Veg Dum Biryani

Contributor: Vineela

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice : 1.5 cups
Cloves 6
Cinnamon 4 pieces
Sha jeera 1/4 tsp
ghee or oil 4 tbsp
Cardamons 6
Bay leaf 1
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Mixed Veggies : 2 cups (diced and cooked)
Onions 2 cups sliced
Tomatoes 2 cups chopped
Kashmiri Chilly Powder 1 to 1.5 tsp
Ginger 3cm Garlic 6 flakes
Cashews 3 tbsps
Curd 1/2 cup
Green chillies 2
coriander eaves 4 tbsp
mint leaves 4 tbsp
salt
milk 1/3 cup
yellow food color or saffron

Method:
Wash the rice, soak in 2.5 cups of water for 15-20 mins. In a thick bottomed pan or kadai, heat 1 tbsp of ghee. Add shejeera, bayleaf and i/2 the cloves, cardamon and cinnamon. Add rice with water. Add salt to taste. cover and cook till the rice is 3/4 cooked. Meanwhile strain curds through a fine cloth. Chop green chillies, mint and corander leaves finely and add to the curds. Powder remaining cloves, cardamons and cinnamon and add to the curds. Mix with veggies. Gring ginger, garlic and cashews to a smooth paste. Heat remaining ghee or oil in a kadai. Fry half the onions till crisp and brown. Drain and keep aside. To the remaining ghee in the kadai, add the remaining onions, fry till light brown. Add the ground paste and fry well. Add tomatoes and fry till soft. Add the veggie mixture and salt. simmer for 2 mins. Layer rice, vegetables and onions in a baking dish sprinkling the rice with milk and saffron. Cover and bake in a hot oven for 1/2 hr. Mix lightly before serving.