Vegetable Biryani

Food Main Courses Indian Vegetarian

This basmati based, signature dish, is bursting full of taste and mesmerising aromas, perfect for gatherings and special occasions.

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Ingredients

• 500g easy cook basmati

• 2 medium onions, sliced into rings

• 8 green cardamoms

• 1 black cardamom

• 8 cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 bay leaf

• ½ tsp caraway

• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

• 15 French beans, roughly chopped

• 10-12 cauliflower florets

• 160g green peas

• 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste

• 1 tbsp turmeric powder

• 1 tbsp red chilli powder

• 1 tbsp coriander powder

• 125g yogurt

• 1 tsp rose water (optional)

• 1 large pinch of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

• 250g tomato purée

• ½ tsp garam masala powder

• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped

• Handful of cashew nuts

• Handful of sliced pistachio

Method

Rinse the basmati rice at least three times and soak in a bowl of cold water for 30 mins.
Fry the onions in oil till golden brown, remove from pan and set aside.
Roast the green cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and caraway seeds in a non-stick pan.
Add the carrots, French beans, cauliflower florets and green peas. Season with salt, cover and cook on medium heat for 2 mins.
Add the ginger-garlic paste with a splash of water. Stir, cover and cook for 2 mins. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and cook.
Whisk the yogurt with rose water and saffron. Add a little water or milk if needed. Add tomato purée to the vegetables along with ½ tsp garam
masala powder and mix well. Simmer for 2 mins.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Cook the rice until al dente. Take an ovenproof pot and remove half of the veg from the veg curry using a slotted spoon (to leave the sauce
behind) and place it at the bottom of the pot. Add a little of chopped mint and coriander. Top the veg with half of the rice and half of the onions and repeat with the rest of the veg, rice and onions. Keep the sauce of the curry aside to serve with the biryani.
Bake the biryani for 20 mins.
Sprinkle the rice with the rose water, saffron, toasted cashews and sliced pistachio.

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