Layered Vegetable Biryani with Crispy Fried Onions

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A proper dum-style biryani built in one heavy pot: parboiled whole-spice basmati layered over a coconut-milk vegetable masala, showered with sweet crispy fried onions, mint, and saffron cream, then steamed shut until every grain is separate and perfumed. No dairy anywhere — full-fat coconut milk and cashews do all the richness.

Ingredients

• 2 cups aged basmati rice
• 10 cups water, for parboiling
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
• 4 green cardamom pods, cracked
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 3 large yellow onions, sliced paper-thin
• 3/4 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 serrano or green Indian chiles, slit
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 cup cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup frozen green peas
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

• 1/3 cup full-fat canned coconut milk, warmed
• 1 generous pinch saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons reserved onion frying oil

Instructions

1. Rinse the basmati in a bowl under cool running water, swirling and draining 4 or 5 times until the water runs nearly clear, then cover with cool water and soak 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble the saffron into the 1/3 cup warmed coconut milk and set aside to bloom.
2. Fry the onions: heat the 3/4 cup oil in a wide 12-inch skillet over medium-high until it shimmers (about 350°F). Add the sliced onions in two batches and fry, stirring often, 10 to 14 minutes per batch, until deep golden brown — pull them the moment they turn the color of maple syrup, as they darken off heat. Lift to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, salt lightly, and spread out to crisp. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the frying oil for the masala and 2 tablespoons for the top.
3. Make the masala: in a heavy 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved oil over medium. Add the ginger, garlic, and slit chiles and cook 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add the tomatoes and cook 6 to 8 minutes, mashing with the spoon, until they collapse into a thick paste and the oil separates at the edges.
4. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of the garam masala; cook 30 seconds, then add 1/4 cup water to keep the spices from scorching. Add the potato, carrot, cauliflower, green beans, cashews, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the 1 cup coconut milk. Cover and simmer over medium-low for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potato is just barely tender at the center.
5. Stir in the peas, half the mint, half the cilantro, and the remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala. The mixture should be thick and saucy, not soupy — if it looks loose, simmer uncovered 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste for salt (it should be assertive, since the rice is only lightly seasoned), and smooth the top into an even layer.
6. Parboil the rice: bring the 10 cups water to a rolling boil in a large pot with 1 tablespoon salt, the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and cumin seeds. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Boil hard, uncovered, for exactly 5 to 6 minutes — the grains should be soft on the outside with a firm, opaque core when pinched. Drain immediately in a fine-mesh sieve.
7. Layer: spoon half the drained rice over the vegetables in the Dutch oven and spread gently without stirring. Scatter half the fried onions, half the remaining mint and cilantro, and drizzle the lemon juice. Add the remaining rice, then top with the saffron coconut milk drizzled in stripes, the remaining onions, the 1/4 cup mint leaves, and the 2 tablespoons reserved onion oil.
8. Dum-steam: cover the pot tightly with foil, then set the lid on top to seal completely. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes to build steam, then reduce to the lowest possible flame (use a heat diffuser or an empty skillet under the pot if your burner runs hot) and steam 20 minutes.
9. Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, sealed, for 10 minutes. Uncover, slide a wide spoon down the side of the pot, and lift and fold from the bottom up in big sections so each serving carries rice, vegetables, and onions. Serve hot.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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