Here is the vegetarian version of the lip-smackingly delicious Ambur biryani made in Instant Pot with plant and dairy-based protein – white peas and paneer. Check out the Instant Pot version of the Ambur Veg Biryani recipe with step-wise pictures.
Biryani – Pulav – Kichadi Festival
I am participating in a month-long marathon and theme is “Biryani Pulav and Kichadi festival.” Sounds delicious right? So I will be sharing 26 biryani and pulav recipes all this month in alphabetical order. There is no doubt that I love traditional recipes, and when it comes to biryanis, of course, the DUM biryanis are the best. In fact, for the ulava charu biryani, I made the DUM in the clay-pot.
But who doesn’t like quick and easy biryanis? Atleast I do. :-) So I made all the 26 vegetarian/vegetable biryanis and pulavs in either the traditional stove-top pressure cooker or in the Instant Pot. Even though I took short-cuts, I did not compromise on the taste. I substituted the meat protein with either plant-based protein or dairy-based protein along with the vegetables and went with traditional and authentic spices. As always, all my recipes are adaptable and please do check the recipe notes for variations and details.
So without any further, here is my first recipe and it is the Ambur Veg Biryani that I made in Instant Pot.
Ambur & Ambur Biryani
Before getting into the recipe, let me share some information about Ambur. Ambur is a town in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, India. Both Ambur and its neighboring town Vaniyambadi are famous for their biryani, and they are known worldwide. The Nawabs of Arcot introduced the biryani, and the spice usage is moderate when compared to other biryanis. We don’t use any dry spice powders, and also we use the fresh paste of ginger, garlic and red chili for this biryani.
I want to thank Suguna at Kannama Cooks for sharing the details of this Ambur biryani. I didn’t want to repeat what she mentioned here again. You can read the details and the dum mutton biryani version on her blog. I adapted her recipe and made it into the Instant Pot vegetarian version.
Making Biryani in Instant Pot:
You can make biryani quickly in Instant Pot. I know I can’t compare it with the dum pukht method but it is very easy and it makes all the dishes as one pot meal. Now, one thing I want to insist – Mix and scrape. Yes, it is very very important. After adding every ingredient, make sure you mix and rub to avoid the burn warning.
In this Ambur biryani, we add yogurt to the hot oil. To prevent the spluttering, you adjust the heat setting to low while adding the yogurt and then increase it to normal. I just went with the standard heat setting for the sauteing process.
I know if you ask me to write about Instant Pot, I can keep writing. So let me stop here and share how I made the Ambur veg biryani. 
Ingredients:
- 5 garlic cloves or 1 tbsp garlic paste (tightly packed)
- 2-inch ginger or 1 tbsp ginger paste (tightly packed)
- Five red chilies
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 3 tbsp yogurt (divided, 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp)
- 2 cloves
- 2 cardamom
- 3 or 4 1-inch cinnamon stick
- 1 big onion, sliced lengthwise
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup white peas (soaked and drained)
- 1 cup paneer cubes
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 cup mint leaves
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1.5 cups seeraga samba rice
- 2 cups of water
Soak the beans:
- If you are using white peas or any other beans, soak it for atleast 5 to 6 hours.
Soak the rice:
- Wash and soak the seeraga samba rice for atleast 15 to 20 minutes and then drain the water thoroughly.
Prepare the pastes:
- For this biryani, we need to prepare three paste separately – Ginger paste, garlic paste, and red chili paste.
- Grind the garlic cloves into a fine paste by adding 1 to 2 tsps of water.
- And same with ginger as well, grind it, into a fine paste and set aside.
- Soak the red chilies in water for 10 to 15 minutes and drain the water. Then grind it into a fine paste by adding 1 to 2 tsps of water.
Prepare the Biryani:
- Set the Instant Pot in the saute mode and add the oil. Then add one tbsp of yogurt and mix well.
- Then add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cardamom — Cook for 10 seconds.
- Then add the garlic paste and cook for a minute, followed by ginger paste and cook again for two minutes. (PS: I missed to click the picture while adding the ginger)
- Now add the chili paste, onion, mint and cilantro leaves. Mix thoroughly.
- Then add the tomatoes, salt, and soaked white peas. Mix again and make sure to scrape the bottom.
- Now add the paneer cubes, yogurt, and lime juice.
- Mix and then add the water and the rice. Gently mix but make sure you scrape the bottom thoroughly to avoid the “burn warning.”
- Press the cancel button and close the IP lid. Ensure the vent is in the sealing position.
- Now cook the biryani at high using the manual or the pressure cook mode for 3 minutes. When the cooking is complete, wait for 5 minutes and do a quick pressure release. (IP Formula – 3 mts manual at high pressure and QPR after 5 minutes)
- Carefully open the lid after releasing the pressure and allow the biryani to cool for 5 minutes and then fluff it up with a fork.
- Serve hot with raita.
Recipe Notes-
- Instead of white peas and paneer, you can use vegetables and soy-chunks.
- I would always recommend seeraga samba rice, but if you can’t source it, you can make it with Basmati rice as well.
- Adjust the salt, garlic, and red chilies according to your preference.
- If you are adding more veggies, then increase the water by ½ cup but not more than that.
- Make sure to mix the biryani masala, after adding each ingredient and make sure to scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot after adding the water and rice.
PS: If you try this Ambur veg biryani recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Ambur Vegetable Biryani | Instant Pot Ambur Biryani
Ingredients
- 5 garlic cloves or 1 tbsp garlic paste (tightly packed)
- 2 inch ginger or 1 tbsp ginger paste (tightly packed)
- 5 red chilies
- ¼ cup oil
- 3 tbsp yogurt divided, 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp
- 2 cloves
- 2 cardamom
- 3 ~ 4 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 big onion sliced lengthwise
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- ½ cup white peas soaked and drained
- 1 cup paneer cubes
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsps salt
- 1 cup mint leaves
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1.5 cups rice seeraga samba variety
- 2 cups water
Instructions
Soak the beans:
- If you are using white peas or any other beans, soak it for atleast 5 to 6 hours.
