“Coconut Milk Veg. Biryani” … there are plenty of rice dishes universally cherished but Biryani with simple onion raita is a standout loved to be devoured by many; it’s just awesome … this veg. biryani is prepared with coconut milk and it turns out excellent; I served it with onion raita and Groundnut Masala Egg-Veg. Curry (my own discovered recipe) and it was a delicious combo … you may try it with raita or any curry, either way it tastes great … Yummilicious …
** Biryani has always been my favourite dish and there was one time say two decades back when it was a regular at home. I prepared it atleast twice a week and enjoyed it with either chicken or egg curry or simply with raita and I loved them all. However, over the years preparing biryani at home has taken a back seat as I find it a little bit tedious, not to mention the leftovers, which I do not prefer these days.
** But then, Biryani being the most favourite dish, I did prepare them few times while at times I just bought them from restaurants. I always found a difference in homemade and outsourced Biryani, while the outsourced one’s where no doubt much more tastier than the home cooked one’s the one thing that bothered me always was the excess oil included not to mention the inclusion of excess spices and garam masalas.
** Recently, I had been to a restaurant where the curry foods were excellent; however, the rice item lacked the standard of taste as was in restaurants. Somewhere this made me think all the way back home and overnight too. I realized that the taste of hotel curries was more so cause of the excess quantity of oil in which masala was roasted until oil oozed out, which meant health wise it ranked zero and that worried me.
** I realized that slowly the taste was taking over and ruling our thoughts and mind so much that we are blinded to the extent of ignoring the health hazards it would bring in. Yes, the taste was lip smacking and I did enjoy a large second serving too but I was also guilty of the weight that would show up on the scales the next day. How, I wish these dishes were healthier, which meant we could savour it on regular basis.
** Such is life dearies, sigh, no; it’s not our fault, we are all slaves to our tastes buds and often get carried away by all those delicacies bouncing in and around us in streets, café’s, malls, restaurants that we just cant’s turn away from them without being influenced. Well, I can write reams on this topic, as being a foodie, my mind, heart, soul, taste buds want to taste them all and I am sure you too feel the same isn’t it?
** The only way out is to not deprive oneself from these lovely dishes but to savour just a little bit and try to develop those recipes at home in a healthier way. Agreed, there will be a slight difference in taste but I guess in the long run, its health that matters, so cut down on excess oil/ ghee/ sugar; a little bit too goes a long way. We are almost 3 months past 2026, so let’s try to make remaining of 2026 with healthier choices.
** Prepared this Veg. Biryani with addition of coconut milk with limited addition of ghee and oil, so its sort of healthier, but sure is tastier too. I served it with simple onion raita and “Groundnut Masala Egg-Veg. Curry” another of my own recipe and in combo it was a great meal, soul satisfying and tummy filling. I guess I must prepare more choices of Biryani’s more often, so until then try this out and enjoy with family.
** Here is my recipe for “Coconut Milk Veg. Biryani” … my style …
** Ingredients :
Basmati/ Jeera Rice : 3 cups
Ghee/ Toop : 2-3 tblsp
Oil/ Tel/ Tela : 2-3 tblsp
Bay leaves/ Tike Saal : 3
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 1 large sized
Fresh Green Peas/ Vatana : 2 cups
Beetroot : 1 small sized
Carrot/ Gajjar : 2 small sized
Coconut Milk/ Nariyal Doodh/ Narla Rosu : 200 ml thick one
Coriander Leaves/ Dhania/ Kottambari Pallo : ¼ cup finely chopped for garnish.
Water : 3.5 cups
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste
Lemon/ Limbiyo/ Nimboo : cut to wedges for serving.
** Masala Powders :
Biryani Powder : 3-4 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilly Powder : 1-2 tsp
Dhania/ Coriander/ Kothimbir Powder : 1-2 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin Powder : ½ to 1 tsp
Fennel/ Badisep/ Saunf Powder : ¼ to ½ tsp
Haldi/ Turmeric Powder : ½ to 1 tsp
** Masala Ground to paste 1 :
Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 1 large
Ginger/ Alle’/ Kanda : ½ inch pieces
Garlic/ Losun/ Lehsun : 6-8 cloves
** Masala Ground to paste 2 :
Tomatoes : 2 large sized
Coriander Leaves/ Dhania/ Kottambari Pallo : 1 cup
** All spices included can be adjusted according to individual preferences.
** Masala Ground to paste 1 : Peel and chop the onions to large sized pieces. Wash, peel off outer skin of ginger and chop to small pieces. Peel off the outer skin of garlic and also cut them to pieces. Add all three into a mixer grinder and grind to a fine paste adding water only if required. Keep ready aside.
