Mughalai Vegetable Biriyani | Gluten Free

Serves 4
Ingredients Required:
For the rice:
Basmati Rice/ Long grained rice - 2 cups
Lemon juice - 1 tblsp
Salt as needed
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon Stick - 1
Bay leaves - 1

For the Biriyani Masala:
Tomato - 1, roughly chopped
Onion - 1, roughly chopped
Ginger paste - 1 tblsp
Garlic paste - 1 tblsp
Cloves -4
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cardamon pods - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Cashews - 5
Shredded coconut - 1 tblsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Full fat yogurt - 1/2 cup
Oil - few tblsp

For the Vegetables:
Beans - 10, chopped lengthwise
Carrot - 2, chopped lenthwise
Potato - 2, chopped lengthwise
Peas - 1/2 cup
Cauliflower florets - 15
Salt as needed


For Garnishing:
Fried Cashews - 10
Fried Onions - 1/4 cup
Mint Leaves - 1/4 cup, chopped
Cilantro - 1/4 cup, chopped
Saffron Color - a pinch
Ghee - few tblsp

How to make?
Soak the rice in water and set aside.
Chop all the vegetables. Boil water enough to cook all the vegetables in a large pan. Add a pinch of salt.
When the water comes to a boil, add the beans, carrot, potato, and after 3 minutes add the cauliflower.
Cook until 3/4th done and drain the water. Add the frozen peas and set aside.
Take a non stick pan, add oil. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamon pods. Add the chopped onion, ginger paste and garlic paste. Fry till translucent. Add the tomato. Fry till well cooked.
Cool and remove the bay leaves.
Grind the cashews and coconut to a smooth paste. Add the cooled onion tomato mixture along to the cashew-coconut paste and grind to a paste.
Take this paste in the non stick pan. Add the cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well.
Switch of the flame and add the yogurt. Mix well.
Add the boiled vegetables to this biriyani masala and toss gently so the vegetables are coated with the masala.
Keep on low flame.
In another pan, boil 8 cups of water along with a pinch of salt, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and oil.
When the water comes to a boil, add the soaked rice and cook for 5 - 8 minutes till the rice is 3/4th done. Check the rice every now and then. It should be chewy and not fully cooked.
Drain the rice in a colander. Spread the grains in a plate so they do not stick to each other and are separate.

Add a pinch of saffron color to 2 tblsp of water and set aside.

Now that all the cooking is done, we have to layer the biriyani in a baking dish.
Split the rice to two parts. Split the cilantro, mint leaves, fried onion and saffron color into two parts.
Layer 1: Half of the rice. Garnish with a tblsp of ghee, chopped cilantro, mint leaves, fried onion. Drizzle some saffron color water on top.
Layer 2: Place all the vegetables and spread evenly.
Layer 3: Remaining rice. Garnish with a tblsp of ghee, chopped cilantro, mint leaves, fried onion. Drizzle some saffron color water on top. Also place the fried cashews on top.

Close the baking dish and bake in pre heated oven of 350 F for 15 minutes.
Once done, gently toss the vegetable and rice so it gets mixed and serve with yogurt or raita of your choice.

Notes:
Paneer can also be added along with the vegetables.
Fried bread pieces can also be add for garnishing.
I had used store bought fried onions. To make at home, slice the onions into very thin slices lengthwise and deep fry them in oil. Drain the oil by placing the fried onions on a tissue paper.
I had fried the cashews in oil and used them for garnishing.