Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 4 cups water
• Little bit of salt
Vegetables for making biryani are:
• 1 cup paneer (Indian cottage cheese), cubed
• 1/2 capsicum, sliced
• 1/2 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup french beans, chopped
• 1/2 cauliflower florets, chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas (optional)
Whole garam masala you will require:
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 black peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 1 whole Kashmiri red chilli
• 1 star aniseed
For making gravy you will require:
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 small tomatoes, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 2 green chillies
Other ingredients :
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed kasuri methi
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp brown onions (for garnishing)
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in normal water for about 30 minutes. Boil them in 4 cups of water by adding little bit of salt.

2. Till the rice are boiling, lets do the preparation of vegetables and other ingredients. Chop the onion in thin slices and keep aside.

3. When the rice are done, strain and set them aside.

4. Heat the pan or the vessel in which you are going to make biryani.

5. Add oil and heat it enough. Add sliced onion and fry until onion translucent and little browned.

6. Remove fried onion from the flame and set aside to cool down.

7. In the grinder, combine tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies and fried onion.

8. Keep few fried onions aside, for using at the time of garnishing of biryani. Make sure fried onions are properly cooled down and then put a tight lid on grinding jar.

9. Grind altogether to make a smooth puree.

10. Heat the same vessel again, in which onions were browned.

11. Saute whole garam masala for few seconds.

12. Add prepared puree of onion and tomato.

13. Stir in salt and dry spices.

14. Keep the flame low, cook uncovered and allow the gravy to thicken.

15. Now add chopped vegetables (except paneer) into gravy and mix well.

16. Cover the vessel and leave to cook for about 5-6 minutes, until vegetables tenders.

17. Meanwhile, heat little oil in another pan, shallow fry paneer pieces and keep aside. When the vegetables are almost done, add fried paneer pieces, lemon juice and kasuri methi. Cook till the vegetables are little dried and water is almost evaporated. At this moment, add boiled rice and season with some salt.

18. Mix very gently and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes on low flame.

19. Garnish with reserved brown onions and chopped coriander leaves.

20. Serve delicious and piping hot quick and easy vegetable biryani with raita, pickle and papad.

Notes