** Masala Ground to paste 2 : Wash and chop the tomatoes to pieces. Pick, wash and drain well the coriander leaves. Add both into a mixer grinder and grind to a fine paste adding water only if required. Keep ready aside.
** Note : For both the above masala you really do not need water while grinding, so avoid it if possible or sprinkle just a little bit.
** Collect all the masala powders mentioned above into a bowl and keep it aside ready. This way it is faster and easier to prepare biryani. All powders used are store bought and you may use any good brand available in your vicinity.
** Wash Basmati or Jeera rice and soak in plenty of water for about 30 minutes. Once again wash changing water twice and then add it into a colander to let drain off all the excess water. Keep this prepared ready aside.
** Peel of the skin of onion/ piyavu and cut to medium sized pieces and keep it ready aside. If using pea pods/ vatana then shell them, wash, drain and keep it also ready aside. Peel the outer skin of both beetroot and carrot and cut them to small sized pieces. Wash well, drain and keep it aside ready separately.
** In a vessel add the 200ml of coconut milk/ narla rosu along with 3.5 cups of water (both together about 4.5 cups) and bring to a rolling boil, lower the heat and let simmer on minimum while we go ahead with preparations.
** Heat oil/tel + ghee/ toop in a thick bottomed pressure cooker pan, when hot lower the heat to minimum and add bay leaves, fry a few seconds, then add “Masala Ground to paste 1” and fry for few minutes ie until rawness of the onions goes, then add the chopped onions pieces and further fry until they are translucent.
** Add in the collected masala powders and fry for another minute taking care to see that they do not burn, if you find the need to add oil, add another tsp or you can sprinkle some water to avoid masala from burning. Now add “Masala Ground to paste 2”, mix well and continue to fry for another 3-4 minutes on minimum heat.
** Note : While frying the above ingredients I have used minimum oil+ ghee, however if desired you can increasing the same, you will definitely get tastier Biryani. Either way you should take care to see that they do not burn. At no point should any masala be burnt or else the biryani will have a bunt smell.
** Now add the green peas, beetroot and carrot pieces, salt to taste, drained Basmati/ Jeera rice and mix well. Cover with a plate and let cook for just a minute on low heat mixing 1-2 times in between to avoid burning. Now gently add in the simmering coconut milk+ water, mix well and bring to a boil on high heat.
** Note : I have used store bought easily available coconut milk for this recipe. You may prepare it at home too if desired. You can check out the recipe from the link shared at the bottom of this recipe for the method.
** When it comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat to medium, mix well, cover the lid of pressure cooker pan and pressure cook to 2-3 whistles. Remove from heat and let rest undisturbed for the pressure in the cooker to drop on its own. After 5 minutes, you can release the pressure if still any with the help of tongs carefully.
** Open the lid of the pressure cooker pan and let the steam pass off, leave it cool for another 5 minutes, untouched, this helps in arresting excess heat. Now fluff it up with the help of fork taking care to see that you do not apply pressure. Garnish the biryani with finely chopped coriander leaves and the biryani is ready.
** Note : The above step mentioned of letting the cooker rest, releasing the excess pressure from within, leaving the biryani to cool and then fluffing it a bit is a useful step for pressure cooker method of biryani/ pulav only. You just need to loses and rice so that excess heat from within escapes for best results.
** “Coconut Milk Veg. Biryani” is done and ready to be served. Biryani tastes great served with simple curds or raita along with lemon wedges and there is really no need for any spicy curry or any other dish to be served as accompaniment. However, it is a matter of individual choice and today I was in full mood to cook a complete combo meal of biryani with egg curry, so that’s it, I prepared "Groundnut Masala Egg-Veg. Curry" a delicious dish of my own where in the egg curry is prepared with roasted and powdered groundnut, in all it was a lovely combination. I will be blogging the egg curry recipe next to this one, so if desired, you may try the same combo, it tastes wonderful.
** For more “Biryani/ Pulav” recipes, please follow the link shared below …
** For preparation method of “coconut milk/ nariyal ka doodh/ narla rosu”, please follow the link given below ….
** For “Onion Raita (Piyava Koshimbir)” you may follow the link given below, also including a common link to all “Raita/ Salad” recipes, you may try any …
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