Kerala Vegetable Biryani with Coconut Milk

Name: Kerala Vegetable Biryani with Coconut Milk
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups (400 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until mostly clear, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, then well drained; 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat coconut milk, canned, shaken well; 1¾ cups (420 ml) water; 2 tsp (12 g) fine sea salt; 4 tbsp (60 ml) ghee or coconut oil; ½ cup (70 g) raw cashews, whole or halved; ¼ cup (40 g) golden raisins; 1 piece (2-inch) (5 cm) cinnamon stick; 4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 4 cloves (½ g) whole cloves; 1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf; 1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds; 2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and very thinly sliced; 1 tbsp (10 g) fresh ginger, finely grated; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 2 chilies (15 g) green chilies (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise; 1 medium (150 g) ripe tomato, finely chopped; ½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric; 1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder; 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander; 1 tsp (2 g) garam masala; 2 medium (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1½ cups (150 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; ½ cup (75 g) green peas, frozen, no need to thaw; ½ cup (12 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped; ½ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, loosely packed, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant one-pot vegetarian biryani in the Kerala style: basmati rice simmered with creamy coconut milk, caramelized onions, mint, and garam masala, loaded with carrots, green beans, and peas and topped with ghee-fried cashews and raisins.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 40 min
Total: 1 hr 55 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the rice
2 cups (400 g) aged basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until mostly clear, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, then well drained
1 cup (240 ml) full-fat coconut milk, canned, shaken well
1¾ cups (420 ml) water
2 tsp (12 g) fine sea salt
For the masala
4 tbsp (60 ml) ghee or coconut oil
½ cup (70 g) raw cashews, whole or halved
¼ cup (40 g) golden raisins
1 piece (2-inch) (5 cm) cinnamon stick
4 pods (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 cloves (0.5 g) whole cloves
1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf
1 tsp (2 g) fennel seeds
2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and very thinly sliced
1 tbsp (10 g) fresh ginger, finely grated
4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 chilies (15 g) green chilies (serrano or Thai), slit lengthwise
1 medium (150 g) ripe tomato, finely chopped
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (3 g) Kashmiri chili powder
2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
1 tsp (2 g) garam masala
Vegetables and herbs
2 medium (200 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1½ cups (150 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
½ cup (75 g) green peas, frozen, no need to thaw
½ cup (12 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped
½ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro, loosely packed, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

Equipment (5)

5-quart (4.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid
Fine-mesh strainer
Large bowl for soaking rice
Small plate lined with paper towel
Fork for fluffing

Steps

Before you start

Rinse and soak the rice at least 30 minutes before cooking; this is what keeps the grains long and unbroken.
Shake the can of coconut milk well before measuring so the cream and liquid are evenly mixed.
Chop all vegetables and aromatics before you turn on the heat; the masala steps move quickly.
Use a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid (about 5 quarts / 4.7 L) so the rice steams evenly without scorching.

1
Soak rice, prep vegetables
- Rinse the basmati in a large bowl with cold water, swirling and draining 4–5 times until the water runs almost clear.
- Cover with fresh cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
- While it soaks, slice the onions, grate the ginger and garlic, slit the chilies, chop the tomato, mint, and cilantro, and dice the carrots and beans.
- Drain the rice thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer for at least 10 minutes before cooking.
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Ready when: Soaked grains look opaque white and snap easily when pressed between your fingers
Tip: Drain the rice well; excess clinging water throws off the liquid ratio and makes the biryani mushy.
2
Fry cashews and raisins
- Set the pot over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee.
- Add the cashews and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until golden.
- Add the raisins and stir for 20–30 seconds, just until they puff up.
- Scoop both onto a paper-towel-lined plate and leave the ghee in the pot.
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Ready when: Cashews are evenly golden brown and raisins are plump and glossy
Tip: Cashews keep browning off the heat, so remove them as soon as they are light golden.
3
Bloom spices, brown onions
- Add the remaining 3 tablespoons ghee to the pot.
- When it shimmers, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, and fennel seeds and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sliced onions and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 12–14 minutes until deep golden brown.
- Scoop out about one-third of the onions onto the plate with the cashews for garnish.
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Ready when: Onions are soft, deep golden brown, and slightly sweet-smelling, with a few darker edges
Tip: If the onions start to scorch before they soften, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
4
Cook the masala base
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and green chilies and stir for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
- Add the tomato and cook for 3–4 minutes, mashing it with your spoon, until it breaks down into a soft paste.
- Stir in the turmeric, chili powder, coriander, and garam masala and cook for 1 minute more.
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Ready when: Ghee separates and shimmers at the edges of the thick, jammy masala
Tip: Splash in 1–2 tablespoons water if the spices begin to stick; burnt ground spices turn bitter.
5
Sauté the vegetables
- Add the carrots, green beans, half of the mint, and half of the cilantro.
- Stir to coat in the masala and cook for 4–5 minutes.
- The vegetables should be just starting to soften but still firm.
- Stir in the frozen peas.
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Ready when: Carrots are bright and slightly tender at the edges but still firm in the center
Tip: Do not fully cook the vegetables now; they will finish cooking in the steam with the rice.
6
Add liquid and rice
- Pour in the coconut milk and water, then add the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt and the lemon juice.
- Stir well and raise heat to high.
- When the liquid boils, taste it; it should be well seasoned, slightly salty.
- Gently stir in the drained rice, spreading it into an even layer under the liquid, and bring back to a boil.
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Ready when: Liquid is at a full rolling boil and level is just barely above the rice
Tip: Do not stir again after the rice goes in; stirring breaks the grains and makes the biryani gummy.
7
Simmer covered
- Boil uncovered for 2 minutes.
- Then cover tightly (place a clean kitchen towel under the lid if it does not seal well), reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: All liquid is absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface of the rice
Tip: Resist lifting the lid; escaping steam leaves the top layer of rice undercooked.
8
Rest off the heat
- Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered and undisturbed for 10 minutes so the steam redistributes and the rice firms up.
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Ready when: Rice grains are tender, separate, and no longer wet on the bottom
9
Fluff and garnish
- Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick if you like.
- Using a fork, gently fluff the rice from the edges inward, lifting from the bottom to mix the vegetables through.
- Fold in the remaining mint and cilantro.
- Serve topped with the reserved onions, cashews, and raisins.
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Ready when: Grains are long, separate, and lightly cream-colored with flecks of herbs and orange carrots
Tip: Serve with cucumber raita, papadums, or a spicy pickle for contrast.

Good to know

Tips

Use aged basmati rice if possible; it absorbs more flavor and stays fluffier.
Brown the onions patiently; they give the biryani its sweetness and color.
Measure the liquid precisely. Canned coconut milk varies in thickness, so shake the can well.
For a spicier biryani, leave in the chili seeds or add a third green chili.

Make ahead

Fry the cashews, raisins, and onions up to 1 day ahead and store them in the fridge. Chop the vegetables and herbs up to 1 day ahead. Soak and drain the rice just before cooking.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Fridge: cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months in portions. Reheat in a covered pan or microwave with 1–2 tablespoons water per serving until steaming hot throughout.

Substitutions

ghee or coconut oil → coconut oil. Makes the dish fully vegan and gives a more traditional Kerala flavor.
green beans → cauliflower florets or diced potato. Cut potato into ½-inch cubes and add it with the carrots; both cook in the same time.
Kashmiri chili powder → ½ tsp cayenne plus ½ tsp paprika. Gives similar color and heat if you cannot find Kashmiri chili powder.
raw cashews → slivered almonds. Fry exactly the same way; they brown a little faster.