Pot Biryani Recipe/Matka Veg Biryani/ Manpaanai biryani -Vegetarian Version

I think most of you would have heard about or tasted pot veg biryani @ Matka veg biryani / manpaanai biryani in Restaurants. I came to know about this biryani from a friend recently. I browsed few recipes & watched you tube video to get some idea. Most of them were non-veg versions using marinated chicken. But as usual, I replaced chicken with paneer pieces, made few changes in the actual recipes and came up with this post. I guess most of the people in India must be having a clay pot at home. Some people might be making gravies/Vatha kuzhambu/Sunda kulambu with it.

Do try this layer biryani using earthen pot/Matka for a change.You will love its flavor. The layered rice & the gravy cooked in slow fire lends an awesome taste. This is my 29th biryani recipe in my Sunday Lunch Recipes series. I am planning to finish this series with 2 more posts & thinking to start some other useful series for beginners. Do leave your suggestions in the comment box if you expect/need anything to be shared in this blog. I will surely try to implement them. Thanks for showing your continuous support & love across this series ! Lets check out how to make Vegetarian Matka biryani/Pot biryani recipe with stepwise pictures.

Click HERE to see my other biryani recipes of this series !

Matka Veg biryani/Pot biryani recipe

Matka biryani/Pot biryani recipe How to make flavorful biryani in mud pot/Matka

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch ideas

Serves: 2-3

Prep time: 30 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 50 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice – 1 cup
Water – 5 cups
Whole spices- 1 cinnamon,1 clove,i cardamom,1 black stone flower,1 bayleaf
Salt – as needed

For gravy

Cooking oil – 3-4 tbsp
Bayleaf – 1 no
Big onion – 1 no
G&G paste – 1/2 tsp
Tomato – 2 nos
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Dhania powder – 1.5 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Curd – 1/4 cup
Salt & water – as needed
Paneer pieces or mixed vegetables – as needed

To garnish

Fried onion – a handful
Saffron milk – 2 tbsp
Mint + coriander leaves – few
Ghee – 1 tbsp

HOW TO MAKE MATKA VEG BIRYANI – METHOD

Wash & soak basmati rice for minimum 30 minutes. Boil 5 cups of water adding whole spices & the required salt. When the water comes to boil,add the rice.Cook the rice till its 75% done. Cooked Rice should break into two but not mashed. Drain the excess water & remove the rice in a plate. Let it cool.

Boil some water in a bowl. Add the chopped paneer pieces. Let it be in water till use. Chop the onions & tomatoes.Fry one sliced onion till its golden brown and remove in a plate.
Heat oil in a mud pot and saute bayleaf, onions. Saute well. Add G&G paste. Add chopped tomatoes & saute till mushy. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, dhania powder & garam masala powder. Saute well adding some salt. When it becomes thick,add 1/4 cup of curd & mix well.When it becomes a semi gravy, add the paneer pieces. Mix well.Remove half of the gravy in a bowl. Make sure there is some water in the gravy.

Take the mud pot with some gravy and spread a layer of rice. Now layer the gravy with the remaining rice.Spread the mint+coriander leaves & fried onions on top.Sprinkle the saffron milk. Drizzle the ghee. Close it with a thermal foil and close it with a plate. Keep a bowl full of water over the plate. Put the mud pot in DUM under very low flame for 5-8 minutes. If you keep it for long time, there are chances for the bottom layer to be burnt.
Suppose if you want to put this mixture in DUM for long time, heat a dosa tawa in high flame for 10 minutes & place the mud pot with thermal foil arrangements on top of the tawa. Let it heat in low flame for 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy !

Note

Adjust the quantity of spices as per your taste..
You can replace paneer with mixed vegetables. But pressure cook the veggies before you add them in gravy.
Make sure there is some water content in the gravy else biryani would burn.