Creamy Veg Biryani

It’s not at all easy to be a homemaker, isn’t it? I can slog for hours in the kitchen and am perfectly ok with it. But the toughest part is to decide the menu for each meal. Especially on weekends, when you want to be with the family and yet at the same time want to prepare something yummy for lunch. On such lazy weekends, either I resort

to something baked for lunch or some yummy one pot meal. A spicy n yummy vegetarian biryani along with some chilled raita is the best bet.

Now you might wonder, whats so special about this biryani. No, nothing special apart from the fact that it’s absolutely delicious and very moist. Try this to believe me 🙂 Though my hubby is not a fan of vegetable biryani, but he loves this and have enjoyed it to the core whenever I have made this for lunch or dinner. Infact Neha even made me promise that I shall make this every weekend. Make sure to serve this with any kind of chilled and thick raita. For more kinds of such rice, you may click here.

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice 300 gm
• Salt to taste
• Carrots 2
• French beans 10-12
• Cauliflower florets 8-10
• Paneer 100 gm
• Potato 1
• Onion 2
• Tomatoes 2
• Ginger 1 inch piece
• Curd 2 tbsp
• Fresh cream 2 tbsp
• Capsicum 1
• Refined oil 2-3 tbsp
• Bread slices 2
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder 2 tsp
• Coriander powder 1 tbsp
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves 2 sprigs
• Mint leaves a handful
• Cinnamon a small piece
• Cloves 3-4
• Bayleaf 2
• Pepper corns 7-8
• Milk 2 tbsp
• Saffron strands a pinch (optional)

Method:

• Cook the rice along with cinnamon, cloves, bayleaf and salt. Allow it to stay covered for half an hour.
• Slice the onion, tomatoes, carrots, beans and other veggies.

• Blanch the carrots, beans, cauliflower and potato slices for few minutes.

• Chop the paneer and bread into small pieces.
• Saute the paneer, bread and potato till they are golden.

• Heat oil in a pan and add the sliced onion and ginger. Saute till they are translucent.

• Now add the dry spice powders and cook for a minute.

• Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are cooked and mushy. Add required amount of salt.

• Now add the blanched vegetables and toss gently.
• Add curd and mix. Now add fresh cream and fold well.

• Garnish with finely chopped mint and coriander leaves.

• Now take a large pan and. Rush it with some ghee or butter.

• Add a layer of the cooked veggies and sprinkle some mint leaves and the fried potatoes, paneer and bread pieces.
• Now add a layer of the cooked rice. Repeat it.

• Now sprinkle milk (if using saffron pour the saffron infused milk) on top and place the pan on a heated tawa.
• Cook on low flame for 5-8 minutes.
• Remove from heat and sprinkle some more fresh mint leaves and serve it warm with a raita of your choice.

Notes:

• Feel free to use vegetables of your choice. Can add peas, mushroom etc. Skip whole spices if you want. I have not used cinnamon or cloves.
• Do not skip the fresh cream and curd. It adds richness and a creamy texture to the whole dish.
• If you desire, you may add fried onions, cashewnuts and raisins too as a garnish.