As we know that Biryani is the most famous main course dish in India and is loved by most of them. Biryani is usually prepared on special occasions. In this blog I’m sharing the recipe of Vegetable Dum Biryani for the vegetarians out there coz why should non-vegetarians have all the fun.

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice 2 cups
Curd 200g
Paneer 100g
Cauliflower Florets 2 cup
Carrots 4
French Beans 200g
Capsicum 1 medium
Green Peas 1/2 cup
Bay Leaves 2
Black Peppercorns 1 tsp
Cloves 5-6
Cardamon Pods 4
Star Anise 1
Cinnamon 2 inch
Cumin Powder 2 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala 1 tsp
Fried Onions 1/2 cup
Lemon Juice 2 tbsp
Mustard Oil 1/4 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste 1/4 cup
Green Chilies 2
Kewra Water 1 tbsp
Saffron 1/2 tsp
Milk 1/4 cup
Ghee 1 cup
Butter 1/4 cup
Chopped Coriander Leaves 1/4 cup
Chopped Mint Leaves 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Water as required
Flour Dough 1/2 cup

Directions:
A.Marinating Vegetables:

1. Wash the Vegetables and let them dry. Then chop the vegetables into large pieces.
2. Take a large bowl, put yogurt in it. Add Kashmiri Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Garam Masala, Ginger Garlic Paste, Lemon Juice, Mustard Oil and mix till incorporated well. Now put the vegetables into it and rub the marinate mix onto the vegetable pieces well . Keep it aside for an hour. If you want flavourful vegetables, keep it for marination for 20 minutes.
3. Take the milk in a small bowl and soak the saffron into it. Keep it aside.

B. Cooking the Vegetables:

1. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of ghee and butter to the hot pan and let it get heated.
2. Then add 2 bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 star anise, clove pods and temper the oil. Now add the marinated vegetables and cook till the vegetables cooks well and becomes tender. Add salt to taste. Also add slit green chilies to the vegetables. Once the Vegetables are cooked, keep it aside.

C.Cooking the rice:

1. Before cooking the rice, wash the rice once with cold water. Now soak the rice in cold water for 10-15 minutes.
2. Boil sufficient water in a pot while the rice is being soaked. Add salt to taste in the water.
3. Rinse the soaked rice and put it into the boiling water. Cook the rice till 80% is done or till it is semi cooked.
4. Once the rice will be done, a seive will be used to strain the rice from water. This will be directly spread over the cooked vegetables to make the Biryani.

D.Assembling the Biryani:

1. While the rice is getting cooked, place a tawa over the heat. Over the tawa place a heavy bottom pot with a lid. Heat both on medium heat.
2. Once the pot gets heated too, brush the bottom and sides with ghee. Divide the cooked vegetables in two equal parts. Spread one part of vegetables on the bottom. Now spread half of strained cooked rice over the vegetables. Cover the vegetables well. Pour 2 tbsp of ghee over the rice and sprinkle half of the saffron milk over it too. Also sprinkle some chopped corriander and mint leaves.
3. Now repeat the same process to make the second layer of vegetables and rice. Now before sealing the pot to dum cook the biryani, sprinkle the kewra water over the rice. Now cover the pot with the lid and seal it using the flour dough. Dum cook the biryani on medium low heat for 30-40 minutes.
   Serve the Vegetable Dum Biryani hot, garnished with fried onions and fried boiled eggs along with salad and Raita of your choice. I served the Vegetable Biryani with cucumber-onion salad and Boondi Raita.