Spicy Eggplant Biryani

A yummy eggplant biryani with meaty chunks of eggplant and potatoes woven by means of lengthy strands of basmati rice.

Eggplant biryani in white bowl with fork.

Why you will love this eggplant biryani

Eggplants are scrumptious however should you do not love them it is a nice dish to vary your thoughts. Eggplants are a beautiful stand-in for meat as a result of they’ve nice texture when they’re completely cooked, and they’re spongy sufficient to soak up these spicy curry flavors. When you assume a biryani should have meat in it, or a meat substitute, you will see this biryani a pleasing revelation.
It is really easy to make. After I shared my straightforward vegetable biryani with you I confirmed you simply how rapidly you possibly can pull collectively an genuine Indian biryani with out breaking a sweat. If you have not seen that recipe or watched that video be sure you. This eggplant biryani has completely different substances and it isn’t as conventional a recipe as a result of it makes use of tomatoes, however you possibly can undertake a number of the suggestions from that vegetable biryani recipe right here to make this recipe even simpler.
It is soy-free, gluten-free, vegan. And you’ll simply make it nut-free by leaving out the cashews. This implies everybody within the household can benefit from the biryani–and get pleasure from it they are going to!

Components for eggplant biryani

2 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 inexperienced cardamom pods
8 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon shahi jeera (caraway seeds or black cumin seeds). You need to use common cumin seeds instead. They don’t seem to be an ideal alternative however they are going to do at a pinch.
½ cup contemporary mint leaves + ½ cup cilantro + ¼ cup contemporary dill. That may seem like a whole lot of herbs however they are going to prepare dinner down and add wonderful aroma and taste to this biryani.
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
3 medium eggplants. About 2 kilos. Any eggplant will work right here aside from the globe eggplant. Italian eggplants are good, as are the small Indian eggplants or the thin Chinese language eggplants.
2 medium crimson or yellow potatoes
1 medium onion
2 tomatoes
1 cup fried onions. You possibly can deep-fry sliced onions in oil your self, or save your self the difficulty and use storebought fried onions. French’s fried onions or different fried onion manufacturers (I often use a retailer model from Aldi’s) that you simply use in your inexperienced bean casserole are good for this, or purchase the fried onions in a packet on the Indian retailer.
½ cup vegan yogurt. I used cashew yogurt, which I make myself. If nut-free you should utilize a nut-free vegan yogurt.
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon biryani masala. If you do not have biryani masala use 2 tablespoon of garam masala as a substitute, or vice versa.
1 teaspoon floor coriander
1 teaspoon floor cumin
1 teaspoon paprika. This isn’t needed however provides a deeper coloration.
½ cup uncooked cashews (elective). These add a little bit of protein and the crunchy cashews supply a pleasant texture distinction, however go away them out if you’re nut-free.
Salt to style

Eggplant biryani in a white bowl with chunks of eggplant, potatoes and a fork.

Easy methods to make eggplant biryani

Make the biryani rice:
- Wash the rice in a few modifications of water and soak for a minimum of half-hour. This helps the rice grains keep separate when cooked.
- Convey a big pot of water to boil and add to it 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Simply earlier than the water boils salt it liberally, the best way you’d pasta water. Add the soaked, drained rice to the boiling water and prepare dinner for 5-7 minutes or till the rice is about 80 % completed, with a slight chew to it nonetheless. Flip off the warmth and instantly pressure the rice in a colander. Run cool faucet water over the rice to cease it from cooking additional and put aside.

Make the spicy eggplant sauce:
- Warmth the oil in a big pot with a good lid. Add the remaining cloves, cardamom pods and shahi jeera or cumin seeds to the pot and saute for a number of seconds.
- Add the herbs to the pot–the mint, cilantro and dill. Saute for a number of extra seconds simply till the herbs wilt.
- Add the ginger garlic paste to the pot, combine it in, then add the potatoes and eggplant cubes. Add half a teaspoon of salt and blend. Cowl and let the potatoes and eggplant prepare dinner about 5 minutes over medium warmth. Stir a few occasions in between to verify nothing’s sticking to the underside of the pot.
- Puree the tomatoes and onion in a blender. Add the puree to the pot and blend it with the greens. Add ½ cup of fried onions, powdered spices (garam masala, biryani masala, floor coriander, floor cumin and paprika) and vegan yogurt to the pot. Add a cup of water. Combine properly, then cowl the pot once more and prepare dinner till the veggies are tender.
- Lastly, stir within the cashews, if utilizing, and add salt if wanted. Flip off warmth.

