Navaratna Pulao | Tawa Style | No Onion No Garlic

Navaratna literally means Nava - 9 and ratna - gems. So this pulao has 9 distinct flavors from vegetables and nuts and the taste is just heavenly. This recipe is made on the stove top on a tawa.
Pulao is known by different names in different places - Pulav, Pilaf, Pilau basically means rice dish.
I know that the recipe list is long, but you should be having most if not all of them in your kitchen. Only the addition of so many different spices and vegetables brings out the distinct flavor of this pulao.

Serves - 3 - 4
Ingredients Required:
Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Vegetables and Paneer:
Potato - 1 small, cubed
Carrtot - 1, diced
French Beans - 1/4 cup, chopped
Paneer - 1/2 cup, cubed
Cauliflower - 1/4 cup, florets
Green Peas - 1/4 cup

Nuts:
Almonds - 2 tbsp, sliced
Cashews - 2 tbsp, halved
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Walnuts - 2 tbsp, chopped

Spices:
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp (For no garlic, use just ginger paste)
Garlic - 2, finely diced (optional)
Peppercorns - 5
Bay Leaves - 2
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Cardamons - 2
Cloves - 2

Oil - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
Salt - as required

Seasoning:
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Saffron - pinch

Cilantro - 1 tbsp, finely chopped

How to make:

1. Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.
2. In a large pot, bring water to boil and then add the rice. Cook till 90% cooked and drain. Drizzle oil or ghee to separate the grains. Set aside.
3. In a cup, soak the saffron in milk and set aside.
4. In a pan/tawa, heat the oil and add in the cubed potatoes, cook for couple of mins so it cooks 80%.
5. Add in the carrot, beans, in the same order. Fry for a couple mins and set the vegetables aside.
6. In the same oil and pan, fry the paneer till the sides are browns and set aside.
7. In the same oil and pan, fry the cauliflower, peas and nuts.
8. Add in the spices - bay leaves, cardamon, pepper, cloves, ginger garlic paste, and chopped garlic.
9. Add in the cooked rice and needed salt.
10. Drizzle 1 tbsp ghee and add in the other fried veggies.
11. In a small pan, prepare the seasoning. Add the ghee, cumin seeds and the saffron infused milk.
12. Add this to the rice. 
13. Gentle toss and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat so the flavors blend in.
14. Serve with some lemon juice drizzled on top and garnished with chopped cilantro.
15. Serve with raita.

Notes:

You can skip the garlic to make it a onion/garlic free dish.