Saffron Vegetable Biryani | Zafrani Sabzi Biryani | Step by Step Recipe | Simple Bihari Thali

For the second week of Blogging Marathon, I chose Mix n Match as I wanted to try out all the themes I had listed. Best was trying out the Bihari recipes. I know when you mention Bihari dishes, the most frequently listed out will be Thekua, Litti, Chokha, Pau etc. Though I wanted to try these too, I was looking more in the other types of dishes and browsed through lot of Bihari sites. I finally settled to make these dishes from this site and I must say we loved our meal.

For the Rice dish I made Saffron Vegetable Biryani - Zafrani Sabzi Biryani. I adapated few ingredients like adding Shah Jeera instead of Cumin Seeds. I liked the way it ended up finally, though you might think it your regular vegetable biryani, it surely gave a different touch to the dish. Plus I like that fact that it gets done quickly for you to make this for your lunch box too.

With the kids at home enjoying their holidays, it becomes a big task to get things to make them be occupied. Most times they make sure they occupy by themselves, only they end up having a tiff every other second. And they have made sure I dish out chocolate cakes for them on daily basis. Now I am in the process of selecting only chocolate base cake. So look out for more chocolate cakes to make it's appearance!

I made this for a Saturday lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed the entire thali. I have planning to  make an entire thali from each state, if not the entire 12 course meal, a simple 3 -4 course meal would surely be great. In that effort I made these three dishes and it was so filling!

Step by Step Picture Recipes

In a non stick pan, heat the butter, add all the whole spices, saute well.

Drain the rice and add to the pan. Saute well for couple of minutes.

Add water, salt and turmeric powder.

Mix everything well and cook with lid covered till done. When it's done, switch off and keep it aside.

Heat a non stick pan with butter, add shah jeera, then onions. Saute the onions till it turns colour, add ginger garlic paste. Cook till the raw smell leaves.

Add the cubed vegetables, salt and cover with lid. Keep sauteing till the vegetables are done.

If required sprinkle little water. When the vegetables are done, add the chili powder, turmeric powder and mint leaves. Cook for 5 mins in sim.

Finally add the curds. Simmer for 5 mins.

The curds will start letting out moisture, so keep cooking till it almost becomes dry but not very dry.

You should have some liquid left.

Remove half of the rice.

On the base rice, add the cooked vegetable curry. spread it well.

Then on top add rest of the rice. Sprinkle the saffron milk. coriander leaves. Cover with lid and cook in simmer for 10 mins. 

Saffron Vegetable Biryani - Zafrani Sabzi Biryani

Adapted from here

Ingredients Needed:

For the Rice

Basmati Rice - 1 & 1/2 cups
Butter - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Shah Jeera / Caraway Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Bay Leaf  - 2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamon - 1
Water - 2 & 1/2 cups

For the Vegetable Curry

Butter - 1 tbsp
Onion sliced 1 cup
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Potatoes, 1 medium
Carrots, 1 long
French beans, chopped - 1/2 cup
Peas - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 1 tbsp
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Shah Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder a pinch

For assembling
Hot milk 1/4 cup
Saffron few strands
Coriander leaves handful

How to make Saffron Vegetable Biryani

Soak saffron in hot milk.

Making the Rice

Wash and soak the basmati rice for 15 mins.

In a non stick pan, heat the butter, add all the whole spices, saute well. Drain the rice and add to the pan. Saute well for couple of minutes.

Add water, salt and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and cook with lid covered till done. When it's done, switch off and keep it aside.

Making the Vegetable gravy

Heat a non stick pan with butter, add shah jeera, then onions. Saute the onions till it turns colour, add ginger garlic paste. Cook till the raw smell leaves.

Add the cubed vegetables, salt and cover with lid. Keep sauteing till the vegetables are done. If required sprinkle little water. When the vegetables are done, add the chili powder, turmeric powder and mint leaves. Cook for 5 mins in sim.

Finally add the curds. Simmer for 5 mins. The curds will start letting out moisture, so keep cooking till it almost becomes dry but not very dry. You should have some liquid left.

How to assemble the rice.

Remove half of the rice. On the base rice, add the cooked vegetable curry. spread it well. Then on top add rest of the rice. Sprinkle the saffron milk. coriander leaves. Cover with lid and cook in simmer for 10 mins.

Normally this can be done in two three layers of rice, if you take a smaller pan. Since I used the same big non stick pan, I got only two layers.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 11