Vegetable Biryani

Recipe Type:	Veg.
Difficulty:	Average

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups Uncooked Rice
• 2 pinches Saffron (dissolved in a little water)
• 2 Onions (sliced)
• 2 tbsp Cashew nuts (broken into pieces)
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• 3 Tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 2 Capsicums (sliced)
• 2 cups (mixed boiled vegetables i.e. chopped cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, green peas)
• 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (chopped)
• A little Milk
• 4 tbsp Ghee
• Salt to taste
  
  To be ground into a paste:
• 6 Garlic Cloves
• 25 mm piece of Ginger
• 3 Cardamoms
• 4 Green Chilies
• 3 Cloves
• 1 tbsp Poppy Seeds
• 2 sticks Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 tsp Chilly Powder
• 2 Onions
• 6 Mint leaves

Cooking Instructions:

• Boil the rice in a vessel containing adequate water, cook and drain excess water.
• Add the saffron liquid and salt to the cooked rice. Mix well.
• Heat the ghee and add the onions.Fry until brown.
• Remove the onions and in the same ghee, add the cashewnuts and raisins.
• Fry for a few seconds. Remove and keep aside for garnishing.
• Add the prepared paste and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and capsicum and fry again for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the boiled vegetables and coriander and cook for a while.
• Put 2 tablespoons of ghee at the bottom of a baking bowl.
• Make layers of the rice and vegetables, beginning and ending with rice.
• Sprinkle a little milk on top.
• Cover and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins and serve hot.