Veg Biryani

Check out my version of Vegetable Biryan. I would like to dedicate this receipe to my Husband on his B’day not only he, all of our friends liked this receipe very much… so I want to post this receipein my blog. This recipe is a culmination of  2 ladies hetal and anuja (showmethecurry.net)style and my experiments – one of my family’s all time favorite. Use of lots of vegetables not only makes it tasty but healthy too. Great way to make your kids or choosy husband like mine to eat their veggies 🙂

Ingredients:(Serve 8)

For Rice:

• Basmati Rice – 2 cups – washed, soaked for 1 hr and drained
• Water – 8 cups
• Bay Leaf – 1
• Cloves – 3
• Cardamom – 1
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
• Salt – to taste
• Ghee– 2 to 3 tsp
• Mint Leaves – few

For Biryani Masala:

• Whole Dried Red Chilies – 6
• Whole Cloves – 6
• Whole Coriander Seeds – 2 Tbsp

For Vegetable Mixture:

• Ginger/Garlic Paste – 2 Tbsp
• Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Potatoes – 3 medium, peeled and cut into large pieces
• Cauliflower – 1/2 medium, cut into big florets
• Green Peas(I used frozen one) – 1 cup
• Green Beans – 1 cup, cut into long pieces
• Carrots – 1/2 cup, cut into big pieces
• Green Chilies – 3  chopped
• Mint Leaves – 1/3 cup
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves – 1 Tbsp
• Cilantro (Coriander Leaves) – 1/2 cup, finely chopped
• Yogurt – 1 cup, lightly beaten

For Garnishing:

•   Fried Onions and Fried Cashwes.

Method:

For the rice:

• Boil 8 cups of water in a large pot and add 2-3 tsp Ghee, Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Whole Cloves, Green Cardamom,Salt to taste.
• Then as water boils add Rice to it and let it cook. Make sure the rice does not become too sticky or overcooked like pasta it should be halfcooked. Once the rice is cooked, remove and drain water keep aside.

For the Biryani Masala:

• Take a Pan, add Whole Dried Red Chilies, Whole Cloves and Whole Coriander Seeds. Dry roast until the spices release a nice fragrance and have browned (do not burn).
• Allow whole spices to cool before roughly grinding them and Keep aside.

For Vegetable Mixture:

• Take a bowl, add Ginger/Garlic Paste, Coriander Powder, 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder, and Salt – mix well.
• Add Potatoes, Cauliflower, Green Peas, Green Beans, Carrots, Green Chilies, Chopped Cilantro, chopped Mint Leaves, Dried Fenugreek Leaves – Mix well and allow to marinate while you work on the rest of the steps.

In a  pan, heat  Oil for deep fry and heat.
Add Whole Cashews and 2 cups onions and deep fried until golden brown for garnishing. Drain off all excess oil and remove them onto a plate. Set aside.

•   Take one more pan,add 3 tsp oil.
•   In that, add Black Cumin Seeds and allow them to sizzle.
•   Add Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Whole Cloves and Cardamom.
•   Add Sliced Onions and brown lightly.
•   Add 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 Tbsp (or to taste) previously ground Biryani Masala, salt and mix well.
•   Add marinate vegetable mixture and additional salt, mix thoroughly, cover and cook until the veggies are 3/4 cooked. Do not overcook. Be sure to stir occasionally to    prevent   sticking/burning.
•   Add  Yogurt and mix gently.
•   Coat bottom and sides of a baking dish with spray cooking oil.
•   Layer bottom of baking dish with 1/3 of cooked rice.
•   Sprinkle 1 tsp of Biryani Masala on the rice.
•   Layer 1/2 of the vegetable mixture over the rice and sprinkle Fried Onions and Cashews on top.
•   Layer another 1/3 cooked rice over the veggies and sprinkle 1 tsp Biryani Masala.
•   Layer remaining vegetable mixture and sprinkle Fried Onions and Cashews on top.
•   Layer remaining 1/3 cooked rice and sprinkle 1 tsp Biryani Masala.
•   Add remaining Fried Onions, Cashews garnish with cilantro.
•   Cover and cook for 45 minutes in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven.
•   Serve with Raita or any gravy.

Optional

(If u want, u can add Saffron to get colour. Soak it in water for 10 min and add on top of layers, and Fried panner also for taste).