Put the biryani collectively:
- Layer the cooked basmati rice over the eggplant and potato sauce evenly. Sprinkle on the remaining half cup of fried onions over the rice. It’s also possible to sprinkle on some biryani masala on the rice at this level, or mint leaves.
- Cowl the pot, flip warmth to low, and let the biryani prepare dinner Quarter-hour for all of the flavors to merge and meld.
- Flip off the warmth and let the rice stand Quarter-hour earlier than opening.
- Serve sizzling.

White bowl with eggplant biryani and a fork.

Storage directions

Make-ahead: Biryani tastes higher the subsequent day, so it is a nice dish to make a day forward. It’s also possible to make the rice and the eggplant sauce a day or two forward and put them collectively and steam the biryani the day you propose to serve.
Refrigerate: Retailer leftovers within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze the eggplant biryani in a freezer secure container for as much as three months.
Reheat: Reheat particular person parts within the microwave earlier than serving. When you refrigerated the biryani within the pot you cooked it in, you possibly can reheat the biryani in the identical pot (as long as it is oven-safe) in a 350-degree oven for 10-Quarter-hour or till warmed by means of.

Steadily requested questions

Can I take advantage of dried herbs within the recipe?

You possibly can substitute 1 tablespoon dried mint and ½ tablespoon dried dill for the contemporary herbs within the recipe. Do attempt to use contemporary cilantro, nonetheless.

Can I make this recipe with brown rice?

Sure, simply prepare dinner the brown rice till about 80 % completed utilizing the identical technique. You have to to prepare dinner it longer than you’d white rice. Try to use brown basmati rice for greatest outcomes.

Can I make this with cauliflower rice for a keto eating regimen?

To make this recipe with cauliflower rice skip the steps for cooking the rice. As a substitute simply layer on the thawed cauliflower rice over the brinjal curry and proceed to steam for Quarter-hour.

Can I add a protein to this recipe?

This biryani has 9 grams of protein per serving. If you wish to add extra, you possibly can add 14 oz tofu. Use baked tofu, if doable, or air fried tofu.

What can I serve the biryani with?

A biryani is a meal in a pot. You do not want a lot else however a vegan cucumber raita would make it fairly good.

Extra vegan Indian biryani recipes you may like

An eggplant biryani with chunks of eggplant (brinjal or aubergine) and potato simmered in a spicy, creamy sauce with contemporary herbs like dill, cilantro and mint, then smothered with fragrant grains of basmati rice. It is a simple recipe that is additionally gluten-free, soy-free and vegan, and it will probably simply be made nut-free. Serve with a vegan cucumber raita on the facet for an beautiful Indian themed dinner.

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Evaluation Recipe

Course: Foremost Course

Delicacies: Indian

Weight-reduction plan: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Key phrase: Brinjal biryani, Eggplant biryani

Servings: 8 servings

Energy: 387kcal

Creator: Vaishali · Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

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Directions

Make biryani rice

Wash the rice in a few modifications of water and soak for a minimum of half-hour. This helps the rice grains keep separate when cooked.
Convey a big pot of water to boil and add to it 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Simply earlier than the water boils salt it liberally, the best way you’d pasta water. Add the soaked, drained rice to the boiling water and prepare dinner for 5-7 minutes or till the rice is about 80 % completed, with a slight chew to it nonetheless. Flip off the warmth and instantly pressure the rice in a colander. Run cool faucet water over the rice to cease it from cooking additional and put aside.

Make eggplant sauce

Warmth the oil in a big pot with a good lid. Add the remaining cloves, cardamom pods and shahi jeera or cumin seeds to the pot and saute for a number of seconds.
Add the herbs to the pot–the mint, cilantro and dill. Saute for a number of extra seconds simply till the herbs wilt.
Add the ginger garlic paste to the pot, combine it in, then add the potatoes and eggplant cubes. Add half a teaspoon of salt and blend. Cowl and let the potatoes and eggplant prepare dinner about 5 minutes over medium warmth. Stir a few occasions in between to verify nothing’s sticking to the underside of the pot.
Puree the tomatoes and onion in a blender. Add the puree to the pot and blend it with the greens. Add ½ cup of fried onions, powdered spices (garam masala, biryani masala, floor coriander, floor cumin and paprika) and vegan yogurt to the pot. Add a cup of water. Combine properly, then cowl the pot once more and prepare dinner till the veggies are tender.
Lastly, stir within the cashews, if utilizing, and add salt if wanted. Flip off warmth.

Put the biryani collectively

Layer the cooked basmati rice over the eggplant and potato sauce evenly. Sprinkle on the remaining half cup of fried onions over the rice. It’s also possible to sprinkle on some biryani masala on the rice at this level, or mint leaves.
Cowl the pot, flip warmth to low, and let the biryani prepare dinner Quarter-hour for all of the flavors to merge and meld.
Flip off the warmth and let the rice stand Quarter-hour earlier than opening.
Serve sizzling.

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