The lingering taste of Vegetable Biryani

Vegetable Biryanis are wholesome meals filled with goodness of the veggies as well the rich masalas that go with it.  The flavour is unique and would definitely give an invitation to your neighbour.  Biryani must have all the necessary ingredients  to make it the authentic dish.  This is a dish which can be tried out on weekends as it involves time.  Biryani cannot be done in a hurry, it has to be cooked slowly with lot of patience to achieve the perfect taste.  Raita and pappad are the perfect accompaniments and be sure to make enough Biryani as it is going to fast disappear from the bowl like it did in my household.  Thanks to vahrehvah.com for the basic recipe and I made changes according to my family's taste. 

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Carrots, - 1/4 cup
Potatoes - 1/4 cup
Beans - 1/4 cup
Cauliflower -1/4 cup
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Panneer - 1/2 cup (cubed)
Green chillies - 2 nos
Jeera - 1 tsp
Garam masala (whole) - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Biryani masala - 4 tbsp (I used MDH Biryani masala)
Curds - 3/4 cup
Nuts -your choice
Mint
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil
A few strands of Saffron

Chop onions finely and fry it till it turns brown. Keep it aside.

After soaking the rice for an hour, cook it till it is half done, strain the water and keep this aside.

Chop the potatoes,beans and carrots into 1" pieces and small florets of the cauliflower.

In a pan, add oil, then add jeera . When jeera begins to splutter, add whole garam masala, then add ginger garlic paste and let it get cooked well till the oil leaves out. Now add the cut vegetables, peas, slit green chillies and salt. Mix well and let it cook. Once they are half cooked, add finely chopped mint and coriander leaves, four tablespoons of biryani masala and half cup of curd. Mix well. Now add panneer cubes and leave it aside.

Take a wide mouth pan and add half of the cooked vegetables and spread it well in the pan. Add curds, nuts, fried onions and now add half the portion of rice and spread it well over the vegetable mix. Repeat this process till both the veggies and rice is done. Cover it well and cook in a very slow flame till the rice gets cooked fully.  Mix  a few strands of Saffron in two tablespoons of hot water and sprinkle over the rice for the beautiful color.

Garnish with nuts and croutons.
 

An awesome veggie biryani is ready to serve.