Dum vegetable biriyani

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice -21/4 cup

water -31/2 cup

vegetables -4 cups of your choice

yogurt -1/3 cup

tomato -1 chopped finely

onion -1 medium finely sliced

coriander powder -1 /2 tbsp

chili powder -1 tsp

salt -to taste

butter -1/2 tbsp

ghee – 2-3 tbsp

mint leaves -few chopped

cilantro -few chopped

saffron strands -little

onion -1 for fried onions

whole cashews – 20-25

cinnamon -1 inch broken

clove -5-6

fennel seeds -1/2 tsp

cardamom -2

star anise -2

raisins -few

To grind:

ginger -1 inch
garlic clove -5

fennel seeds -1/2 tsp

cinnamon -1/2 inch

green chilies -7

mint leaves -1/3 cup

cilantro -1 cup

Method:

Soak basmathi rice for at least 15 minutes.Grind the ingredients given to grind into a fine paste.
In a pan heat little oil and fry sliced onions until golden brown.remove and keep it aside.

In a pan and add little ghee and fry whole cashews until golden.Remove and keep it aside

Add raisins and fry until it blows up like a balloon.Remove and keep it aside.

Drain the rice and cook in a pot with 31/2 cups of water and adequate salt and saffron strands.

In a wide kadai heat oil and temper with cinnamon,cloves,star anise,fennel seeds,cardamom,star anise.

Add sliced onions to it and fry until light golden.

Then add the ground masala and fry until the raw flavor goes off.

Now put the chopped tomatoes,coriander powder,chili powder and adequate salt.

When it becomes mushy add chopped vegetables and fry for few minutes.

Add the yogurt ,mix well, cover and cook it until vegetables are 90% done.

Remove some vegetables and keep it aside.

Layer half the rice over the kadai. Add the fried onions, cashews raisins and cilantro.

Top it up with vegetables taken aside.

Again layer remaining half the rice over the kadai. Add the fried onions, cashews raisins and cilantro.

Put it in dum for 15 minutes.

Open and mix carefully .

Serve with your choice of raitha.