Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

• Rice 1-1/2 cups
• Water 1 cup
• Small cauliflower 1 small
• Carrot 1
• French beans 10-12
• Mushroom sliced 8-9
• Capsicum chopped 1 small
• Peas 1/2 cup
• Onion thinly sliced 1
• Ginger finely chopped 2 inch
• Garlic cloves 10

For Cooking Rice:

• Green cardamoms 2
• Black cardamoms 2
• Cloves 2
• Cinnamon 1
• Bay leaf 1
• Mace strands 2
• Salt 1/2 tsp

For Vegetable:

• Ghee 3 tbsp
  
• White cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Bay leaf 1
• Green cardamoms 3
• Cloves 3
• Black cardamom 1
• Cinnamon 1 inch
• Yogurt 1 cup
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts 2 tbsp
• Raisins 1 tbsp
• Almonds blanched 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For Assembling & Layering:

• Chopped coriander leaves 1/4 cup
• Chopped mint leaves 1/4 cup
• Milk 4-5 tbsp
• Saffron 1/2 tsp
• Kewra water or Rose water 2 tsp
  

Method:

1. Heat water, add all spices, salt and rice and cook till half done.
2. Drain water and set aside.
3. In pan, heat ghee, add cumin, bay leaf, green cardamoms, cloves, black cardamom and cinnamon and saute until it crackles.
4. Now add onions and cook until golden.
5. Beat yogurt till smooth.
6. Then add ginger, garlic, green chilies, turmeric and red chili powder, stir it and mix it nicely.
7. Then add chopped vegetables and yogurt and stir it.
8. Then add water and put salt.
9. Cook vegetables until done.
10. Then warm milk, add saffron, stir it and keep it aside.
11. Then add cashew nut, raisins and vegetables in vegetable gravy, mix it, stir it and keep it aside.
12. To assemble: Make layer of half gravy.
13. Then make layer of half rice.
14. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup coriander leaves, 1/2 cup mint leaves and half saffron milk.
15. Then make layer of remaining gravy and rice.
16. Then sprinkle remaining coriander leaves, mint leaves and saffron milk.
17. Then put rose water or kewra water.
18. Simmer on tawa till steam comes on top of lid.
19. Serve hot.