The Indian Vegetable Biryani

Biryani is a rice-based dish made with spices, basmati rice and vegetables. This biryani is easy to make and loaded with healthy vegetables and spices. This dish is perfect for gatherings or parties. I already posted Nawabi Vegetable Biryani, Handi Biryani recipes in my blog. Here you go for next type of simple biryani recipe. It is easy to make and has amazing taste.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice              2 cups

Water                       2 1/2 cups

Mixed vegetables       2½ cups (Carrot, peas, cauliflower, Capsicum, potatoes,                                                Green beans)

 Tomatoes                3 no.(finely chopped)

Plain Curd                 ½ cup

Lemon Juice             1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder        ½ tsp.

Saffron                    a pinch (soak in warm milk)

Grind together

Ginger Paste             1 tbsp.

Cashew nuts             1 tbsp.(soak into hot water for 10 minutes)

Khus Khus               1 tsp. (soak in hot water for 10 minutes)

Grind to gether

Fresh Mint leaves      ¼ cup

Coriander leaves       ¼ cup

Green chilies             4 no.

For Biryani Masala

Cardamoms              4 no

Star anise                1 no.

Cinnamon                1 stick

Cloves                    4 no

 To Season

Ghee                      2 tbsp.

Bay leaves              1 no.

Cardamom              1 no.

Cloves                    2 no.

For decoration

 Chopped Mint & cilantro leaves

Fried Cashewnuts,Raisins

   

Method:

Cooking Rice

• Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes and drain.
• Heat 2 teaspoon of ghee, fry the seasonings. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes in low heat. Remember not to over stir, else the rice can break. 
• Add water to the rice. Add salt and mix well.
• Transfer it to an electric cooker or pressure cooker.
• If you are using a pressure cooker, cook the rice for one whistle and then remove from heat.
• If you are using an electric cooker as soon as the light turns to warm or the rice is cooked, switch of the cooker. Let it cool.

Making  Vegetable Gravy     

• Wash and cut the vegetables into large chunks.
• Grind cashews, khus khus and, ginger paste to the smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Grind together coriander & mint leaves, and green chilies to the smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Powder the all above biryani masalas. Keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a pan, add grounded cashew paste and fry for a minute.
• Now add the powdered biryani masalas and fry for a minute. Now add the chopped tomatoes in it and let it cook in very low heat.
• Now add a coriander mint paste and all vegetables in it. Add little salt to it.
• Cook until the raw smell of the spices is gone and vegetables are good well.

To assemble the Biryani       

• Take a  deep aluminum tray put one layer of rice, top it with the vegetable layer, repeat till all the gravy and rice s used, top layer is of white rice, pour the saffron milk on top and garnish it with mint and coriander leaves, fried cauliflower and Cashew nuts . Pour the melted ghee  on top.
• Cook in the preheated oven, for ten minutes at 275°C. Reduce temperature to 225°C and cook for another ten minutes.
• Remove from the oven; decorate with   fried raisins, nuts and  cilantro & mint leaves.
• Serve immediately with Raita.

Note:

• If you don't  the oven, layer everything as above in a Non stick Kadai/ Deep Sauce Pan. Cover tightly with a lid, and set it on the stove top. 
• Cook on very low heat for about 10-15 minutes or till the rice is cooked through but not mushy.
• Decorate with fried raisins , nuts and cilantro & mint leaves.
• Serve hot with Raita.