What I Make When My Heart Cries For Indian Food

I grew up eating biryani. And while every region of India has its own special way of making it, the addition of potatoes is purely Bengali.

Mom used to prepare goat biryani on special occasions and chicken biryani for those not-so-special days when we still wanted to eat something fancy. She only prepared vegetarian biryani when my more traditional grandma or cousin visited.

They didn’t visit that often, but it was at least several times a year. My grandma became strictly vegetarian after my grandfather passed away (it’s a religious mandate for widows in India to abstain from eating meat). Even though Bengalis are known for their fish recipes, Ma always prepares a vegetarian meal—vegetable biryani and paneer curry—whenever my grandmother visits.

Vegetarian biryani is a perfect one-pot meal and is always shared among family members. Mom would bring the whole pot to the table, where we would eat with conversation and laughter.

The first time I prepared mom’s vegetable biryani recipe after moving to the U.S. was in January 2012, when I made it to celebrate my first job offer with my friends. Since then, whenever my heart cries for Indian cuisine I opt for this recipe rather than trying it from local Indian restaurants. Unlike the kind you would get from a restaurant, my homemade version is less spicy and greasy.

Bengali biryani is nothing more than boiled potatoes covered in layers of partially cooked white basmati rice and cooked vegetables, topped with caramelized onions, dried fruit, and freshly ground spices.

And while it sounds intimidating to many, with a few simple steps, you can make it at home—and better than any local Indian restaurant.

Start with very fresh vegetables from a local farmers market and always prepare fresh ground spices at home. Biryani tastes best when prepared with clarified butter, which is how mom makes it, but it’s just as easily made with vegetable oil and butter instead. I use long grain white basmati rice, some of which I infuse with saffron milk. After it’s cooked, it's garnished with fresh herbs and served with a yogurt sauce known as raita.

I have tried many different brands of store-bought biryani powder, but nothing beats my mom’s secret biryani spice recipe, made with only a few ingredients. While it keeps well, I prefer to make a small batch of biryani powder every time, as it’s enough to make and tastes best when freshly prepared.

My Mother's Bengali Vegetable Biryani

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Ingredients

	Biryani Masala Spice Mix:
1	dried red chile
1	(1-inch) piece cinnamon bark
1	teaspoon black cumin
2	bay leaves, broken into pieces
8	black cloves
8	whole green cardamom pods
5 to 6	whole black peppercorns
1	whole mace (optional)
1	teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2	teaspoon ground nutmeg
	Vegetable Curry:
4	tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2	head of cauliflower, cut into florets
	Kosher salt
12	French green beans, chopped
3	carrots, peeled and cubed
1	cup green peas
1	small red onion, thinly sliced
1	(1½-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
4	garlic cloves, crushed
1/2	cup plain Greek yogurt
	The Rice:
8	cups water
1	tablespoon kosher salt
3	cups white basmati rice, washed and drained
3	bay leaves
3	whole black cardamom pods
	The Potatoes:
3	medium or 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
3	cups water, enough to cover the potatoes
1	tablespoon kewra water
1/4	teaspoon turmeric
	Kosher salt
	Saffron Milk:
1	cup whole milk
1	teaspoon saffron, lightly crushed
	Topping & Assembly:
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	medium red onion, thinly sliced
1	tablespoon clarified butter, plus more for brushing
1	tablespoon broken cashews
1	tablespoon golden raisins
2	teaspoons biryani masala
2	teaspoons rose water
1	tablespoon kewra water
1	tablespoon mint, chopped
	Raita, for serving

	Biryani Masala Spice Mix:
1	dried red chile
1	(1-inch) piece cinnamon bark
1	teaspoon black cumin
2	bay leaves, broken into pieces
8	black cloves
8	whole green cardamom pods
5 to 6	whole black peppercorns
1	whole mace (optional)
1	teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2	teaspoon ground nutmeg
	Vegetable Curry:
4	tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2	head of cauliflower, cut into florets
	Kosher salt
12	French green beans, chopped
3	carrots, peeled and cubed
1	cup green peas
1	small red onion, thinly sliced
1	(1½-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
4	garlic cloves, crushed
1/2	cup plain Greek yogurt
	The Rice:
8	cups water

1	tablespoon kosher salt
3	cups white basmati rice, washed and drained
3	bay leaves
3	whole black cardamom pods
	The Potatoes:
3	medium or 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
3	cups water, enough to cover the potatoes
1	tablespoon kewra water
1/4	teaspoon turmeric
	Kosher salt
	Saffron Milk:
1	cup whole milk
1	teaspoon saffron, lightly crushed
	Topping & Assembly:
2	tablespoons vegetable oil
1	medium red onion, thinly sliced
1	tablespoon clarified butter, plus more for brushing
1	tablespoon broken cashews
1	tablespoon golden raisins
2	teaspoons biryani masala
2	teaspoons rose water
1	tablespoon kewra water
1	tablespoon mint, chopped
	Raita, for serving