Baingan Biryani or Brinjal Biryani is also known as guthi vankaya biryani in Telugu is speciality biryani from Andra Cuisine.
This biryani rice is similar to any other biryani but the stuffed eggplant in this biryani is something that asks you to eat more and more.
If you are a biryani lover, then this recipe is a must try recipe for you. Trust me , you will definitely love this even if you are a brinjal / egg plant hater. Give it a try , you'll never be disappointed.
If you are Pulao / Biryani lover just like me then you must definitely try out few of my top favourite recipes like Chettinad Mushroom Pulao , Ambur Star Biryani , Chickpea Pilaf , Chicken Pulao and Donne BIryani
About this recipe
Baingan Biryani or Brinjal Biryani is also known as guthi vankaya biryani in Telugu language is speciality biryani from Andra Cuisine.
Freshly blend spices are stuffed inside Egg plants , cooked along with spices , layered with rice and cooked on dum .
Just like any other biryani , it takes good 1 hour to make this tasty biryani but trust me, its all worth for the tasty biryani.
With lot many ingredients list and many steps , it may look daunting but worry not , it's pretty easy to make like anyother biryani .
You must try this baingan biryani because it is
- Delicious
- Feast to taste buds
- Vegetarian version of Yummy Biryani
- Unique and Tasty
Ingredients
List of Ingredients in the recipe card mya daunt you , worry not . Like most of the Biryani , It's the whole spices that makes the list long . Check the list of ingredients and make this awesome biryani over the weekend.
For stuffing the eggplant
Egg Plants / Baingan - Always choose fresh eggplant , which are oval in shape, green in colour with purple lines throughout . Always use small or medium size brinjals with less or no seeds inside.
Barista / fried onions - I always keep fried onions ( barista) handy while making Biryani. This recipe includes blending barista with spices and are stuffed inside Egg plants . This imparts lot of flavor , if Barista is not available then freshly fry some onions until golden brown and use in the recipe.
Groundnuts/ Peanuts - I use dry roasted and de skinned peanuts to stuff inside eggplants. It gives nutty flavour .
Garlic - raw garlic inside stuff adds lots of flavour in this biryani just like Baingan Bharta.
Spices - Need some spice powders like Turmeric Powder , Red Chilli powder , Coriander Powder ,Garam masala powder , Dry Mango Powder and Salt to taste.
For cooking the rice
Rice – Use the premium quality basmati rice to make this biryani as it tastes great . If not available , you can make this with any less starch variety of rice too. But just be sure to use the correct liquid ratio to cook rice.
Spices – You will need regular whole spices like bay leaf , cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom , black peppercorn , star anise and fennel seeds. If any of the mentioned ingredient is not available then feel free to skip .
Others- Mint leaves , few drops of oil and salt to taste along with water to cook rice.
To make Baingan Biryani gravy
Ghee and Oil – I have cooked this biryani in both vegetable oil and ghee. You can also cook it in any flavourless oil or clarified butter completely.
Fresh Produce – You will need fresh ingredients like onion, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger paste, garlic paste, lime juice, mint, and coriander leaves.
Curds / Yogurt - Use fresh and thick yogurt to make this biryani . Alternatively you can also use store bought set curd or plain flavorless greek yogurt in this recipe.
Spice Powders - You need to add basic spice powders like red chilli powder and coriander powder . Depending on your taste you can either increasse or decressse the amount used in the recipe.
Nothing can taste without Salt , add it as per your taste.
Optional add on's
Cashews , Raisins and Biryani Masala Powder to temper on Biryani . Though it's optional , I recommend to make it as it elevates the taste of guthi vankaya biryani.
Top Tip
Always use medium sized brinjals to make this biryani as it tastes good. If small brinjals are used , they cook very fast and get torn easily while cooking. If large brinjals are used , it has seeds and doesn't give good taste.
Watch Video
How to make Brinjal Biryani Recipe
To cook biryani rice
Rinse rice for 3-4 times , till water runs clear and soak rice in water for minimum 30 minutes.
Add ½ teaspoon of oil , add whole spices , bay leaf , cinnamon stick , cloves , cardamom and mint leaves , saute till fragrant .
Add 8-10 cups of water and bring it to boil .
Drain water from soaked rice and add rice to boiling water.
Cook rice for about 7-8 minutes , till its 90 % cooked.
Drain water completely.
Spread rice on a wide plate , sprinkle some salt and set aside.
To stuff Baingan ( Egg plants)
In a mixer / blender add roasted peanuts , garlic , red chilli powder , coriander powder , garam masala , amachur powder , turmeric powder and salt.
Blend to semi fine powder, set aside.
Wash and wipe small brinjal / eggplant . Remove thorns if any and can trim stalks , if needed.
Take each brinjal and slit it in four sides without cutting it entirely. Make sure that stalks from top hold brinjals / egg plant . Pull the cut sides outwards and check for worms if any.
Now stuff each brinjal / egg plant with this masala powder and set aside.
To make Baingan Biryani
In a thick bottom pan , heat oil and ghee.
Add whole spices and saute till fragrant.
Now add slit green chilies and onions .
Add freshly ground ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off completely.
Add mint leaves and fry well , till onion changes color and mint leaves are well fried.
Now add tomatoes , saute well and cook till tomatoes turns pulpy.
Add turmeric powder , chili powder , coriander powder and biryani masala powder, mix well.
Keeping flame on low heat , Add ½ cup of thick curds and mix well completely till specks of oil is seen.
Add salt and mix well .
