Vegetable Biryani(Kerala Style)

I and my family are big fans of Chicken Biryani. So we seldom make vegetable biryani at home. I only make when my mom visits us in Singapore. Because she is a vegetarian. Last week, I had a potluck at my office and I chose to bring biryani. My colleagues Jason and Anelyn told me not to bring chicken curry as they wanna bring their style chicken dishes. Jason is from Korea and Anelyn from Philippines. Others are Indians. So we had Biryani, 2 types of chicken dishes, Udupi Sambar, Chapati and dal, Raita and Carrot Kheer. It was an awesome lunch and all enjoyed very well. But the best part is they started asking me the biryani recipe. Actually I used home made biryani masala and that gives the taste to my vegetable biryani. I have shared the home made biryani masala powder recipe in my previous post. Please try this tasty recipe and enjoy with your loved ones.

Ingredients
For Rice
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Ghee - 2 tablespoons
Cinnamon stick - 2 small pieces
Mace leaves - 2
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 5
Saffron - 3 strands, dissolved in hot milk
Salt - to taste
Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon
Water - 3 cups
For vegetable Masala
Big onion - 1, chopped
Carrots - 1 cup
French Beans - 1 cup
Frozen green peas - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
Green chilli - 2, slitted
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Salt - to taste
Oil/ghee - 2 tablespoons
Water - 50 ml
To garnish
Ghee - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Cashew nuts & raisins -  a few
Onion - 1, thinly sliced

Method
Recipe for Rice

Wash and clean the rice and soak in some water for 20 minutes. Drain it after 20 minutes and keep aside. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon sticks, mace leaves, cardamom pods and cloves and fry for a few seconds. Add basmati rice and fry for 2-3 minutes. Now add water and salt. Pour lime juice and mix well. Cover the pressure cooker and switch off after 1 whistle.

Vegetable Masala
Heat oil/ghee in a pan and add fennel seeds, then add onions and saute until onions are translucent. Add carrots and beans and mix well. Add in ginger garlic paste and chillies. Now add turmeric powder, salt and garam masala. Pour water and mix well. Cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. Now open the lid and add green peas. Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for 1 more minute. Switch off the flame and add coriander leaves.
For garnishing
Heat ghee and oil in a pan and deep fry thinly sliced onions, cashews and raisins and keep aside.
Layering the Biryani
Take a wide pan and coat the bottom layer with vegetable masala. Then rice on the top and pour saffron mix. Now spread fried onions, cashews and raisins. Repeat the process and the top most layer should be the rice. Again spread fried onions, cashews and raisins on the top. Serve hot with raita and pappad.