Vegetable Biryani

Recipe Type : Indian                                                                        Yield : 7
Preparation Time : 30 mins                                                             Cooking Time : 2 hours

Ingredients :
For curry:
2 tomatoes
1/2 cup peas
4 green chilies
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp grated garlic
3 onions
1 tbsp chilly powder (as required)
salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
1/4 cup clarified butter/ghee
10 cashew nuts (soaked in warm water for 15 mins and grind to paste)
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp garam masala
3 black cardamoms
4 green cardamoms
2 tsp cumin seeeds
1 tsp black cumin seeds/shahi jeera
2 star anise
4 cloves
3 bay leaves

For Marination:
1 cup curd
1 cup chopped beans
1 cup chopped potato
10 cauliflower florets
15 chopped carrot pieces
salt
1 tbsp chilly powder
1 tbsp besan
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
5 chopped mint leaves
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves


For Rice:
2 cups basmati rice (soak in water for 30 mins)
2 slit opened green chiles
5 cups water
salt
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 tbsp clarified butter/ghee
3 bay leaves
5 mint leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 star anise
2 black cardamoms
3 green cardamoms

For garnish:
1/2 cup oil for frying
1 and half bunch of coriander leaves
1/4 cup cashew nuts
1/4 cup clarified butter
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup hot milk and 10 saffron strands (dip saffron stands in hot  milk)

Method:
Marination:
1. In a bowl add all veggies (carrot, cauliflower, beans, and potato).
2. Add all marination ingredients. Mix well.
3. Keep for marination at least 2 hours in refrigerator.

For Rice:
1. Heat a thick bottom pan containing water. Bring to boil.
2. Put all ingredients. Mix well.

3. Cook until rice i 90% done. Switch off flame and keep aside.

For Curry:
1. Heat a pan containing clarified butter, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, black cumin seeds, fennel seeds, slit opened green chilies, star anise, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, bay leaves and cashew nuts. Fry for few seconds.
2. Put chopped onions and grated ginger-garlic. Fry for few mins.

3. Add chopped tomatoes. Fry for 3 mins.
4. Now add marinated veggies, peas, cashew paste and salt. Cook on a medium flame. Cover pan with a lid.

5. Sprinkle spice powders. Occasionally mix well.
6. Once vegetables are cooked, switch off flame.

                                               

7. Add chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Mix well.

For deep frying:

1. Heat a oil.
2. Put chopped onions.

3. Deep fry to golden and keep side.
4. Separately fry cashew nuts to golden.

Final steps:
1. Heat a thick bottom pan. Add clarified butter. Place a layer of potato slices (to avoid burning of curried veggies that shall be added in the subsequent step).
2. Put half the amount of curry, little coriander leaves and mint leaves.

3. Put rice, clarified butter, sprinkle saffron milk, coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions and cashew nuts.

4. Now put remaining curry, mint leaves, fried onions, cashew nuts and coriander leaves.

5. Repeat step 3.
6. Cover pan with a lid. Cook on a low flame for 15 mins.

    7. Serve with raita.