Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice

3 cups of water

1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/4 cup beans, chopped

1/4 cup green peas, cooked

1/4 cup soya chunks

4 onions, sliced

2 tomatoes, chopped

3 green chillies

1" piece ginger

5-6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped

1 tsp yoghurt

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

a pinch of turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

2 cardamoms

3 cloves

2 small piece cinnamon sticks

1 bay leaf

2-3 tbsp ghee

2-3 tbsp oil

salt to taste

For Preparing Vegetable Masala:

1. Soak soya chunks in boiling water for 10 minutes. Wash well, drain it and keep it aside.
2. Cut cauliflower into florets and put it in hot salted water for 5 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside. 
3. Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies together to a paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add 3 sliced onions and saute till it turns transparent.
5. Add ground ginger, garlic and green chillies paste and saute for few minutes. 
6. Add chopped tomatoes and saute till soft.
7. Add chopped carrots, beans, cauliflower, soya chunks, cooked green peas, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and mix well.
8. Then add yoghurt, coriander leaves and mint leaves , stir well and cook covered for few minutes in medium flame.

For Preparing Rice:

1. Wash and drain the rice. Boil the water and keep it aside.
2. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and 1 sliced onion and saute till transparent.
3. Add drained rice and saute for 4-5 minutes in a medium flame. Add boiled water and salt, cover and cook till rice is done.

For Layering:

1. Rub little ghee in a thick bottomed pan and spread half of the cooked rice at the bottom layer.
2. Add the prepared vegetable masala over the rice and then add the remaining rice as a top layer. Sprinkle few drops of saffron milk ( optional- mix a pinch of saffron in 2 tsp warm milk) over the rice.
3. Close the lid tightly and heat on a low flame for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins..Serve hot..

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