Name: Veg Donne Biryani | Donne Biryani Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 Medium Onions Roughly Chopped; 1/3 cup Coriander Stalks (tightly packed); 1/3 cup Mint Leaves (tightly packed); 8-9 Garlic Pods; 3 ” Ginger Piece; 2-3 Green Chillies; 1 Stone Flower; 1 Mace Flower; 2 Cloves; 1 Cardamom; 2 ” Cinnamon; 1 cup Jeeraga Samba Rice; 1 cup Mixed Vegetables (Potatoes, Carrots, Green Peas, French Beans); 10-12 Cooked Soya Chunks (optional); 2 tbsp Peanut Oil; 2 Dry Bay Leaves; 2 Cloves; 1 Cardamom; 2 ” Cinnamon; 3 tbsp Thick Fresh Curd; 1 tbsp Lemon Juice; Salt as needed; 2 cups Water

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Learn how to make Bangalore special Veg Donne Biryani recipe with step by step pictures. Easy Donne Biryani recipe with step-wise pictures.

Donne Biryani is a popular biryani recipe from Bangalore, started by the Shivaji military hotel serving Chicken Donne Biryani. Now there are many franchises selling it all over the city and it has been gaining popularity in the internet. In one such episodes, we happened to hear about SGS Gundu Palav and ever since, I had this recipe in my bucket list. Over the years, there have been many a debates in the internet fraternity over what is ‘biryani’ and what is ‘pulao’ and more importantly, if there is a ‘vegetable’ biryani. Before going into the recipe, I must say share this – recipe names mean nothing in the food world and food preferences matter. So in my world, there will always be a veg biriyani and unless it is this one specialty biryani from Karnataka that is also called as Veg/Tarkari Palav, I refuse to call my biryani recipes pulao.

Donne Biryani Recipe

‘Donne’ refers to eco-friendly bowls made from dried Mantharai (Bauhinia variegate) Leaves. Donne Biryani is a spicy, flavorful biryani made with fresh ground masala and it is very popular all over Bangalore, typically served in donne. Like every biryani recipe, the spices and the ingredients are almost same but the preparation makes it different. It has a distinctive greenish hue from ground mint and coriander leaves. The spices are also ground fresh along with onions, ginger and garlic. A spicy curry is usually made with meat and the stew is used to cook the rice separately, that’s another interesting aspect of this recipe. As I used mixed vegetables, I didn’t bother going through the elaborate route but instead cooked everything together.

Here is a glimpse of all the fresh masala ingredients that are made to a paste

Tips & Important Notes for making Veg Donne Biryani

This donne biryani recipe is beginner-friendly and can be made easily in an open pot as well as pressure cooker.

Donne Biryani must be made with Jeeraga Samba rice, the short fragrant variety of rice that lends a unique flavor. Don’t use basmati rice ever for this recipe. If you don’t have Jeeraga Samba, Sona Masoori or Ponni raw rice variants work just as fine.

There are no tomatoes used in this recipe but instead we will use curd. Make sure it is fresh and thick for best results.

I always use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice when cooking in a pan. Soak the rice for 15-20 mins while the masala is cooking and that way, rice cooks faster and better without being sticky.

For the first 5 mins, cook the biryani on medium flame and then set it to low for next 10mins. Once there is no water left, remove from heat and let it rest for 10 mins before fluffing up the rice. Biryani stays moist and not dry out this way.

Serving Suggestions

Veg Donne Biryani tastes best when served hot or warm with sliced onions and plain boiled eggs. In restaurants usually half a boiled egg is served along with chicken donne biryani 🙂

Check out other Biryani recipes

Veg Donne Biryani Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

In a blender add ⅓ cup coriander leaves, ⅓ cup mint leaves, 2 medium onions roughly chopped, 8-9 garlic pods, 3” ginger piece, 2 green chillies, 2 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 2” cinnamon, 1 stone flower, 1 mace flower.

Grind into a fine paste. Don't add water unless the paste is too dry. Set aside.

Meanwhile, soak washed 1 cup jeeraga samba (seeraga samba/jeera sala/jeera rice) rice in 2 cups of water for 15-20 mins. In a heavy pan, heat 2 tablespoon peanut oil. Add 2 dry bay leaves, 2 cloves, 1 cardamom and 2” cinnamon.

Now add the prepared biryani masala paste.

Cook on low flame for 10-12 mins until there is no raw smell and oil starts to ooze out from the edges.

Next add 3 tablespoon thick fresh curd and cook for 3-4 mins.

Add 1 cup chopped vegetables (use whatever is available - carrots, potatoes, French beans, fresh green peas) and cooked soya chunks if using.

Cook in the masala for 4-5 mins.

Add the water used for soaking the rice.

Let it come to a rolling boil. Add salt as needed along with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Don't add lemon juice until the water is boiling, else it can cause bitterness.

Add the soaked rice and mix well.

Cook it covered on medium flame for 5 mins. Then reduce the flame and cook on lowest heat for 10 mins. If making in pressure cooker, put on the weight and set it on medium flame for 5 mins. Set it to low flame and remove from heat in 9-10 mins or when you get 2 whistles (whichever happens earlier).

When there is no leftover water and rice is cooked, remove from heat.

Let it rest for 10 mins before fluffing up the rice.

Serve hot immediately with sliced onions and plain boiled eggs.

Recipe Notes

For a spicy version, add more green chillies while making the paste.
Using peanut oil is optional, but it definitely enhances the taste of biryani.

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