Vegetable Biriyani/Biryani

Ingredients

For The Rice

1 1/2 cups Riceland Extra Long Grain Rice (soaked and drained)
1 bay leaf 
(1”) piece Cinnamon 
2 cloves 
2 cardamoms slightly crushed 
¼ teaspoon caraway seeds 
½ teaspoon Salt or taste
4 ½ cups water for cooking the Rice 

For frying onion

1 cup oil 
1 cup finely sliced onion 

For The Vegetable Gravy

1 medium potato peeled chopped into cubes 
½ cup small cauliflower florets
½ cup French cut beans (frozen or fresh) 
½ cup green peas (frozen) 
2 carrots chopped into cubes 
1 cup chopped tomatoes (around 2 tomatoes) 
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (made from 1 inch ginger and 2 cloves of garlic) 
1 Serrano pepper ( if you don’t  want spicy, deseed ) 
2 tablespoon ghee/butter/oil 
¼ cup + 2 tablespoon water 
¼ teaspoon caraway seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon coriander powder 
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon gram masala 
¼ cup thick coconut milk 
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder 

For assembly 

1 teaspoon saffron 
4 tablespoon hot water
¼ cup yogurt 
4 tablespoon chopped mint
4 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon garam masala 
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder 
4-5 drops of Kewara water (if you can’t find use rose water) 
1/2 cups roasted cashew nuts 
1 cup Fried onions
½ tablespoon of ghee/ melted butter 

Preparation

For the rice‍

1. Soak the Riceland long grain rice for 30 minutes and drain and set aside. 
2. Combine 4½ cups of water, bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, caraway seeds, cardamom and salt in a deep non-stick pan and bring to boil. Once water is boil add soaked rice and cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes or till the rice is cooked 75%. When you press a rice grain it should mash itself but not completely. 
3. Strain the rice using a strainer and keep aside.

For fried onion 

1. In a skillet or pan heat oil  and then add finely sliced onion and let it fry until  it is lightly getting brown about 3-5 minutes. Drain the onions in kitchen tissue to remove excess oil. Don’t let brown completely as it cook even after taking out of the oil. 

For saffron water

1. In a small bowl add saffron and hot water and set aside. 

For the vegetable gravy‍

1. Heat the Ghee/butter/oil in a deep non-stick pan and add the caraway seeds.
2. Then add chopped potatoes, cauliflower, carrot, green chili and sauté on a medium flame for 5minutes.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cayenne pepper and garam masala and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
4. Then add the tomatoes and 2 tbsp of water mix well and cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Add the beans, peas and salt and coconut milk ,1/4 cup water and cardamom powder cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.