Trader Joe's has one of the largest selection of Indian cuisine I've seen in any mainstream supermarket. So it's been fun to experiment before I step foot into an Indian restaurant to compare them to the more authentic experience. I just want to avoid sounding like an idiot walking into one. I'd also want an idea of what I'd like too. So it's been a pretty good adventure so far. The Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala and Trader Joe’s Paneer Tikka Masala have been my favorite. So I figured I'd expand my horizons and give Trader Joe's Vegetable Biryani a whirl.
The good: Three or so minutes in your microwave and an Indian lunch/dinner is ready for you to enjoy. Veggie dumplings were quite tasty. Decent calorie count if you are watching those types of things.
The bad: rice had a strong curry flavor to it, but I felt like it needed just one more element to complete the dish like a sauce.
The Verdict: I'll pass on buying this again. I felt like it needed something. So here is what you get for $2.
The box:
The nutritional information, ingredients, and how to prepare:
After 3 minutes in the microwave:
Uncovered:
After eating this I had mixed feelings on this one. I enjoyed the "meatballs" quite a bit. If you like a strong curried rice then yes, Trader Joe's Vegetable Biryani is for you. I felt like I wanted a sauce to go with this in the worst way and while that is probably not traditional I felt like I was missing something here. Would I buy this again? Probably not. The other Indian dishes are just too good to pass up.
Want to see more items I’ve reviewed from Trader Joe’s? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
The calorie count is very high — this package serves 2, so it is 520 calories for just rice and a few veggies and some vegetarian dumplings. I love this, but after seeing how high it was in calories, I’ve stopped buying it.
Hey Camille! Thanks for pointing that out. I believe the chicken tikka is much lower in calories if you are looking for a solid alternative. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Just had half as directed. Too spicy for a non-Indian palate. Did not unearth a single dumpling. Added peas but didn't cut the spice. The makers need to do something (else) with this one. One to avoid.