Vegetable Biryani Recipe

Yay! Here's another contribution from Nits' kitchen and its the ever-popular Biryani recipe!...twas one fine evening that she invited us for dinner at her place and she cooked this awesome Vegetable Biryani for us...and of course i did have to ask her for the recipe to make a perfect biryani since there cudn't be a better person to contribute the recipe to this blog... so here it is... a winner... Vegetable Biryani from Nits' kitchen served flaming hot to you rite away....

Vegetable Biryani Recipe

Ingredients
Basmati Rice -2 cups
Vegetables - 2 cups, chopped (carrot, beans, peas, potato)
Onion - 1 big, chopped
Curd - 1 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
Saffron - few strands
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup, chopped
Coriander - 1/2 cup, chopped
Curry leaves - a handful, chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 3 or 4, crushed
Cardamom - 3 or 4, crushed
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cashews, badam and raisins - few for garnishing
Oil/Ghee - 4 to 5 tbsp
Salt to taste





















Method
Cook the biryani rice and spread it out on a huge plate, adding a few drops of oil/ghee, so they stand separated and not sticky.
Warm the milk and add the safforn to it, keep aside.
In a thick-bottomed kadai, add little ghee, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and mix well.
Pour this over the rice and mix again, see the color change.
Steam cook the vegetables, add little salt and keep aside.
Add the curd along with the different chopped leaves and mash well.
In a kadai, add some ghee, add all the spices (bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon), saute.
Add the cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste and onions, fry until golden brown.
Add the remaining turmeric powder and red chilli powder, saute until the raw smell goes.
Add the steamed vegetables and the curd mixture, salt required and mix well.
Add a little more water as required and cook well until it thickens.
Now slowly mix in the rice, taking utmost care not to break the rice grains.
Pour the safforn milk over it and garnish with roasted cashews, almonds and raisins.
Keep on a low flame and cook for a few minutes before its ready to serve.

I think this is the most authentic way of doin biryani from scratch! and i jus loved the recipe for the sake alone...thanks Nits...will try it pretty soon!