Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

Preparation Time : 60 minutes

1. Basmati rice – 1 cup
2. Mixed vegetables, diced (carrots, beans, capsicum, cauliflower) – 1 cup
3. Onions grated – 2 large     پیاز
4. Crushed ginger – 2 tsp
5. Crushed garlic – 2 tsp
6. Potatoes (sliced into long strips) – 2 (large)
7. Cabbage leaves (cut into large pieces) – 3 leaves
8. Oil to deep fry
9. Ghee – 2 tbsp
10. Salt to taste
11. Water – 2 cups
12. Biryani masala – 4 tsp
13. Green cardamom – 2
14. Black cardamom – 2
15. Cloves – 2
16. Cinnamon – 1
17. Mace – 2
18. Peppercorns (coarsely crushed) – 4
19. Curd – ½ cup
20. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
21. Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
22. Saffron – a few threads
23. Milk – 2 tbsp

Method:

• Wash the rice properly and soak for 30 minutes.
• Cook it with water until just cooked.
• Drain it in a strainer or colander and keep aside.
• Dissolve saffron in milk and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Add the onions and let it sauté till it gets golden brown. Add the gingergarlic paste and stir fry for 1 minute.
• Now add all the vegetables except potato and add salt and turmeric powder and cook for few minutes or till the vegetables get tender.
• Deep fry the potato fingers till golden brown.
• Add to the vegetables and mix. Add the biryani masala or dry grind green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, 1 mace after dry roasting it for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the remaining mace, peppercorns and stir fry for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
• Add the beaten curd and mix properly.
• Put off the flame.
• In a thick bottomed pan arrange the layering in the following manner.
• Start with a rice layer. Spoon a tablespoon of cooked rice and spread it evenly in a thick bottomed pan.
• Now spread the vegetables. Cover it with a layer of rice. Sprinkle one spoon of saffron added with milk evenly on the rice.
• Now again repeat the layering. End with a rice layer.
• Now heat 1 tbsp of ghee and pour it over the rice.
• Cover tightly and cook on a tava or a pan for 30-35 minutes on low flame or cook it in a preheated oven at 160 degree Celsius for 20-25 minutes.
• Serve hot with raita or pudina lassi.