Description
This vibrant Butternut Biryani with Cucumber Raita is a wholesome, vegetarian dish combining fragrant spices, tender brown basmati rice, and sweet butternut squash, complemented by a refreshing cucumber and mint yogurt raita. It’s a nutritious, flavorful meal perfect for a comforting lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Biryani Ingredients
- 20g dried porcini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 onions, sliced (160g)
- 2 garlic cloves, shredded
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 85g brown basmati rice
- 160g diced butternut squash (prepared weight)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp vegetable bouillon
Cucumber Raita Ingredients
- 10cm length cucumber, grated, core removed
- 125g bio yogurt
- 2 tbsp chopped mint, plus a few leaves for garnish
To Finish
- One third of a pack fresh coriander, chopped
- 25g toasted flaked almonds
Instructions
- Prepare Mushrooms: Pour 425ml boiling water over the dried porcini mushrooms and set aside to rehydrate and infuse the liquid with mushroom flavor.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat rapeseed oil in a non-stick pan over high heat. Add sliced onions, shredded garlic, chopped fresh ginger, and deseeded chopped red chilli. Stir-fry briefly until they begin to soften and release their aroma.
- Add Rice and Butternut: Stir in the brown basmati rice and diced butternut squash. Cook for a few minutes while stirring to coat the rice and squash in the fragrant aromatics.
- Incorporate Spices and Mushrooms: Add cumin seeds and ground coriander, stirring to combine. Pour in the mushrooms along with their soaking water, and add the vegetable bouillon. Mix well to integrate all ingredients.
- Simmer: Cover the pan with a lid and reduce heat to allow the biryani to simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed the flavors.
- Prepare Raita: While the biryani cooks, mix grated cucumber (with the core removed) with bio yogurt and chopped mint in a bowl to create a cooling cucumber raita.
- Finish Biryani: Once cooked, stir chopped fresh coriander and toasted flaked almonds into the biryani for freshness and crunch.
- Serve: Serve the fragrant butternut biryani hot, accompanied by a bowl of cucumber raita and garnished with a few extra mint or coriander leaves for brightness.
Notes
- Brown basmati rice is used for added fiber and a nuttier flavor; rinse before cooking if preferred for improved texture.
- Soaking dried porcini mushrooms enhances their earthy flavor; reserve soaking water for cooking to intensify taste.
- The raita balances the biryani’s spices with its creamy and cool profile.
- For a vegan option, substitute yogurt with plant-based yogurt and ensure the vegetable bouillon is vegan-friendly.
- Adjust chilli quantity to your heat preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Butternut biryani, vegetarian biryani, cucumber raita, healthy biryani, Indian rice dish, brown basmati rice, porcini mushrooms, butternut squash recipe, vegetarian Indian recipes
