Ingredients

• 400 gms - basmati rice
• 250 gms - cauliflower, cut into florets
• 100 gms - green peas, shelled
• 100 gms - carrots, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
• 100 gms - French beans, cut into diamond-shaped pieces
• 3 - potatoes, cut into four pieces each
• 2 - black cardamoms
• 4 - green cardamoms
• 4-cm piece - cinnamon
• 4 - cloves
• 8 - peppercorns
• 1 tsp - shahi jeera
• 3 - bay leaves
• A few strands of saffron
• Masala for the vegetables:
• 250 gms - onions, sliced
• 3/4 cup - curd
• 4 tsp - chilli powder
• 3 tsp - ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp - mint paste
• 1.5 tsp - garam masala powder
• 1.5 tsp - coriander-cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp - ghee or more
• Ghee for deep frying onions
• For the garnish:
• 2 - tomatoes, sliced
• 2 - capsicums, sliced
• 2 - onions, fried till crisp
• A few mint leaves

How to Make Tasty Vegetable Biryani

• To prepare the vegetables:
• Wash the vegetables and dry them well.
• Mix all the ingredients for the masala, except the ghee, and marinate the vegetables in it for one hour.
• Heat ghee and deep-fry the onions till well browned and keep aside.
• When cool, grind to a paste.
• Wash and cook the rice.
• When done, remove the rice and spread it in a plate. Keep aside to cool.
• To prepare the rice:
• Lightly roast the saffron, powder and sprinkle over the rice.
• Heat ghee in a kadai and season it with the whole spices.
• Add the vegetables and saute for 5 mins.
• Add a little water and cook the vegetables till done and almost dry.
• In a baking dish, arrange alternate layers of rice and the prepared vegetables.
• Top with garnish and bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 mins. Serve hot with raitha and papad.