Vegetable Briyani

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables - 2 cups (Carrots, Peas, Beans, Cauliflower, Potato)
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Onions (Cut lengthwise) - 2 medium sized
Tomatoes - 1 large
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinanmon - 2 sticks
Cloves - 3
Elachi - 2
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Ghee - half cup
Salt to taste

To Grind:

• Coriander Leaves - half bunch
• Mint Leaves - half bunch
• Ginger - small piece
• Garlic - 5 pods
• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Cloves - 5
• Green Chillies - 3

Method:

• Wash the basmati rice and soak in 3 1/2 cups of water
  
• Grind the "To Grind" ingredients to a smooth paste.
• Cut the vegetables into medium sized pieces
• Use a frying pan if you are going to cook the Briyani in Rice cooker or you can do the following procedure in pressure cooker.
• Add the ghee, Cinnamon, Cloves, Elachi and Bay leaves and fry for a minute
  
• Add the onions and fry until they turn light brown in color and add the tomatoes.
• When ghee separates out of the tomatoes add the grinded paste and fry until the raw smell oozes out.
• Add Coriander powder, Chili powder and turmeric powder and mix well.
• Now add the vegetables, fry for a minute so that the spices blend well with the vegetables.
• Add the coconut milk and salt as required. When the mixture comes to a boil add it to the rice(along with the soaked water) and switch on the rice cooker.
• If doing in a pressure cooker add the rice and soaked water and put the lid on. After 3 whistles, reduce the heat and put the pressure cooker over a Dosa Tava or pan. This prevents rice getting burnt.

Tip:

• Fry some diced bread pieces in ghee and decorate the briyani.
• Raita is the best side dish for briyani.
• Chili Gobi will also go along well. Refer to my chili chicken recipe in which chicken can be substituted with Cauliflower.