Veg Handi Biryani

I am posting one of my most favourite rice dishes. Biryani is the extended version of a regular Pulao with lots of vegetables, cashews, saffron, kewra and so on. The rich aroma that the biryani emits makes you yearn for this delicious meal more and more. The recipe of biryani has a lot of versions to it. People have their own sensibilities to cook the sumptuous dish. I am posting my way of cooking. my dish is inspired by the great chefs Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Chef Sanjay Thumma.

Ingredients:
For Rice:
2 cup Basmati Rice
5 cups of water
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste
2 Black Cardamom

2 green Cardamom

1 Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)

2 Tejpata

For Vegetable:

1/2 cup Carrot (par boiled)

1/2 cup Green Peas (par boiled)
1 small sized boiled Potato
1/2 cup Cauliflower (par boiled)
1/2 cup Paneer (optional)
1 medium sized onions (julienned)
1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
2 Green Chilies (cut into long slits)
2 tbsp Yogurt
1 tbsp Cumin powder
1 tbsp Red chilly powder
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Birynai Masala (optional)

For Final setting of the biryani:
Oven (Pre-heated at 180 degree Celsius for 20 minutes)
1 glass dish or Handi
2 tbsp ghee
Kewra Essence
6-7 strands of Saffron (soaked in 1 tbsp of milk)
7-8 cashews fried
1 medium sized onion (julienned and fried)

Procedure:
For the Rice:

• Soak the rice for one hour before making the biryani.
• Then take a vessel, add in the soaked rice + ghee + salt + green cardamom + black cardamom + tej pata + Cinnamon + fresh coriander and mint leaves + water.
• Keep it on high flame for 7-8 minutes.
• After that just remove the rice from water and spread it on a flat surface. (on a tray)

For the vegetables:

• Chop all the vegetables: carrot (cubed), cauliflower (separate the florets), onions (julienned) paneer (cubed)
• Take a vessel, add in carrots + cauliflower + peas.Pour 2 cups of water and some salt. Put it on the gas stove. Let the vegetables boil for 10 minutes. 
• Now heat oil in a kadahi, add in cumin seeds when it stops cluttering, add in ginger and garlic paste in it.
• Keep stirring it so that it does not stick, then add in the green chillies.
• Now add in the julienned onions in it. Mix all this well. When it turns pink add in the potatoes.
• Then add in all the boiled vegetables. Mix it and let it cook for a while on low heat.
• In the meanwhile take a bowl add in yogurt + red chilly powder + cumin powder + coriander powder + turmeric + biryani masala (optional) + garam masala powder. Whisk the curd with all this well.
• Now add this mixture into the kadahi so that it is cooked with all the vegetables.
• Add fresh coriander leaves into it.mix well
• Switch off the gas.

For the final setting:

• Divide the rice into two halves.
• In one part spread the soaked saffron (not all keep some for garnishing too)
• Sprinkle kewra essence on the rice (both the parts)
• Now take a glass dish, evenly spread 3tbsp of ice on the base, sprinkle 1tsp of ghee over it.
• Then spread 2 tbsp of vegetables over it. with some fried onions.
• Now spread the saffron coloured rice over it. sprinkle 1 tsp ghee again.
• Top this with the vegetables + fried onions.
• Repeat the same with the remaining Rice and vegetables and fried onions.
• Now on top of this arrangement sprinkle the saffron+ kewra essence + freshly chopped mint and coriander leaves + fried cashews and onions.
• Cover it with an aluminium foil.
• Place it in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes at 180degress Celsius.
• Serve hot with some Rich gravy and Raita.

Note:

• Take care of the salt as while boiling the vegetables and rice you have already added some salt. so keep tasting before you add salt.
• The vegetables and rice should not be totally cooked. (par-boiled)
• You can even use a terracotta pot (handi) for making this biryani. for the lid make a fat chapati with flour and place it on the mouth of the pot before placing it in the oven.
• Pre-heat the oven at 180degress Celsius for 20 minutes.