Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice 400g
• Cauliflower, cut into flowerettes 250g
• Green peas, shelled 100g
• Carrots, cut into 2.5 cm. long pieces 100g
• French beans, cut into diamond shaped pieces 100g
• Potatoes, cut into four pieces each 3
• Black cardamoms 2
• Green cardamoms 4
• Cinnamon 4 cm.
• Cloves 4
• Peppercorns 8
• Black cumin seeds 1 tsp.
• Bay leaves 3
• Few strands of saffron

Masala for the vegetables:

• Onions, sliced 250g
• Yogurt 3/4 cup
• Chili powder 4 tsp
• Ginger-garlic paste 3 tsp
• Mint paste 2 tsp
• Garam masala powder 1 1/2 tsp
• Coriander-cummin powder 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Ghee (butter) 3 tbsp
• Ghee (butter) for deep frying onions

For the garnish:

• Tomatoes, sliced 2
• Capsicums, sliced 2
• Onions, fried till crisp 2
• Mint leaves Few

Directions:

To prepare the vegetables:

• Clean the vegetables with warm water and dry them well.
• Mix all the ingredients for the masala, except the ghee, and marinate the vegetables in it for one hour.
• Heat ghee and deep fry the onions till well browned. Remove from ghee. When cool, grind to a paste.
• Clean and cook the rice in double the quantity of water. When done, remove the rice and spread it on a plate. Keep aside to cool.

To prepare the rice:

• Lightly roast the saffron, powder and sprinkle over the rice.
• Heat ghee in a pan and season it with the whole spices.
• Add the vegetables and saute for five minutes.
• Add a little water and cook the vegetables till done and almost dry.
• In a baking dish arrange alternate layers of rice and the prepared vegetables.
• Top with garnish and bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes.
• Serve hot with raita and papad.