Rice Cooker Vegetable Biryani

The authentic version of biryani can be challenging and time-consuming to make and often requires hours in the kitchen. Hence, I came out with this rice cooker biryani that is beginner-friendly! Once the spices and vegetables have been sautéed, we can transfer everything to a rice cooker, allowing you to focus on other tasks while the rice cooks. 

I love serving this dish with vegan raita and Indian main dishes like soya chunk Manchurian and vegetable madras curry. 

💚Why you will love this recipe 

• A much simpler version of biryani that is made in the rice cooker and ready in an hour
• Healthy, packed with veggies, and lower in fat than restaurant-made biryani 
• Stores well and is freezable, making it great for meal prep 
• Highly customizable to suit your taste preference 

🤔What is biryani 

Biryani is a popular Indian rice-based dish that features rice cooked with various spices and aromatics like cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. Some biryani (like vegetable biryani) is made without meat, while others include animal protein, the most common being chicken and mutton. 

Traditionally, biryani is cooked by layering partially cooked rice, meat or veggies, and aromatics. The rice mixture is then baked or cooked on the stove before serving.  However, in this rice cooker biryani, we combine all ingredients to simplify the cooking process. 

Biryani is commonly served as a main dish alongside raita, an Indian yogurt-based condiment, curries, or gravy. 

🍚What you will need 

📃Ingredients notes and substitution 

• Basmati rice - Long-grain basmati rice works best in this vegetable biryani. You can substitute it with brown basmati rice. 
• Spices - The different spices used in this dish give biryani flavor. If you do not have these spices on hand and don’t want to purchase them individually, I highly recommend using a biryani masala, around 4-5 tablespoons. You can get it in your local Asian grocery or through an online retailer. 
• Yogurt - You can use plain or Greek yogurt or a plant-based alternative like soy or coconut yogurt. Ensure an unsweetened and unflavored yogurt is used. 

🔪How to make 

Sauteing the spice - Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan or wok. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to the pan. Saute for 1-2 minutes over medium heat or until the spices start to sizzle. 

Cooking aromatics - Add onion to the pan, and cook until translucent. Stir in ginger and garlic, frying for an additional minute. Then, add chili powder, coriander powder, and ground turmeric and cook until fragrant. 

Adding veggies - Next up, add potato, green peas, green bell pepper, and peas to the pan. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until the veggies are slightly charred. 

Cooking in the rice cooker - Transfer veggies and spice mixture, water, basmati rice, yogurt, and salt to the rice cooker. Give everything a quick stir and cook until the switch goes off. Fluff your biryani with a fork and top with cashews and raisins. 

✅Helpful tips 

• Rinse rice thoroughly - This removes excess starch on the rice, which will cause the rice to turn sticky and mushy. I recommend rinsing it at least 2 times. 
• Slice veggies into small, even cubes - This ensures that the veggies are thoroughly cooked. 
• Adjust the amount of spices used - This rice cooker biryani is on the milder side, so feel free to increase the amount of spices used if you prefer a stronger flavor. 
• Sauteing in the rice cooker - If you have a more sophisticated rice cooker that has a saute function, you can saute your spices and aromatics in the rice cooker instead of on the stove. 

✨Variations and add-ins 

Veggies - The veg used in this recipe can be substituted with other kinds of vegetables like chopped mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. Do chop them into small pieces to ensure they are thoroughly cooked. 

Spices - The spices used in biryani vary from recipe to recipe, so feel free to play around with it! Other spices that work in this recipe are garam masala, saffron milk (a pinch of crushed saffron soaked in 3 tablespoons of warm milk), and black pepper. 

As mentioned above, if all the different spices seem overwhelming, substitute them with 4-5 tablespoons of biryani masala instead. 

Toppings - Besides raisins and cashews, you can also use chopped herbs like cilantro, mint, parsley, dates, and almonds. 

🍛How to serve 

Although this vegetable biryani is pretty hearty on its own, I love serving it with the below dishes to enhance the dining experience:

• Raita - A yogurt-based condiment. Any raita will work, but tomato raita and onion raita go exceptionally well with it. 
• Side dishes - Try making some vegan momos or this simple Indian vegetable stir fry. 
• Curries - This rice cooker biryani goes well with curries like my moong masoor dal and cabbage curry. 
• Indian flatbreads - Use naan, roti, or paratha as a scoop to scoop up the rice and curry gravy served! 
• Papadum - Crush some Indian fried crackers and add them to your rice to give it some crunch! 

❄️Storing suggestions 

Fridge - Rice can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 5 days. 

Freezer - Portion rice cooker biryani into individual portions using small containers and freeze it for up to 3 months. 

Reheating - Allow frozen rice to thaw overnight in the fridge. You can then reheat it in the microwave or a pan, adding a splash of water if the mixture gets too dry. 

❔Commonly asked questions