Vegetable Biryani

Basmati Rice - 1kg or 4 of 250ml teacup
Potato chopped into big cubes - 1 medium
Carrot chopped into big cubes - 1 medium
Peas - 100g
Beans sliced - 100g
Cauliflower Florets - 100g
Butter Beans - 100g (optional)
Beetroot - 1/2 medium (optional)
Green pepper (Capsicum) - 1/2 medium (optional)
Oil - 250ml
Onion - 2 large or 450g
Tomatoes - 5 medium or 300g
Green Chilli - 6
Ginger-Garlic paste - 5 tblsp heaped or 150g
Mint leaves chopped - 4 tblsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 4 tblsp
Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 medium strip
Cardamom - 3-4
Cloves - 5
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Yoghurt (Curd) - 4 tblsp
Water - as required
Lemon juice - 15 ml or 1 tblsp
Salt - to taste

1. Rinse and soak the rice in water for about 45-50 minutes.
2. Chop all the onion, tomatoes, vegetables and herbs. Slit the chilli.
   
3. Heat a 7.5-8 litre pan on a stove and add all the oil.
   
4. Add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry for about a minute.
   
5. Add chopped onion to the oil and stir on a medium heat or until they become light brown.
   
6. Add chillies and ginger-garlic paste and fry for about 3-4 minutes.
   
7. Add all the vegetables except the peas and capsicum; fry for about 6-8 minutes.
   
8. Add chopped tomatoes, herbs, capsicum and chilli powder; stir and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes.
   
9. Add salt and yoghurt and stir for about 1-2 minutes.
   
10. Add about 1.5ltrs or 6 cups of water to the pan of vegetables.
    
11. When the water starts boiling, drain the rice with the filter and add it to the pan.
    
12. Add salt again if it is not enough; add ghee. Stir slightly.
    
13. Spread the lemon juice over the top.
    
14. Cover and seal tightly and cook for about 25-30 minutes.
    
15. Add peas just 5 minutes before switching off.
    
16. Once the rice is fluffy and cooked, switch off the stove.
    
17. Vegetable Biriyani is ready to be eaten.

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