Bombay Biryani | Mumbai Biryani
User Reviews
5
16 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
1 hr
-
Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
5
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Calories
547 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
Bombay Biryani | Mumbai Biryani
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Bombay Biryani is a layered rice and vegetable dish featuring basmati rice cooked with aromatic whole spices, and a richly spiced vegetable gravy with potatoes, carrots, peas, and curd. The biryani is finished with fried onions, ghee, chopped mint, and coriander, creating a complex yet balanced flavor profile that highlights traditional Indian spices and textures.
Description
Bombay Biryani | Mumbai Biryani starts with basmati rice infused with whole spices like black pepper, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and mace. The rice is par-cooked until about three-quarters done and kept aside. A separate vegetable gravy is prepared with potatoes, carrots, peas, tomatoes, and an array of warming spices including turmeric, chili, coriander, cumin, and garam masala, complemented by yogurt to add creaminess and balance the heat.
The biryani is assembled in layers: the spiced vegetable mixture and the fragrant rice are layered with fried onions, ghee, chopped mint, coriander, and optionally flavored with kewra water or natural coloring. The birista (crisply fried onions) add texture and a caramelized taste.
This biryani is a vegetarian variation that offers a hearty and spiced rice dish suitable for lunch or dinner, capturing the distinctive Bombay/Mumbai style of biryani.
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Ingredients
For the rice
- 1.5 cups basmati rice or 300 grams basmati rice
- 4 to 5 black pepper whole
- 1 star anise (chakriphool)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 tej patta or 2 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf, large
- 2 mace single strands
- 5 cups water
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
For birista
- 250 grams onion or 2 large onions or 2 cups thinly sliced onions
- 7 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
For vegetable gravy
- 1 teaspoon shahjeera (black cumin (caraway seeds)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 4 green cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 2 mace single strands
- 2 allspice kabab chini) - optional
- 1 tej patta or 2 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf, large
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste or 1 inch ginger and 9 to 10 medium sized garlic crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- 1 green chili - chopped
- 250 grams tomato or 3 medium to large tomatoes or 1.25 cups tomatoes
- 300 grams potato or 4 medium potatoes or 1.5 cups diced potatoes
- 2 to 3 carrot or 1 cup chopped carrots, medium or small to medium
- 1/3 cup peas tightly packed, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 4 to 5 prunes (dried plums) - optional
- ½ cup curd (yogurt)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
For layering bombay biryani
- ½ tablespoon mint leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves chopped
- ½ tablespoon ghee
- 1 to 2 teaspoon kewra water (pandanus extract) - optional
- orange or yellow color - (optional, a few drops, natural
- ½ cup fried onions or birista
Instructions
Preparing rice
- Rinse basmati rice very well in water. Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes.
- When the rice is soaking, chop all the veggies and keep aside. Take all the spices and keep aside.
- After 30 minutes drain the water from the rice.
- Heat 5 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil on medium to high heat.
- Add the whole spices or garam masala mentioned under 'For the rice' list.
- Then add the rice. Season with salt.
- Add lemon juice.
- On the same flame intensity, simmer the rice till the grains ¾th cooked.
- Drain the cooked rice in a colander and keep aside.
Making birista
- Heat oil in a pan. Add thinly sliced onions.
- Stir and stirring often saute the onions till they turn golden. Add a pinch of salt to hasten the cooking process.
- Stir often and saute till the onions become golden.
- Remove the crisp fried onions or birista with a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper towels. From 2 cups of sliced onions, you will get about 1 cup of birista. We will use ½ of the birista in the gravy and the remaining half in the layering.
Making vegetable gravy
- In the same pan, add the whole spices for the gravy.
- Stir and saute till the spices become fragrant.
- Now add diced or chopped potatoes and carrots. Stir well.
- Saute the potatoes and carrots for 5 to 6 minutes.
- With a spoon, bring them to the sides and add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste. Saute the ginger-garlic paste in the same place till the their raw aroma goes away.
- Now add 1.25 cups chopped tomatoes.
- Stir and mix very well.
- Add the spice powders - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Also add prunes or dried plums if you have them. About 4 to 5 dried plums. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Add ⅓ cup tightly packed fresh or frozen green peas. Stir.
- Now add ½ of the birista or fried onions.
- Season with salt and stir again.
- Add 1 cup water.
- Stir very well. Cover and cook on a medium heat till the veggies are cooked. You can also use a stovetop pressure cooker for the cooking of the veggies. Just add less water, about ⅔ to ¾ cup if cooking veggies in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- The veggies have to be cooked well but should retain their shape. The gravy should also thicken and should not be of watery consistency.
- Whisk ½ cup fresh curd (yogurt) in a bowl till smooth and keep aside.
- Once the veggies are done, place the pan down and add ½ cup beaten or whisked curd (yogurt).
- Stir and mix very well. Check the taste and add more salt if required. Keep this vegetable gravy aside.
Layering and cooking bombay biryani
- I cooked the biryani in the oven. You can also cook in a thick bottomed pan or pot or even in a dutch oven. Pour half of the vegetable gravy in the pan or pot.
- Layer evenly with the cooked rice.
- Sprinkle ¼ tablespoon of chopped mint leaves and ½ tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves.
- Now sprinkle ¼th portion of the fried onions evenly.
- Again make a second layer of the vegetable gravy evenly.
- Spread a third layer of the rice.
- Top up with the remaining chopped mint, coriander leaves and fried onions. Also add kewra water.
- Dot with ghee. You can also sprinkle some natural color if you want.
- Cover tightly with a foil. Bake the biryani at 180 degrees celsius for 30 to 35 minutes.
- If dum cooking on a stove top, then also you can cover with a foil or with a moist kitchen towel. Place the pan on a hot tava/griddle. On a low to medium flame dum cook the veg biryani for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Allow the bombay biryani to stand for some minutes. Then serve this aromatic and spiced bombay biryani with your favorite raita or plain yogurt.
- It makes for a filling and satisfying lunch or dinner.
Notes
- You can add your choice of vegetables to customize the biryani.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
547kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
77g
(26%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
17g
(85%)
Cholesterol
7mg
(2%)
Sodium
881mg
(37%)
Potassium
807mg
(17%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
5021IU
(100%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
3mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin B12
1µg
(42%)
Vitamin C
30mg
(33%)
Vitamin D
1µg
(5%)
Vitamin E
9mg
Vitamin K
19µg
Calcium
126mg
(13%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
49µg
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Magnesium
68mg
(17%)
Phosphorus
191mg
Zinc
2mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 547 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 547kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 77g | 26% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 17g | 85% |
| Cholesterol | 7mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 881mg | 37% |
| Potassium | 807mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 5021IU | 100% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 3mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 1µg | 42% |
| Vitamin C | 30mg | 33% |
| Vitamin D | 1µg | 5% |
| Vitamin E | 9mg | |
| Vitamin K | 19µg | |
| Calcium | 126mg | 13% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 49µg | |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
| Magnesium | 68mg | 17% |
| Phosphorus | 191mg | |
| Zinc | 2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
16 reviews
Excellent
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