Pressure Cooker Brown Rice Vegetable Biryani

Name: Pressure Cooker Brown Rice Vegetable Biryani
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups (370 g) brown basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until the water runs mostly clear, then soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained well; 2½ cups (600 ml) water, cold, for cooking (separate from the soaking water); 2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee or neutral oil; 1 teaspoon (2 g) cumin seeds; 2 whole (1 g) bay leaves; 1 2-inch (5 cm) piece (4 g) cinnamon stick; 4 whole (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 4 whole (½ g) whole cloves; ½ teaspoon (1½ g) black peppercorns; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) large yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 whole (14 g) green chiles (serrano or Indian green chile), slit lengthwise, seeds left in for more heat; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) ripe medium tomato, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric; 2 teaspoons (4 g) ground coriander; 1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri red chili powder or mild paprika; 1 teaspoon (2 g) garam masala; 1 cup (2 medium) (130 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 1 cup (100 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces; ½ cup, packed (12 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped; ¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, tender stems included; 1¾ teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 cup (130 g) frozen green peas, straight from the freezer, not thawed; 2 tablespoons (4 g) fresh mint leaves, small leaves left whole or torn, for garnish

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Nutty brown basmati rice, sweet carrots, green beans and peas are cooked together with whole spices, golden onions and plenty of fresh mint in one pot. The pressure cooker turns out separate, fluffy grains with no layering or par-boiling.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 50 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 cups (370 g) brown basmati rice, rinsed in several changes of water until the water runs mostly clear, then soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained well
2½ cups (600 ml) water, cold, for cooking (separate from the soaking water)
2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee or neutral oil
1 teaspoon (2 g) cumin seeds
2 whole (1 g) bay leaves
1 2-inch (5 cm) piece (4 g) cinnamon stick
4 whole (1 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
4 whole (0.5 g) whole cloves
½ teaspoon (1.5 g) black peppercorns
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) large yellow onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 whole (14 g) green chiles (serrano or Indian green chile), slit lengthwise, seeds left in for more heat
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) ripe medium tomato, finely chopped
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground turmeric
2 teaspoons (4 g) ground coriander
1 teaspoon (2 g) Kashmiri red chili powder or mild paprika
1 teaspoon (2 g) garam masala
1 cup (2 medium) (130 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
1 cup (100 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces
½ cup, packed (12 g) fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
¼ cup, packed (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, tender stems included
1¾ teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 cup (130 g) frozen green peas, straight from the freezer, not thawed
2 tablespoons (4 g) fresh mint leaves, small leaves left whole or torn, for garnish

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) electric or stovetop pressure cooker
Fine-mesh strainer
Medium bowl for soaking rice
Wooden or silicone spoon (no metal on a nonstick pot)
Chef's knife and cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Start the rice soak first. Brown basmati needs 30 minutes in water to cook evenly and stay separate.
This recipe is tested for a 6-quart (5.7 L) electric pressure cooker. On a stovetop pressure cooker, use the same amounts and the same times at full pressure over medium-low heat.
Measure the rice and water exactly. Brown rice turns gluey with extra water, and the vegetables add a little moisture of their own.
Do not thaw the frozen peas. They go in on top of the rice and cook from frozen.

