This comforting South African vegetable biryani is made with flavorful basmati rice, soft mixed vegetables, and perfectly cooked biryani dhal. Slow-cooked on the stovetop and gently steamed, it’s a hearty Durban-inspired vegetarian meal that’s ideal for family lunches, special occasions, and delicious leftovers.
Equipment
- 30cm high pot (for the veg biryani)
- 20cm high pot (to set aside washed rice)
Ingredients
Vegetable Masala
- 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil
- 150 g margarine
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 fresh green chillies
- 2 onions
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 tsp vadouvan (optional)
- 3 tsp garam masala
- 3 1/2 tsp mixed Kashmiri chilli powder
- boiling water
- 6 soft cooking potatoes, sliced in halves
- 1/2 large cabbage, sliced
- 200g baby peas
- 200g green beans, sliced
- 200g baby carrots, sliced
- 200g gadhra beans (also known as cranberry beans)
- 1 tbsp coarse salt (to taste)
- 100g fresh mint leaves
- 1 tomato
- 250g plain yogurt
- 100g boiled biryani dhal
Rice
- 3 cups (250g) basmati rice
- 2 tbsp margarine
Instructions
Prep
- Steam gadhra beans for 15 minutes until just soft. Set aside.
- Rinse biryani dhal. Pressure-cook for about 8 minutes until just firm, drain and set aside.
- Chop and clean all vegetables (onions, potatoes, cabbage, baby peas, green beans, baby carrots, tomato) and set aside for later.
Vegetable Masala
- Heat 100g margarine and vegetable oil in a large pot on medium-low.
- Add cinnamon stick, curry leaves, green chillies, onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent.
- Remove half the onion mixture and set aside for topping.
- Add turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, vadouvan (optional), garam masala and Kashmiri chilli powder. Mix well.
- Add sliced potatoes. Pour in boiling water to halfway cover potatoes.
- Add the chopped vegetables (potatoes, cabbage, baby peas, green beans, baby carrots, and tomato), salt, mint, and 25g margarine. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the vegetables,
- Stir in the yogurt, cover, and cook until the vegetables are soft (±45–60 minutes).
Rice & Assembly
- Wash and soak rice (2–3 rinses) to remove the excess starch.
- Add raw rice and the cooked biryani dhal to the vegetable pot. Mix gently.
- Add enough boiling water to fully submerge the rice. Cover the pot, leaving a slight gap, and cook until the rice is soft.
- Once the rice and vegetables are cooked, top the biryani with the remaining 25g margarine and the reserved fried onions. Steam gently on low heat for about 15 minutes, or finish in the oven, allowing all the flavours to come together.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot. Enjoy this comforting vegetable biryani on its own, with dhal or with any of your favourite sides.