Vegetable Biryani

400 g basmati rice
250 g cauliflower, cut into flowerettes
100 g green peas, shelled
100 g carrots, cut into 2.5 cm. long pieces
100 g french beans, cut into diamond shaped pieces
3 potatoes, cut into four pieces each
2 black cardamoms
4 green cardamoms
4 cm cinnamon
4 cloves
8 peppercorns
1 tsp shahjeera (indian spice aka black cumin or black seed)
3 bay leaves
Few strands saffron

Masala for the vegetables:
250 g onions, sliced
3/4 cup curd (tofu)
4 tsp chilli powder
3 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp mint paste
1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander-cummin powder
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp ghee or more
Ghee for deep frying onions

For the garnish:
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 capsicums, sliced (pepper)
2 onions, fried till crisp
Few mint leaves

To prepare the vegetables:
Wash the vegetables and dry them well. Mix all the ingredients for the
masala, well 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. Wash and cook the rice in double the quantity of water.
When done, remove the rice and spread it in a plate. Keep aside to cool.

To prepare the rice:
Lightly roast the saffron powder and sprinkle over the rice. Heat ghee in a
kadai (frying 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 papadum.
Jenn Mom2SamTiny

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