Kashmiri Vegetable Biryani

This biryani with its flavourful combination of ingredients is rich and filling, while being light and flavoursome. Delicious, mild and wholesome, it is a wonderful festival dish. Like all Kashmiri food, it is highly aromatic and just a whiff is sure to get your taste buds going.

Preparation

Drain the soaked rice.
Boil the 7 cups of water and then add the rice.
Cook the rice till it is about 3/4th done and drain it.
Sprinkle some saffron on the rice, cover and keep aside.
In a pan heat the oil and fry the whole spices until its starts to smell.
Add the chopped vegetables and sauté for about 1-2 minutes.
Add all the dry spice powders, sauté for 2 minutes and keep stirring.
Add the yoghurt and stir, add water and salt.
Cover the pan and cook till the vegetables are done.
Preheat the oven to 180 or 190 degrees C.
Grease the baking dish with oil or ghee.
Make a layer of rice at the base and sprinkle some of the chopped mint and coriander leaves.
Sprinkle some of the saffron dissolved in milk and layer with the vegetable curry.
Sprinkle the mint, coriander and saffron dissolved milk again and create 2 or 3 layers similarly.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Garnish with roasted or fried cashews, almonds and raisins along with some chopped mint leaves.

Ingredients

2 cups Double Deer basmati rice (Soaked for 30 mins)
A pinch of saffron
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped cauliflower
½ cup peas
½ cup chopped potato
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp shahi jeera
2 inch cinnamon
2 black cardamom
3-4 green cardamom
3-4 cloves
1.5 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp asafoetida powder
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
5-6 tbsp yoghurt
salt to taste
½ cup chopped mint and coriander leaves
2 pinches of saffron soaked in ⅔ cup warm milk
mix of almonds, cashews and raisins roasted or fried in some oil a few mint leaves