Recipe : Veg Biryani

Preparation Time : 60 minutes
Serves : 4

Ingredients :

• Basmati rice – 1 cup

• Mixed vegetables, diced (carrots, beans, capsicum, cauliflower) – 1 cup

• Onions grated – 2 large

• Crushed ginger – 2 tsp

• Crushed garlic – 2 tsp

• Potatoes (sliced into long strips) – 2 (large)

• Cabbage leaves (cut into large pieces) – 3 leaves

• Oil to deep fry

• Ghee – 2 tbsp

• Salt to taste

• Water – 2 cups

• Biryani masala – 4 tsp OR

• Green cardamom – 2

• Black cardamom – 2

• Cloves – 2

• Cinnamon – 1

• Mace – 2

• Peppercorns (coarsely crushed) – 4

• Curd – ½ cup

• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

• Saffron – a few threads

• 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 ginger-garlic 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.