1
Rinse and soak rice
- Put the brown basmati in a medium bowl and cover with cold water.
- Swirl with your hand, drain through a fine-mesh strainer, and repeat 3 to 4 times until the water is only faintly cloudy.
- Cover with fresh cold water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain thoroughly in the strainer for at least 5 minutes, shaking occasionally.
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Ready when: Grains look slightly opaque and swollen, and the rinse water is nearly clear
Tip: Drain well. Water clinging to the rice adds to the cooking liquid and makes the biryani mushy.
2
Prep the vegetables
- While the rice soaks, slice the onion, grate the garlic and ginger, slit the chiles, chop the tomato, dice the carrots, cut the green beans, and chop the mint and cilantro.
- Keep the carrots and beans together in one bowl and the chopped herbs in another.
- Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the flat of your knife.
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Ready when: Carrots are in ½-inch dice and beans in ¾-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate as the rice
Tip: Cut the carrots no larger than ½ inch. Bigger pieces stay firm after 15 minutes under pressure.
3
Bloom the whole spices
- Set the pressure cooker to Sauté on high (or place the stovetop pot over medium-high heat).
- Add the ghee.
- When it shimmers, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, crushed cardamom, cloves and peppercorns.
- Stir for 30 to 45 seconds.
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Ready when: Cumin seeds sizzle and darken slightly, and the spices smell fragrant
Tip: Move on right away if the cumin starts to smell acrid. Burnt spices make the whole pot bitter.
4
Brown the onions
- Add the sliced onion and ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every 30 to 45 seconds, for 7 to 8 minutes.
- If the onion sticks, add 1 tablespoon of water and scrape the bottom.
- Lower to Sauté medium (or medium heat) if it browns too quickly.
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Ready when: Onions are soft and golden brown with darker edges
Tip: Well-browned onions give the biryani its savory sweetness, so don't stop at translucent.
5
Cook the masala
- Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chiles and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato, turmeric, coriander, chili powder and garam masala.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, mashing the tomato with your spoon.
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Ready when: The tomato has broken down into a thick paste and the ghee begins to separate at the edges
Tip: If the spices begin to stick, splash in 1 tablespoon of water rather than turning up the heat.
6
Add vegetables and herbs
- Add the carrots, green beans, chopped mint and cilantro.
- Stir for 1 to 2 minutes to coat everything in the masala and wilt the herbs.
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Ready when: Herbs are wilted and vegetables are glossy and evenly coated in masala
7
Layer rice and liquid
- Add the drained rice, the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt and the lemon juice.
- Stir gently for 30 seconds to coat the grains.
- Pour in the 2½ cups (600 ml) water and scrape the bottom of the pot well to lift any browned bits, since these can trigger a burn warning.
- Level the rice with the back of the spoon and scatter the frozen peas over the top.
- Do not stir after this point.
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Ready when: The rice is submerged in an even layer, there is nothing stuck on the bottom, and the peas sit on top
Tip: Scrape the bottom completely. Stuck bits are the usual reason for a burn warning on electric cookers.
8
Pressure cook
- Turn off Sauté.
- Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
- The cooker will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure first.
- On a stovetop cooker, bring to full pressure over high heat, then lower to medium-low to hold it for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Timer finishes after 15 minutes at full pressure
Tip: Brown rice needs this longer time. White basmati would turn to mush at 15 minutes.
9
Natural release
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes without touching the valve.
- Then carefully move the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- Keep your hands and face away from the steam.
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Ready when: The float valve drops and the lid unlocks easily
Tip: Quick-releasing right away can make the rice wet and splatter starchy foam from the valve.
10
Fluff, rest and garnish
- Open the lid and fluff the biryani from the edges toward the middle with a fork, lifting from the bottom so the peas and vegetables mix through.
- Put the lid back on loosely and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and chiles if you like, and top with the mint leaves.
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Ready when: Grains are tender but chewy, separate, and no liquid pools at the bottom; carrots are tender when bitten
Tip: Fluff gently with a fork. A spoon crushes the long grains.

Good to know

Tips

Brown rice varies by brand. If your rice comes out slightly firm, add 2 tablespoons of water and steam with the lid on for 5 minutes. If it is too soft next time, reduce the water by 2 tablespoons.
Do not skip the rinse. It removes surface starch so the grains stay separate.
Serve with cooling raita (yogurt with cucumber) and a squeeze of lemon to balance the spices.
For more heat, leave the chile seeds in and add an extra pinch of chili powder. For milder, remove the seeds.

Make ahead

Soak and drain the rice up to 8 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Chop all the vegetables and herbs up to 1 day ahead, storing the mint and cilantro wrapped in a damp paper towel. The finished biryani can be made a day ahead and reheated.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: cool quickly and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: portion into freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Reheat single portions in the microwave, covered, with 1 tablespoon of water per cup of biryani for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway, until steaming hot. Or heat in a covered skillet over low heat for 6 to 8 minutes.

Substitutions

brown basmati rice → Brown jasmine or short-grain brown rice. Use the same amount of rice and water, but expect a softer, stickier texture than basmati.
ghee or neutral oil → Avocado oil or coconut oil. Makes the dish fully vegan. Use a refined coconut oil for a neutral flavor.
green beans → Cauliflower florets or diced bell pepper. Use the same volume and cut into small pieces, about ¾ inch (2 cm).
garam masala → Biryani masala. Use 1 teaspoon in place of the garam masala; it is usually more intense, so add a little less if it is a strong brand.