Vegetable Biriyani

VEGETABLE BIRIYANI - a festival of vegetables

This is an entry to Chaitra's Rice feast event . Check out !

Things needed :

For Rice:
Basmati Rice - 1 kg
Crush roughly the following whole garam masalas & keep aside.
Cloves - 6 , Cardamom - 4 , Cinnamon - 4 one inch sticks ,Star aniseed - 1, Bay leaves - 2,
Black cumin - 1 tsp , Black pepper - 1tsp , Bay leaves - 1

Vegetables :
Carrot + beans - 200 gm each (thin 2 inch long pieces)
Peas - 1/2 cup
Note : You can always add more vegetables if you want like Potatoes, Cabbage,Spring onions . Use the ones you have at the moment.But don't use ladies finger or so :)

For Gravy:
Ginger - Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Green chillies - 2 chopped
Tomatoes - 2 small
Cardamom - 4 , Cumin - 1/4 tsp , Cinnamon - 3 one inch pieces , Cloves - 5 , Black pepper - 1/4 tsp ( you can also replace these spices with 1 tbsp biriyani masala )
Cream - 4 tbsp
Yogurt - 5 tbsp
Lemon juice - that from one lemon
Salt

For Garnishing :
Capsicum - 2 ,
Onion - 2 , sliced thin
Nuts & raisins - a handful
Coriander leaves - a bunch, chopped
& mint leaves - a bunch , chopped

Preparation method :
Heat Ghee . Add the crushed masalas. Saute for 3 secs.
Add the carrot , beans & peas . Saute & fry till the crispiness of veg goes.
Add rice, 3 tsp salt and double ( best is a bit less than double) quantity of water.
Close the lid and wait until the pot fills with steam . reduce the flame & let it cook in the steam.

Heat Ghee in another nonstick pan. Roast the nuts -raisins & keep aside.
Fry sliced onions until brown.
Fry Capsicum until its rawness goes ( add a pinch of salt into it while frying) , still keeping the crispiness .
Keep aside all the fried ingredients.

For making Gravy , Saute ginger -garlic paste in the oil until its rawness goes. Add chopped greenchillies & crushed spices.
Add chopped tomatoes into this , when it is mashy, add yogurt & lemon juice . Cook well .
Finally finish adding cream & heat for 2 more mins..

Take a deep bowl for baking . Layer the rice & gravy alternatively in this , top the bowl with nuts-raisins , Capsicum & chopped leaves bake for 30 - 45 min in 180 degree heated oven.

Mix well & serve topped with fried onions. Goes well with a yogurt salad.