SPICY VEGETABLE BIRIYANI

Whenever the day 'Sunday' comes into mind, for me it reminds of my family together specially with my hubby and some special foodies. So let me share with you one of my, not only mine, but our family's special menu spicy veg biriyani which is just lips smacking one. The crispy veggies with a touch of tangy yogurt flavour coated with Indian spice with flavoured rice is the main speciality for this biriyani. Non veggies can add shredded chicken to make a different chicken biriyani whereas fish lovers can add marinated fried fish pieces at last stage of biriyani. Wooo my taste buds just tickles when I think of fish biriyani :)

INGREDIENTS FOR COOKING RICE.

1 Cup Biriyani rice.

1 Stick Cinnamon.

2 Cloves.

1 Star anise.

Bay leaves.

1 1/2 Cup Water.

Salt to taste.

INGREDIENTS FOR GRINDING MASALA.

4 Cloves.

1 Stick Cinnamon.

2 Star anise.

2 Elachi.

4 Black peppers.

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY.

1 1/2 Cup Vegetables. ( Carrots, beans, capsicum, cauliflower florets, potato, and peas)

1 Big Onion.

1 Tomato.

1 tbsp Chilli pd.

1 tsp Turmeric pd.

1 tsp Jeera pd.                                

2 tsp Coriander powder 

1 tsp Biriyani masala

Half Handful of each Mint and Coriander leaves.

1/4 Cup Yogurt.

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste.

1 tsp Green chilli paste.

1/2 tsp White pepper.

1 tsp Lime juice.

1 tbsp Oil.

Salt to taste.

GARNISHING.

Fried Cashews.

Fried Onions.(coated with besan and salt)

Coriander leaves.

METHOD.

Cook rice in pressure cooker adding all the ingredients given. Keep it aside soon its done or u can also spread the cooked rice on a plate.

Grind the whole spice in a blender and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add green chilli paste , ginger garlic paste and whole spice masala and fry until the raw smell disapper. Then add onions and saute for a min followed by chopped vegetables and tomatoes with a pinch of salt. Make sure not to add water. The addition of salt is more than enough to cook the vegetable and also to make it crisp. Mix in chilli pd, turmeric pd, jeera pd, coriander powder , biriyani masala and white pepper. Then finally add mint and coriander leaves and fry for about 3min.

Then add yogurt and give it a nice stir. Now pour in half of cooked rice and mix. Later add another half and mix well so that the masala is all over covered with rice. Remove from flame and transfer into the serving vessel.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews and kismish till brown. Then shallow fry the onions which is coated with besan and salt till it turns brown and crisp.

Garnish the nuts , fried onions and finally with coriander leaves and serve hot with ur fav raita.

Enjoy!!