Vegan Cranberry Biriyani

This is a vegan, delicious, and festive dum biriyani made with fresh cranberries of the season! Thus spicy biriyani is perfect to feed a crowd and can be served as a main meal or as even a side. This amazing rice made with cranberries are the perfect one for Thanksgiving!

Tomatoes are added in biriyani and that can be replaced by many other substitutes. The tart cranberries are a great choice to be used in biriyani or any simple rice variety like, Cranberry Rice. 

Fried onions are added inthe layers as well as on top. This adds a beautiful texture as well as addictive taste. I recommend keeping that. If you do not have this, caramelize onions by cooking them on stovetop. That works amazing too!

Fresh cranberries are used in this recipe. Frozen ones can be used too. Coconut oil gives amazing flavor to the biriyani just like butter or ghee. Any oil can be used too. Coconut milk also enhances the flavor profile. In total, fragrant rice with aromatic spices, tart cranberry dressing creamy coconut milk results in one if the tastiest biriyani. 

This is ‘Dum’ biriyani like Vegetable Dum Biriyani. ‘Dum’ means cooking in its own steam. The veggies and rice with aromatic spices are three-fourth cooked, layered, and then steamed to make amazing and tasty biriyani. This cranberry biriyani uses potatoes, frozen lima beans, cooked garbanzo beans, corn, and peas. Any other veggie can be swapped. Garbanzo and lima beans add to the protein content in this rice.

This vegan biriyani is amazing to serve during the holidays to vegan and to other guests too. If you are having hard time to know what to plan for the menu when you have more vegan guests, stop panicking. Here are some delicious vegan recipes that can be served to all.

Roasted Cranberry Potatoes

Cranberry Rice

Vegan Cranberry Soy Spring Rolls

Cilantro Lime Quinoa

Aloo Beans Curry

Vegan Pumpkin Coconut Cornbread

Vegan Pumpkin Halwa

Welcome to Cranberry Week! 

This week we are celebrating all things cranberry! We have delicious recipes from across the country to celebrate all things cranberry!

#CranberryWeek is an annual blogging event that is hosted by Ashley from Cheese Curd In Paradise

• Cranberry Moscow Mule from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Vegan Cranberry Biriyani from Magical Ingredients
• Cranberry Jalapeno Dip with Cream Cheese from Our Good Life
• Cranberry Christmas Cake from The Fresh Cooky
• Cranberry Sauce Recipe from Devour Dinner
• Christmas Morning Punch from Jen Around the World
• Cranberry Chutney from The Freshman Cook
• Chocolate Brownie Cranberry Muffins from Daily Dish Recipes
• Cranberry Fluff from Life Love and Good Food
• Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Roast from Kate's Recipe Box

Ingredients 

Basmati rice - 1.5 cups

Salt - 1 tsp

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Cloves - 4

Star anise -1

Cardamom - 3

Water - 5 cups 

For the cranberry veggie mix:

Onions - 3/4 cup, sliced thin

Ginger - 4–in piece

Garlic 8 to 19

Green Thai chili - 7 to 8

Coconut oil - 4 tbsp

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup 

Water -1/2 cup 

Potatoes - 1.5 cups, 1/2-in cubes

Cranberry - 1 cup

Lima beans - 1/2 cup, frozen

Garbanzo beans - 1 cup, cooked

Green peas - 1/2 cup, frozen

Corn - 1/2 cup. frozen

Salt - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala- 1.5tsp

Stoneflower - 1 tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cardamom  -3

Whole black cardamom - 1

Cinnamon  -2-in. piece

Cloves - 4

For the layer:

Fried onions - 6 tbsp

Mint - 1/3  cup, chopped

Cilantro - 6 tbsp, chopped

For the drizzle

Coconut milk  -1 tbsp

Water - 3 tbsp

Method

Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Bring the water to boil. Drain the rice, add it and the spices to the water. Cook for 5 minutes without reducing the flame.Drain and set aside.

Grind the ginger, garlic, and green chili toa smooth paste.

Heat coconut oil in  pan. Add the fennels seeds, bay leaves, whole black cardamom, cloves, green cardamom, stone flower, and saute for 30 seconds. Add the onions and saute till translucent. Add the ground ginger garlic chili paste and cook for 5 minutes till the raw smeel is gone.

In the meantime, pulse the cranberries in blender, to make a uniform cranberry pure.

Add the potatoes, cranberry, garbanzos, lime beans, and water. Mix.

Cook for 6-7 minutes.

Add the peas, corn, corainder powder, cumin powder, garam masala, salt, and coconut milk. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Adjust salt according to taste.

Set aside.

For layering:

 

Apply a little oil in a sauce pot. Add about 1/3rd of the rice. Add half of the veggie -cranberry mix. Top with fried onions, mint, and cilantro. Repeat another layer. Add the remaining 1/3rd rice, sprinkle with fried onions, mint, and cilantro. 

 Mix water and coconut milk to make the drizzle. Drizzle on the layered biriryani.

Heat a cast-iron pan. When it is hot, switch to low flame. Cover the biriyani pot, place it on the pan, and steam for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the flame. Rest for a couple of minutes. Top with more mint and cilantro. Serve with chips, raita, or curry.