Tamil Nadu Style Veg Biryani is a flavorful South Indian vegetable biryani made with seeraga samba rice (or basmati rice), cooked in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. This recipe features a rich, aromatic homemade biryani masala paste that brings authentic taste to every bite.
I love biryanis, and make them at least once a week- whether it's vegetable biryani, soya chunks biryani, or mushroom biryani. Today I am sharing another popular biryani recipe from Tamil Nadu, South India, made from seeraga samba rice. It's a one-pot recipe and can be made under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights or lunchbox.
What is Seeraga Samba Rice?
Seeraga Samba rice (also known as Jeeraga Samba) is an aromatic short-grain rice variety from Tamil Nadu, India. The name comes from its similarity in appearance to "seeragam" (cumin seeds), with the grains being small, slender, and slightly curved. It is used in biryanis and pulao.
Ingredients
- Rice: I used seeraga samba rice variety. If you don't have, use basmati rice.
- Vegetables: Onion, tomato, carrot, green beans, potato, and green peas.
- Ginger and Garlic: I used fresh ginger and garlic. You may also use homemade ginger paste and garlic paste.
- Spices & Herbs: Bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds (saunf), turmeric, coriander leaves, and mint leaves.
- Yogurt: I used homemade yogurt.
- Oil: I used a combination of oil and homemade ghee.
How to Make Tamil Nadu Style Vegetable Biryani in Instant Pot
Grind the following ingredients into a smooth paste and set it aside.
- 1 small onion (or 6-7 shallots)
- 3 cloves ginger
- 1 inch garlic
- 3 green chilies (add more if you want to make it spicy)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 3 cardamom
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- ¼ cup water for grinding
Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, and fry for a few seconds.
Add in 1 medium sliced onions and saute till the onions are soft. No need to brown the onions.
When the onions are soft, add in 1 medium chopped tomatoes and cook till they are soft and mushy.
Next, add the ground biryani masala paste, ½ teaspoon turmeric, salt, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Next, add 2 cups of chopped mixed veggies (carrot, green beans, peas, potato) and saute for a minute.
Add in ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves, and 2 tablespoons yogurt (curd). Mix everything well and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Then add 1 cup of rinsed seeraga samba rice, 1.5 cups of water, and give a quick stir.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
Gently fluff up with a fork or ladle.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Vegetable Biryani is ready. Serve hot with kurma or raita, or yogurt.
Indian Pressure Cooker Method
Follow the same steps as the Instant pot, for the Stovetop Pressure cooker, Close the lid, place a whistle, and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. All the remaining steps remain the same.
What to Serve with South Indian Vegetable Biryani?
Serve Veg Biryani with yogurt, onion tomato raita, or veg kurma.
Tips & Variations
- Vegans can replace ghee with coconut oil or any vegetable, and yogurt/curd with plant-based curd or 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
- This recipe shows how to prepare biryani using homemade biryani masala paste.
- If you already have biryani masala powder, then grind together onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, and 2 teaspoons of biryani powder together with a little water.
- You can add vegetables of your choice, like green peas, mushrooms, beets, and capsicum.
More Instant Pot Indian Rice Recipes
Tamil Nadu Style Veg Biryani (South Indian Biryani Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Rice
- 1 cup seeraga samba rice (or basmati rice)
- 1.5 cups water
For Biryani Masala Paste
- 1 small onion (or 6-7 shallots)
- 3 cloves ginger
- 1 inch garlic
- 3 green chilies (add more if you want to make it spicy)
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2 cloves
- 3 cardamom
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- ¼ cup water for grinding
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato finely chopped
- 2 cups mix vegetables (carrot, green beans, peas, potato)
- ¼ cup mint (pudina) chopped
- ¼ cup coriander leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons yogurt (curd)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot Method
- Make a paste out of the ingredients listed under biryani masala and keep it aside.
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat ghee and oil. Add Bay leaf, star anise and fry for few seconds.
- Add in the sliced onions and fry till the onions are soft. No need to brown the onions.
- When the onions are soft, add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they are soft and mushy.
- Next, add the ground biryani masala paste, turmeric, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
- Next, add chopped mixed veggies and saute for a minute.
- Add in the chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and yogurt (curd). Mix everything well and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add rinsed rice, water, and give a quick stir.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
- Gently fluff up with a fork or laddle. Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Vegetable Biryani is ready. Serve hot with kurma or raita or yogurt.
Indian Pressure Cooker Method
- Make a paste out of the ingredients listed under biryani masala and keep aside.
- In a pressure cooker, Heat ghee and oil. Add Bay leaf, star anise and fry for few seconds.
- Add in the sliced onions and fry till the onions are soft. No need to brown the onions.
- When the onions are soft, add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they are soft and mushy.
- Next, add the ground biryani masala paste, turmeric, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
- Next, add chopped mixed veggies and saute for a minute.
- Add in the chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves and yogurt (curd). Mix everything well and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add rinsed rice, water, and give a quick stir.
- Close the lid place a whistle and cook for 2 whistles on medium flame.
- Switch off the flame and let the pressure from the cooker release naturally. Veg Biryani is ready to serve.
Notes
Tips & Variations
-
- Vegans can replace Ghee (clarified butter) with coconut oil or any vegetable and yogurt/curd with plant-based curd or 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
- This recipe shows preparing biryani using homemade biryani masala paste.
- If you already have Biryani Masala Powder then grind together onion, ginger, garlic, red or green chilies, and 2 teaspoons of biryani powder together with little water.
- You can add vegetables of your choice like green peas, beets, capsicum.
- I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT
Nutrition
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Kat
Super yummy. Tried this recipe a few times and tastes delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Bhavana Patil
That's great to know Kat...Thanks for sharing your feedback
JP
Thank you so much for this recipe. It has been a truly delightful one. I was searching for this taste for so many years!
Bhavana Patil
Hi Jahnavi, I am so happy to hear that you liked this biryani recipe. 🙂 Thank you!
JP
Can you give instructions on how to scale the recipe for let's say 5-6 people? Should everything just be doubled?
Bhavana Patil
Hi Jahnavi, Yes you can just double or triple the recipe and the pressure cooking time remains the same.
JP
Thank you!
Deepika
Hi I tried this recipe today in instant pot with seeraga samba rice... the taste was amazing... but IP showed burnt symbol so I added water again and again to cook the rice... finally I got smashed rice... so where did I go wrong... I used the same method as like in the recipe and also scraped the bottom before closing the lid...Do I have to increase water from 1.5 cups for seeraga samba rice
bhavana
sorry to hear that,i havent tried making with seeraga samba rice ,but i guess its with rice and water ratio.Do try next with 1:1.5 (rice to water) ..hope this helps.
Rhama Manohar
Excellent recipe! Followed your recipe to the T, and it was awesome! Thank you!
bhavana
thank you