Soak the rice:
- Wash and soak the seeraga samba rice for atleast 15 to 20 minutes and then drain the water thoroughly.
Prepare the pastes:
- For this biryani, we need to prepare three paste separately - Ginger paste, garlic paste, and red chili paste.
- Grind the garlic cloves into a fine paste by adding 1 to 2 tsps of water.
- And same with ginger as well, grind it, into a fine paste and set aside.
- Soak the red chilies in water for 10 to 15 minutes and drain the water. Then grind it into a fine paste by adding 1 to 2 tsps of water.
Prepare the Biryani:
- Set the Instant Pot in the saute mode and add the oil. Then add one tbsp of yogurt and mix well.
- Then add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cardamom — Cook for 10 seconds.
- Then add the garlic paste and cook for a minute, followed by ginger paste and cook again for two minutes. (PS: I missed to click the picture while adding the ginger)
- Now add the chili paste, onion, mint and cilantro leaves. Mix thoroughly.
- Then add the tomatoes, salt, and soaked white peas. Mix again and make sure to scrape the bottom.
- Now add the paneer cubes, yogurt, and lime juice.
- Mix and then add the water and the rice. Gently mix but make sure you scrape the bottom thoroughly to avoid the "burn warning."
- Press the cancel button and close the IP lid. Ensure the vent is in the sealing position.
- Now cook the biryani at high using the manual or the pressure cook mode for 3 minutes. When the cooking is complete, wait for 5 minutes and do a quick pressure release. (IP Formula - 3 mts manual at high pressure and QPR after 5 minutes)
- Carefully open the lid after releasing the pressure and allow the biryani to cool for 5 minutes and then fluff it up with a fork.
- Serve hot with raita.
Notes
- Instead of white peas and paneer, you can use vegetables and soy-chunks.
- I would always recommend seeraga samba rice, but if you can't source it, you can make it with Basmati rice as well.
- Adjust the salt, garlic, and red chilies according to your preference.
- If you are adding more veggies, then increase the water by ½ cup but not more than that.
- Make sure to mix the biryani masala, after adding each ingredient and make sure to scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot after adding the water and rice.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99
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Always wanted to try vegetarian version of the Ambur biryani. Followed the receipt to the T. It was extremely easy to make and did not take a lot of time. It was delicious. The whole family enjoyed it.
Thanks a lot for your feedback. I am really glad it worked out well.
Amazing ! Been a big fan off late!
Thanks
Instapot queen . Thank you for this recipe. I will cook this soon. Explained it so well
ha ha. Thanks Veena.
I have heard and read a lot about Ambur Biryani,and was considering it for the Day 1 but then changed my mind. YOur vegetarian version looks too tempting, and with the ease of making it in Instant Pot I think I will make it soon. Loved the detailed recipe.
Thanks a lot Swati. Please do try and I am sure you will like it.
A good way of replacing all the protein from meat with paneer and Chana. the step by step instructions are so clear and it really looks fuss free to cook a biryani in an instant pot
Thanks a lot. I am glad the steps are clear.
Ambur veg biryani looks very delicious and tempting! Beautifully presented! Lovely share!
Thanks, Pavani.
aha ! enna ruchi !! this has me cravign for some at 4am :) looks super good and delish, vidhya…
Wow Kalyani you comment at 4AM? Deivame… Anyways thanks much.
That is a easy breezy way of making ambur biryani. Looks so delicious and a fantastic start to the BM.
Thanks Gayathri.
This is really protein packed biryani which includes chana, paneer and veggies with rice.. love whole process of cooking.
Thanks Preeti.
I too posted Ambur biryani today. I agree that the veg version is a simple yet flavor filled one
Oh yeah, I saw that. Yet to read. I fell in love with this biryani for sure. :-)
Wow! I just read another version of Ambur Biryani and yet this sounds like a different one. Good start to the series, Srividhya. I am also a fan of the Instant pot and I so get it :)
Thanks much, Harini.
Such a delicious looking biryani Vidhya. And you are truly an IP queen. Whenever I read your blog, I am tempted to buy one. Lovely start to the Biryani festival. Eagerly awaiting to read the rest!!
Thanks, much Sowmya. :-) :-) I nothing before the bloggers here in the IP community group. The things they try are simply amazing.
Wow ! That’s a awesome traditional recipe , would love to try it . I love the way you have added all the protein , and made a wholesome one pot meal .
Great recipe to begin with !
Thanks much, Vaishali. Please do try. I am sure you will love it.
Ambur Biryani looks amazing. Making Biryani in Instant Pot make it so simple and quick. Good one
Thanks, Sushma.
Wow yet another Ambur Biryani!…the whole process sounds so good and must have tasted out of the world Srividhya!…
Oh yeah. We loved it a lot. Thanks Valli.
So much protein in that plate of biryani.. Love this veg version of Ambur Biryani.. Indeed Seeranga samba biryani is always a delight.
Thanks Sharmila and very true about Seeraga Samba biryani.
What a beautiful recipe this is, Vidhya. I’m bookmarking this series for sure. I’m all for easy one pot pulaos and biriyani. I’m doing the a to Z challenge too where I’m sharing 26 kerala dishes. Will I be able to link up too?
Thanks Shalini. 26 Kerala dishes sounds interesting, but sorry the link is only for the bloggers who signed up under this theme. Hope you can join us next time.