Vegetable Biryani

It was a super pleasant surprise to find myself among the top 100 posters in a very famous food group in Facebook called Chef at Large ( CaL).
This biryani is a dedicated to this group of very loving members who never hesitate to support and encourage. It is a big source inspiration and motivation. Am very grateful to every one in the group and very happy and proud to part of such a warm group:)

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Bay leaves – 2

Cloves – 5-6

Cardamom- 4-5

Cinnamon- 2 inches stick

Chopped carrots – 1/2 cup

Chopped beans – 1/2 cup

Chopped potato – 1/2 cup

For the masala

Onion – 1

Tomatoes – 2

Garlic – 4-5 cloves

Ginger – 1/2 inch

Khuskhus – 2 tsps

Coriander seeds – 2 tsps

Cumin ( jeera ) – 1 tsp

Red chillies – 4-5

Green chillies – 2

Pepper – 4-5

Cloves – 4-5

Cardamom- 4

Cinnamon- 1 inch

Grated coconut – 2 tbsps

Chopped coriander leaves – 1/4th cup

Chopped mint leaves – 1/4th cup

Curry leaves – few

To make golden brown onions

Oil – 4 – 5 tbsps

Onions – 4

Sugar – 1/4th tsp

Milk – 1/2 cup

Saffron – a pinch

Almonds flakes – 2 tbsps

Ghee – 2 tbsps

Chopped coriander leaves – 1/4th cup

Chopped mint leaves – 1/4th cup

Method

Blanch the chopped vegetables and keep it aside.

Wash and soak basmati rice for 15-20 mins.

In a large pan ( I used my big cooker), add lots of water, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and put it for boiling.

When the water starts boiling, add little salt. Drain the basmati rice and add to the boiling water. Cook till such time that you can break the rice grain by pressing it.

Drain the rice, wash it under running water to stop future cooking. Drain completely in a colander , remove the whole garam masalas from the rice and keep it aside.

Put together all the ingredients mentioned for masala and grind to a smooth paste.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add the masala and sauté till oil starts floating. Add the blanched vegetables and salt to taste, mix well and cook for few minutes and keep it aside.

Peel, wash and cut the onions into thin strips.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions till it turn brown. Add little sugar while frying. This will help to brown the onions faster. Fry the onions in 2 batches.

In the same oil, sauté the almond flakes till it turns golden and keep it aside.

Soak the saffron in 1/2 cup of warm milk.

To assemble the biryani

Grease a round oven proof dish with ghee all over.

Preheat the oven to 200* Celsius.

Put the browned onions into the greased dish and spread it well.

Now add some rice. Spread it uniformly and pat it with your palms to pack it tight. Add some vegetable gravy and spread it uniformly over the rice. Sprinkle some chopped coriander and mint leaves.

Again add a layer of rice and repeat the process.

The final layer will be only rice.

Crush the saffron soaked in the milk and pour the saffron milk over the rice.