Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 medium capsicum diced
• 4 green chillies cut into halves lengthwise
• 1/4th Cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• 500 gms Curd
• 2" piece ginger cut into juliens
• 500 gms Basmati Rice
• 3-4 medium tomatoes diced
• 2 large onion sliced
• 1/4th Cup Cashew
• 1 medium Cauliflower chopped into small Florets
• 4-5 tbsp Oil
• 15-20 French Beans de-threaded and chopped
• 1 tbsp food color
• Kewra assence - 1/2 tsp
• 1/4th Cup Finely chopped fresh green coriander leaves
• 2 medium potatoes diced
• 1 cup shelled peas
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Clarified butter (ghee)
• 2 Carrots diced

Whole spices:

• 20 peppercorns
• 2 Mace
• 4 black cardamoms
• 1 nutmeg grated
• 4-5 Bay leaves
• Two sticks of cinnamon, 1" piece each
• 3-4 star aniseeds
• 10-12 green cardamoms
• 10 Cloves

Powdered spices:

• 1 1/2 tbsp Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• 1 1/2 tbsp Kashmiri Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric power
• 3 tbsp Biryani Masala
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash rice and soak it in water For an hr
2. In a large pan, pour 2 tbsp oil, let it Heat and drop in half of all the whole spices
3. Once these stop crackling, add rice with water (at least 3 times the rice). Also add Salt to taste. Let the rice cook till 3/4th done, strain and keep aside
4. In another pan/ wok/ handi, par rest of the oil, Heat and drop in remaining half of the whole spices along with Cashews, let them crackle.
5. Add onion, mix, let it turn translucent.
6. Add carrots, peas and beans. Mix, cook covered for a couple of mins, then add potatoes and salt to taste, mix, cover and cook for 2 mins.
7. Add cauliflower and green chillies, mix, cover and cook again for 2 mins. Remove cover, add capsicum, ginger juliens, tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Mix, cover, and cook for 2-3 mins.
8. Remove cover, add Powdered spices, curd and 1/2 Cup water. Mix well, cover and cook till vegetables are 3/4th cooked, stirring Occasionally.
9. If there is said water, turn flame to high do almost all water dries up, just a little remains.
10. In a handi or heavy lidded pan, pour 1 tsp oil and Spread. Take half the vegetables, spread to make a layer, on top of it, make a layer of rice, spread half of mint and coriander leaves, mix food color and Kewra as sense together and Spread half of it over the rice.
11. Spread another layer of vegetables, then rice, then coriander and mint, then color and as sense, and finally spread ghee on top. Security the lid and cook on low Heat for 7-8 mins. Dish out and serve with Salan, green chutney or curd.