Vegan biryani

Vegan biryani

Author: HFG staff

Photographer: HFG staff

Get 5 serves of veg in one delicious vegan meal using this meat-free, dairy-free biryani recipe!

Serves: 4

Time to make: 35 mins

Hands-on time: 10 mins

Ingredients

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1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 cardamom pods, bruised
3 cloves
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
2cm cinnamon stick
pinch ground mace
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2cm piece fresh ginger, grated
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
large pinch dried chilli flakes
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 parsnips, cut into small chunks
1 2/3 cups butternut pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks
3/4 cup French beans, trimmed and cut into 2–3cm lengths
10 radishes, halved
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, cut into quarters
200g cooked or canned chickpeagarbanzoXsgarbanzosX
100g cooked spinach, chopped
1/2 cup cashews, soaked in plenty of cold water for 4 hr
1/4 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for at least 30 min
pinch saffron, soaked in 2 tablespoons hot unsweetened almond milk for at least 30 min
1 tablespoon each chopped fresh coriandercilantroX and mint, to garnish

Instructions

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1 Blitz the cauliflower florets to form ‘rice’ in a food processor (or use a grater), then set aside.

2 Heat the oil in a large pan over a gentle heat, then add the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, bay leaf, cinnamon and mace. Cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli flakes and garam masala and cook for another 1 min.

3 Add the parsnips and pumpkin, stir well and cover the pan. Cook for 10 min, then add the beans, radishes and mushrooms. Cover and cook for another 5 min.

4 Add the chickpeas, spinach and cauliflower rice. Drain the cashew nuts and add to the pan. Turn up the heat and cook for 5 min, stirring well to prevent sticking.

5 Drain the raisins and squeeze out any excess moisture. Add to the pan with the saffron milk. Season well with freshly ground black pepper, then fold through. Cover and stand for 10 min.

6 Sprinkle with chopped coriander and mint, then serve.

HFG tip

The ingredients list looks long, but it’s mainly the array of spices used to make the dish fragrant. A good quality curry paste could be used instead. Feel free to substitute the vegetables for whatever you have to hand.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 316cal

Kilojoules 1322kJ

Protein 14.3g

Total fat 12.7g

–Saturated fat 2.2g

Carbohydrates 39.7g

–Sugars 20.8g

Dietary fibre 12.7g

Sodium 39mg

Calcium 194mg

Iron 5.4mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.