Vegetable Biriyani

Who doesn't love biriyani? it is an most loved food ever. biriyani is an aromatic saffron rice layered with a spicy gravy of vegetables. it looks great, tastes great and very healthy too. even though ingredients are many this biriyani is easy to make compared to dum biriyani and will surely be a crowd pleaser at the parties.

Ingredients:

For rice: 1cup basmati rice
              2 cardammom
              1tsp oil
              11/2cups water
              salt to taste

For masala gravy: 3-4 strands of saffron
                             1tsp milk
                             1cup mixed vegetables finely chopped(french beans, potato, green peas, carrot,  
                               capsicum)
                             1 large onion sliced
                             2 green chillies slit
                             2tsp ginger-garlic paste
                             1/2cup tomato puree
                             1/4cup coconut milk
                             1/4cup whisked curd
                             1/4tsp turmeric powder
                             1tsp red chilli powder
                             1/2tsp jeera powder
                             1/2tsp dhania powder
                             1tsp garam masala(or biriyani masala) powder
                             1/4cup mint leaves
                             1/4cup coriander leaves
                             5-6tsp oil or ghee
                             salt to taste
          dry masala: 1 bay leaf
                             1inch cinnamon
                             4 cloves
                             5-6 pepper corn
                             1 star anise
                             1tsp fennel seeds

Method: 1)soak saffron in milk and keep aside
              2)clean and soak basmati rice in water for 10min, add salt, cardammom, oil and pressure cook
                 it  in a cooker for 2 whistels. allow it to cool.
              3)heat oil in a pan, add all the dry masalas and after the aroma comes, add onions, ginger-
                 garlic paste and fry till they turn pink. add vegetables and fry them for 2min. add tomato
                 puree, coconut milk, whisked curd, green chillies and fry for a minute. now add red chilli
                 powder, jeera powder, dhania powder, garam masala powder, salt and cook till all the
                 vegetables are soft.
              4)add saffron dissolved in milk to the gravy, close the lid and keep it coverd for 2min.
              5)add rice, mint leaves, coriander leaves to the gravy and mix well light handedly so that rice
                 grains doesnt break.
              6)serve hot with onion and tomato raita.