When pressed for time, I tend to go the quick one pot meal way. Semiya Biryani is a delightful one pot light meal, fragrant with aromatic spices and loaded with vegetables. Use whole wheat vermicelli and you have some wholesome goodness on your dinner plate.
Vermicelli (Semiya) Biryani Recipe
Prep & Cooking Time: 40 mts
Serves 5 persons
Cuisine: Indian
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2 1/2 cups vermicelli, roast in a tsp of ghee for 4-5 mts till golden brown
2 cups cubed, mixed vegetables (beans, capsicum, carrot, peas, potato)
1 finely sliced large onion
1 tsp green chili-ginger paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
1 elaichi
1/2″ cinnamom
1 bay leaf
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsps chopped mint leaves
1/2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
Biryani Masala – Grind to make a fine powder
2 cloves
1/2″ cinnamon stick
1 elaichi/cardamom
pinch of shah jeera
5-6 pepper corns
1 Boil 5 cups of water and add the vermicelli along with cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ghee. Once the vermicelli is half cooked (it should be undercooked), turn off heat, pour the vermicelli into a colander to drain completely and spread on a wide plate. Keep aside
2 Heat oil and ghee in a cooking vessel, add bay leaf and cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the sliced onions and saute for 4 mts. Add the green chilli-ginger and saute for a mt.
3 Add the cubed vegetables (if using beans, blanch in hot water for 4 mts) and saute on medium heat for 3 mts. Add salt to taste (remember you have already added salt to the boiling vermicelli, so add accordingly). Add tomatoes, place lid, reduce flame and cook for 12-13 mts. Add biryani masala pwd and mix.
4 Now, add the cooked semiya to the sauteed onion-vegetable base and mix it lightly and see that no lumps form. Place lid and cook over low flame for 12-15 mts. Garnish with coriander leaves.
5 Serve hot with raita or pickle of your choice.
