Vegetable Biryani Recipe with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Vegetable Biryani Ingredients

• 3 cups basmati rice, or another rice you like, soaked in hot water for 1 hour and washed
• 1 piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1 cup cooked peas
• 1 cup fresh corn, when in season
• 2 cups sliced onion
• 1 head garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup sliced carrot
• 1 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1 cup green onion or leek
• 1 cup finely chopped tomato
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp biryani spice
• 1 tsp curry powder
• A pinch of black pepper
• 5 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• Hot pepper, optional
• 2 cups vegetable broth, with more if needed
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Spicy Tomato Sauce Ingredients

• 3 large tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• A pinch of black pepper
• Salt to taste

Heat the oil with the turmeric.

Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and mix, then add the remaining vegetables except the tomato. Once they soften, add the tomato and leave everything over low heat until the tomato releases its sauce.

Add the rice, all the spices and salt, and mix.

Add 2 cups vegetable broth. When it boils, lower the heat. If the rice is not fully cooked, add a little more water as needed.

Prepare the spicy tomato sauce

Heat the olive oil and soften the garlic. Add the tomatoes and the hot pepper paste mentioned in the original method (the original ingredient list does not specify an amount), then add 1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes until the tomato sauce thickens.

Serve the vegetable biryani with the spicy tomato sauce.