Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients :

1. Basmati rice – 1 cup
2. Mixed vegetables, diced (carrots, beans, capsicum, cauliflower) – 1 cup
3. Onions grated – 2 large
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:

1. Wash the rice properly and soak for 30 minutes.
2. Cook it with water until just cooked.
3. Drain it in a strainer or colander and keep aside.
4. Dissolve saffron in milk and keep aside.
5. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.
6. Add the onions and let it sauté till it gets golden brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir fry for 1 minute.
7. Now add all the vegetables except potato and add salt and turmeric
powder and cook for few minutes or till the vegetables get tender.
8. Deep fry the potato fingers till golden brown.
9. 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.
10. Add the remaining mace, peppercorns and stir fry for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
11. Add the beaten curd and mix properly.
12. Put off the flame.
13. In a thick bottomed pan arrange the layering in the following manner.
14. Start with a rice layer. Spoon a tablespoon of cooked rice and spread it evenly in a thick bottomed pan.
15. Now spread the vegetables. Cover it with a layer of rice. Sprinkle one spoon of saffron added with milk evenly on the rice.
16. Now again repeat the layering. End with a rice layer.
17. Now heat 1 tbsp of ghee and pour it over the rice.
18. 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.
19. Serve hot with raita or pudina lassi.