Vegetable Briyani

There is nothing like the aroma of a briyani or like eating good plate of fragrant biryani! Who says only the non-vegetarians are privileged to enjoy briyani??
You can make a great 𝗩𝗲𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗶 loaded with all that nutritious, colourful vegetables, heavenly saffron and aromatic mint, and coriander leaves
in less than an hour!

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TO COOK RICE

300 g basmati rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes and drained

3000 ml water

1 ½ teaspoons water

1 X 4 cm cinnamon stick

5 cardamoms, bashed lightly

5 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon ghee or cooking oil

2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1 ½ teaspoons salt

TO PREPARE BREAD SLICES

2 tablespoons ghee or butter

4 wholemeal or wholegrain bread slices

TO COOK VEGETABLES

80 g grated coconut

30 g raw cashew nuts

30 g ginger

30 g garlic cloves

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 ½ tablespoons briyani powder or garam masala

150 g natural yoghurt

1 1/2 tablespoons ghee

2 X 2-cm cinnamon sticks  

5 cardamoms                       

5 cloves                                 

1 teaspoon caraway seeds or cumin seeds

150 g tomatoes, chopped

500 g of assorted vegetables cubed (potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, button mushrooms, French beans, beetroot)

40 g mint leaves, chopped                                                                                     

40 g coriander leaves, chopped                                                                            

1 ½ teaspoons salt   

TO DUM THE BRIYANI  

Generous pinch of saffron soaked in 150 ml milk

1 tablespoon melted ghee

50 g cashew nuts, fried in ghee or roasted

50 g raisins, fried in ghee

40 g chopped coriander leaves

30 g chopped mint leaves

80 g fried onion slices                                                                    

METHOD

1. TO COOK THE BASMATI RICE, bring water to boil with the whole spices, green chillies, and salt.
2. Add in the drained rice and boil till rice is al dente.
3. Drain rice in a colander.  Run tap water over it and leave aside.  Remove whole spices and discard.
4. TO PREPARE THE BREAD SLICES, spread the ghee or butter on both sides of the bread slices. Using a bread knife, cut into 2cm cubes. Place on a baking tin lined with non-stick paper.  Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes or until it becomes crisp.  Leave aside.
5. TO COOK THE VEGETABLES, place the first seven ingredients in the list into a blender and blend till smooth.
6. Heat ghee and fry the whole spices until aromatic.
7. Add in the chopped tomatoes and sauté till they become mushy.
8. Pour in the blended ingredients and cook over low heat for 1 minute.
9. Add in the vegetables, mint and coriander leaves and salt and cook, stirring often till the potatoes are cooked through.  Adjust water if needed.  Cook till the masala coats the vegetables.  Discard whole spices.  Stir in the baked bread cubes. 
10. TO DUM THE BRIYANI, take a heavy bottomed pot. 
11. Combine the saffron milk and melted ghee together in a cup.  Pour one to two tablespoons of the milk into the pot.
12. Scoop about one-third of the cooked rice into the pot.
13. Drizzle one third of the saffron milk. Sprinkle one third of cashews, raisins, coriander leaves, mint leaves and fried onion and then spread with HALF of the cooked vegetables.
14. Top with rice and repeat Step 13.
15. Finally, top with rice and repeat Step 13 except the vegetables.
16. Cover pot with aluminum foil and then the lid.
17. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.