Veg Biryani Kerala

Ingredients

• - 2 cups khyma or basmati rice
• - 400g mixed vegetables
• - 3 large onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1/2 cup yogurt
• - 4 tbsp ghee
• - Whole spices
• - Fresh mint and coriander
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Prepare vegetables: Dice 1 potato, 1 carrot, 1 cup cauliflower, 10 beans and half cup green peas uniformly.
2. Marinate vegetables: Mix with half cup yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1.5 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric and salt. Marinate 30 minutes.
3. Fry birista: Slice 3 large shallots. Deep fry until dark golden. Drain. Reserve oil.
4. Parboil Jeerakasala rice: Wash 2.5 cups Jeerakasala rice. Soak 20 minutes. Boil in salted water 5-6 minutes. Drain.
5. Cook vegetable masala: In a heavy pot heat reserved oil. Add marinated vegetables and cook 8-10 minutes.
6. Layer biryani: Spread cooked vegetables as base. Sprinkle half the birista.
7. Add rice layer: Add parboiled rice. Add remaining birista, 3 tbsp ghee, fresh mint and coriander.
8. Add saffron milk: Drizzle saffron milk over rice.
9. Seal and dum cook: Seal tightly. Cook on tawa — high heat 5 minutes then lowest heat 25-30 minutes.
10. Serve: Rest 10 minutes. Mix from the bottom. Kerala veg biryani has fragrant Jeerakasala rice. Serve with raita.