Vegetable Biryani!

I recently started sharing recipes I like on Designing Life. 

So did you try the Pasta I shared? 

Two days back I tried Vegetable Biryani (I love Chicken Biryani though), 

and this was no less than the Chicken Biryani! Super Hit! 

Try it yourself. I used the following recipe.

Ingredients:

For Rice:

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Bay Leaf – 1

Cloves

Green Cardamom

Cinnamon Stick

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mint Leaves – few

Clarified Butter/Ghee – 1 Tbsp

Saffron – 1/4 tsp soaked in 2 Tbsp water

Biryani Masala (as per taste)

For Vegetable Mixture:

Ginger/Garlic Paste – 2 Tbsp

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp

Salt – to taste

Potatoes – 2, peeled and cut into large pieces

Cauliflower – 1/2 medium, cut into big florets

Frozen Green Peas – 1 cup

Green Beans – 1 cup, cut into medium pieces

Carrots – 1/2 cup, cut

Green Chilies – 3 to 4 (or to taste), slit

Mint Leaves – handful

Dried Fenugreek Leaves – 2 Tbsp

Cilantro (Coriander Leaves) – small bunch, chopped

Tomato – 1 large, cut into big pieces

Yogurt – 1 cup, beaten

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds– 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece

Cloves – 4

Black Cardamom – 1

Bay Leaf – 1

Onion – 1 large, sliced

For Garnishing: Fried Onions and chopped Cilantro.

Method:

Soak Saffron in 2 Tbsp of water and set aside.

For the rice: 

1. Bring enough water to boil and add Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Whole Cloves, Green Cardamom, 1 tsp Oil, Salt, drained soaked rice and a few mint leaves.
2. Cook rice for exactly 5 minutes. Drain the water from the rice and add ghee and mix gently. Rice should be not fully cooked.

For Vegetable Mixture:

1. In a bowl, add Ginger/Garlic Paste, Coriander Powder, 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder, and Salt – mix well.
2. Add Potatoes, Cauliflower, Green Peas, Green Beans, Carrots, Green Chilies, Cilantro, chopped Mint Leaves, Dried Fenugreek Leaves – Mix well and allow to marinate.
3. In a non-stick pan, heat Oil on medium heat.
4. Add Cumin Seeds and allow them to sizzle.
5. Add Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Whole Cloves and Black Cardamom.
6. Add Sliced Onions and brown lightly.
7. Add 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 Tbsp Biryani Masala, salt and mix well.
8. Add marinate vegetable mixture and additional salt, mix thoroughly, cover and cook until the veggies are 3/4 cooked.
9. Switch off stove and add Tomatoes and lightly beaten Yogurt and mix gently.
10. Coat bottom and sides of a baking dish with spray cooking oil or simple oil you use (to avoid sticking).
11. Layer bottom of baking dish with 1/3 of cooked rice.
12. Sprinkle 1 tsp of Biryani Masala on the rice.
13. Layer 1/2 of the vegetable mixture over the rice and sprinkle Fried Onions on top.
14. Layer another 1/3 cooked rice over the veggies and sprinkle 1 tsp Biryani  Masala.
15. Layer remaining vegetable mixture and sprinkle Fried Onions on top.
16. Layer remaining 1/3 cooked rice and sprinkle 1 tsp Biryani Masala.
17. Drizzle Saffron water over the rice, more Fried Onions and garnish with cilantro.
18. Cover and cook for 30 minutes in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven. (every oven is different, keep an eye)

Serve with Raita.

ENJOY!!

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