups Basmati Rice, washed, rinsed and soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes
- 2 Bay leaves
- 3~4 Cloves
- 1" Cinnamon stick
- 2 Cardamom pods
- 1 tbsp Oil
For the Vegetable Layer:
- 3 tbsp Oil, divided
- 8 oz Paneer cubes, diced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 2 Cardamom pods
- 2 Cloves
- ½" Cinnamon stick
- 1 Large Onion, chopped
- 1½ tsp Ginger+garlic paste
- 4~5 cups Mixed Vegetables (carrot, green beans, peppers, corn, green peas)
- 2 tsp Biryani masala
- 1~2 tsp Red Chili powder (adjust as per taste preference)
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 cup Tomato puree
- 3 tbsps Mint, finely chopped
- 3 tbsps Cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- To taste Salt
Other Ingredients:
- 2 tbsps Raisins
- 1 cup Fried Onions (like the French's brand)
- 1 big pinch Saffron milk soaked in 2 tbsp of warm milk (optional, but highly recommended)
Instructions
Cook Rice:
- In a large soup pot, bring lots of water to a rolling boil. Add the spices, oil and season with salt.
- Add the drained basmati rice, bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 6~8 minutes or until the rice is about 90% cooked. It should still have a little bite.
- Carefully drain the water and set aside until ready to layer.
Make the Vegetable Layer:
- Heat 1tbsp oil on medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the paneer cubes and fry until golden on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat the remaining 2tbsp oil, add the whole spices and cook until fragrant about 1 minute.
- Next add the onions and cook until lightly browned around the edges.
- Add the vegetables, cover and cook until tender, about 10~12 minutes.
- Stir in red chili powder and biryani masala.
- Next add the tomato paste and tomato puree and cook for 3~4 minutes.
- Add the fried paneer, cilantro, mint, kasoori methi and cook for 2~3 minutes. The vegetable mixture is ready to layer.
To make Biryani in Slow Cooker:
- Coat the inside of the slow cooker crock with a cooking spray. Add half of the vegetable mixture and top it with half of the rice.
- Top that with fried onions and chopped nuts.
- Add the remaining half of the veggie mixture, followed by the remaining half of rice.
- Finally sprinkle the remaining fried onions, some chopped herbs and saffron milk (if using). Cover with the lid and cook on High for 1 hour or on low for 2.5 hours.
To make Biryani in Instant Pot:
- Cook the rice separately as per the recipe and keep ready.
- Make the vegetable layer directly in the instant pot using the Saute feature. Once ready, remove half of the veggie mixture into a bowl. Turn off the Saute feature.
- Top the veggie layer in left in the Instant pot with the rice, fried onions, chopped nuts.
- Followed by the reserved veggie mixture, remaining rice, fried onions, herbs and saffron milk (if using).
- Cover and set it on 'Slow Cooker' feature for 1 hour on high or 2.5 hours on low.
Notes
- To make Fried Onions at home: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saute pan and cook the thinly sliced onions until golden brown, this takes about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Cook rice until 90% cooked. DO NOT overcook the rice. Mushy rice is the bane of good biryani. So, stick around while making rice. It only takes a few seconds to end up with mushy rice.
- Add oil while cooking rice. This helps in keeping the grains separate after cooking.
- Add salt to the rice cooking water. This adds flavor to the final dish.
- Taste the vegetable mixture before layering. Since the rice is fairly bland, vegetable layer needs to have enough spice and salt. Otherwise the whole dish will turn out bland.
- Fresh herbs add tons of flavor to the dish. So, make sure you have fresh mint and cilantro before making this dish.
- Saffron milk is traditionally sprinkled on top to give nice color and subtle flavor to biryani. This is an optional step, but a highly recommended step.
🥗Serving Suggestions
Since vegetable dum biryani is a pretty elaborate dish, you can keep it simple and serve with bhurani raita. But if it’s that special Sunday, then take time to make Bagara Baingan or Mirchi ka Salan to go along with the biryani. In either case, this is a delicious dish that will be enjoyed by the whole family.
Linking this to Valli’s BM# 109 and don’t forget to check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today. I originally posted this recipe for BM# 24 back in 2013. I can’t believe we have been doing this together for that long.
Sushma Pinjala
Veg biryani looks so nice and tempting.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
I don’t need an instant pot to make this super flavorful biriyani… This sounds like something I need to plan for a weekend… so much of flavor and deliciousness!
NARMADHA
Can you please pass the bowl to me. Looks too tempting and wish to grab it. My favorite and I often make in the same way in home.
Afreen Ali
I was wondering if I could make this recipe without the paneer? If I did, do I have to make any changes?
Pavani
Hi Afrin, Yes, you can make this recipe without the paneer. Simply omit it – there is no need to make any other changes. Hope you try this. Thank you for your comment.
Sindhu
I lived the recipe itself. But the rice came out uncooked in 6min pressure cook under low.
cookshideout
Hi Sindhu, sorry to hear that the recipe didn’t work for you. Did you use the Instant Pot and did you partially cook the rice before layering in the biryani?
Prita Prabhu
A question – would the rice cook for the remaining 10% if there’s no water in the instant pot?
cookshideout
Hi Prita, the moisture from the vegetables will be enough to cook this all the way through. If you feel it needs some water, then sprinkle a little bit on the rice before you layer it with the veggies. I would love to know how your recipe turns out. Do let me know. Thank you
Marie
Hello, could you add chicken legs to this recipe? I am thinking of browning the chicken and then putting it on top of the first veg layer? Then extending the cooking time to 6 hrs? Thanks,Marie
cookshideout
Hi Marie, you could add the browned chicken and cook on slow for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.