When oil starts to release from corners add stuffed brinjal into gravy.
Gently saute ,such that masala coats brinjal . Close lid and cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.
Open lid, you can see oil floating in corners.
Now gently flip each brinjal to other side and keep the flame on simmer.
Dum Cook Brinjal Biryani
Add cooked rice on top of brinjal and spread evenly.
Add fried onions and torn mint leaves on top. Now pour saffron soaked milk .
In a seasoning pan , heat ghee , add cashews and raisins . When raisins puffs up , add ½ teaspoon of biryani masala powder . Turn off the stove.
Pour the temper on biryani rice .
Add 2 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves and squeeze some fresh lime juice.
Cover the pot with aluminium foil and tightly close the lid. Alternatively you can even close the lid and seal it with atta dough.
Keep the flame on sim and leave for minimum 20 minutes for all flavors to combine well and enhance. After 20 minutes , turn off the flame and remove lid and foil.
Finally , mix well everything gently from bottom and serve hot along with aloo raita.
Recipe is recently updated from archieves , hence you can see two different images .
Recipe
Baingan Biryani | Brinjal Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
For Biryani Rice
- 8-10 cups Water
- 2 cups Basmati rice , age old
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 4 Green Cardamom , pods
- 1 ½ inch Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 Cloves
- Mint leaves handful , torn
For Stuffing Brinjal / Egg plant /Baingan
- 350 grams Brinjals , 10-12 medium sized brinjals , approximately
- ¼ cup Barista / fried onions
- ¼ cup Groundnuts ,dry roasted, de skinned
- 5-6 Garlic Cloves,medium size
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon Dry Mango Powder / Amachor Powder ,optional
- 1 teaspoon Salt
For Biryani Masala / Gravy
- ¼ cup Oil
- 3 tablespoon Ghee / Clarified Butter
- 2 no's Onions , large , sliced
- 2 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 2 tablespoon Ginger Paste
- 4 no's Green Chillies , slit long
- 2 no's Tomatoes , chopped
- ½ cup Mint leaves chopped
- ½ cup Curds , thick
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Biryani Masala Powder , refer notes
- 1 no Bay leaf
- 3 no's Green Cardamom
- 2 no's Black Cardamom
- 1 ½ " inch Cinnamon Sticks
- 4 no's Cloves
- 1 no's Star Anise
- ½ teaspoon Black peppercorns
- 3-4 Mace Strands /Javitri
- ½ teaspoon Shahi Jeera
- ½ teaspoon Stone flower
- 2 teaspoon Salt or as needed
Other Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Warm Milk
- 10-12 no's Saffron Strands
- 2 tablespoon Mint leaves , optional, refer notes
- 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoon Barista / fried onions , optional
- 2 tablespoon Lime juice
- 2 tablespoon Clarified Butter/Ghee
- 1 tablespoon Cashews
- 1 tablespoon Raisins
- ½ teaspoon Biryani Masala Powder
Instructions
For Cooking Rice
- Rinse 2 cups rice for 3-4 times , till water runs clear and soak rice in water for minimum 30 minutes.
- Add ½ teaspoon of oil , add whole spices , bay leaf , cinnamon stick , cloves , cardamom and mint leaves , saute till fragrant .
- Add 8-10 cups of water and bring it to boil .
- Add rice to boiling water.
- Cook rice for about 7-8 minutes , till its 90 % cooked.
- Drain water completely from rice.
- Spread rice on a wide plate , sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and set aside.
For Stuffing Baingan / Brinjal
- In a mixer / blender add roasted peanuts , garlic , red chilli powder , coriander powder , garam masala , amachur powder , turmeric powder and salt.
- Blend to semi fine powder, set aside.
- Wash and wipe small brinjal / eggplant . Remove thorns if any and can trim stalks , if needed.
- Take each brinjal and slit it in four sides without cutting it entirely. Make sure that stalks from top hold brinjals / egg plant . Pull the cut sides outwards and check for worms if any.
- Now stuff each brinjal / egg plant with this masala powder and set aside.
For Baingan Biryani Gravy
- In a thick bottom pan , heat oil and ghee.
- Add whole spices and saute till fragrant.
- Now add slit green chilies and onions .
- Add freshly ground ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off completely.
- Add mint leaves and fry well , till onion changes color and mint leaves are well fried.
- Now add tomatoes , saute well and cook till tomatoes turns pulpy.
- Add turmeric powder , chili powder , coriander powder and biryani masala powder, mix well.
- Keeping flame on low heat , Add ½ cup of thick curds and mix well completely till specks of oil is seen.
- Add salt and mix well .
- When oil starts to release from corners add stuffed brinjal into gravy.
- Gently saute ,such that masala coats brinjal .
- Close lid and cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.
- Open lid, you can see oil floating in corners.
- Now gently flip each brinjal to other side and keep the flame on simmer.
Dum Cooking
- Add cooked rice on top of brinjal and spread evenly.
- Add fried onions and torn mint leaves on top.
- On the other side , In a seasoning pan , heat ghee , add cashews and raisins . When raisins puffs up , add ½ teaspoon of biryani masala powder and mix well .
- Pour the temper on biryani rice .
- Add 2 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves and squeeze some fresh lime juice.
- Cover the pot with aluminium foil and tightly close the lid. Alternatively you can even close the lid and seal it with atta dough.
- Keep the flame on sim and leave for minimum 20 minutes for all flavors to combine well and enhance.
- After 20 minutes , turn off the flame and remove lid , foil.
- Gently mix well everything from bottom and serve hot along with aloo raita.
