Vegetable Biriyani

This is an easy version of the vegetable biriyani. I prepare this in the rice cooker when I am lazy or short of time, otherwise in a wide vessel. This is one way to include a bunch of veggies in our meal.

Ingredients:

Rice:
         Basmati Rice              --   2 cups
         Water                            --   3 cups
         Ghee                               --   1 tbsp
         Cinnamon Stick         --   1
         Cloves                           --   2 – 3
         Cardamom                  --   1 – 2
         Whole pepper            --   4 – 5
         Cumin Seeds               --   1 tsp
         Bay leaves                   --   1
         Salt                                 --   To taste
         Fried Onions               --   ½ cup onions fried

Gravy:
         Onions                           --   1 medium size
         Tomato                         --   1 medium size
         Green Chillies             --   2 – 3
         Ginger garlic paste  --   1 ½ tsp
         Potatoes                       --   1 cup cubed
         Carrot                            --   ½ cup sliced
         Beans                             --   ½ cup sliced
         Soya chunks               --   ½ cup
         Turmeric Powder    --    ½ tsp
         Chilly Powder           --    1 tsp
         Garam Masala          --    1 tsp
         Mint leaves                 --   1 cup chopped
        Coriander leaves       --   1 cup chopped
        Oil                                     --   2 tbsp
Garnish:
         Cashews                       --   ¼ cup
         Raisins                          --   ¼ cup

Preparation of Biriyani:

                Heat  oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and salt. Saute until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry well. Then  add the masalas and fry until the raw smell goes off.

               Add the veggies (you can use any veggies as per your wish.) and fry for some time. Add required water to cook the veggies to 60%. Add the mint leaves and the coriander leaves and cook until the water is evaporated. Keep aside.

  

              Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and fry  the chopped onions. Remove it into another vessel when done. Now fry the cashews until golden brown. Keep it along with the fried onions. Then add in the raisins and fry until they puff up and keep it aside. Then fry the spices for the rice in the left over oil for few minutes.

              If using a rice cooker, add the fried spices, salt and drained rice into the cooker. Also add the prepared gravy and let it cook until done,adding required amount of water as per your rice cooker.

   

              If preparing in a wide vessel, add the drained rice to the fried condiments and fry for few minutes say 3 –5 minutes. Meanwhile boil 3 cups of water along with salt in another vessel. When the water starts boiling, add the prepared gravy to the rice and mix well. Add the boiling water and the fried onions to the rice and water. Close it with a tight lid and let it cook until done. Stir in between to make sure even cooking.

                 Instead of adding the gravy to the rice, you can also cook the rice separately and mix it. If doing it that way, make sure that the veggies in the gravy are completely cooked.

               Garnish with fried cashews and raisins. Serve Hot.

     

Submitting this to Food palette series Orange hosted by Akheela.