Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani (Dumka Veg Biryani)

Hyderabadi Vegetable Biryani (Dum Ka Biryani):





Ingredients:
Basmati Rice (I prefer Dawat or Deep) – 5 cups (Washed and soaked for 30 mins)
Carrots – 1 Medium, Peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
Potatoes – 3 Small, Peel and Cut into 4 pieces each.
Peas – 1 small cup
Cauliflower Florets – 1 Big Cup
Beans – 10-15, Cut into 1 inch pieces
Soya Chunks – 1 Small cup (Soak for 10 mins and drain the water)
Oil – 6 tsps
Cashew – 1 small cup (Optional)
Pea Nuts – 1 small cup (Optional)
Onion – 1 Big (Chopped)
Green Chilies – 2 (Sliced)
Ginger Garlic Paste – 4 spoons
Cinnamon – 1 medium Stick (cut into Small pieces)
Cloves – 6 to 8
Cardamom – 2
Black Cardamom – 2
Bay Leaves – 4
Fresh Ground Black Pepper – 1 tsps
Fresh Ground Shajeera (KalaJeera) – 2 tsps
Coriander Powder – 2 spoons
Red Chilli Powder – 1 Spoon
Mint leaves – 1 small bunch (Separate the leaves and chopped)
Coriander Leaves – 1 Small Bunch (Separate the leaves and chopped)
Tomatoes – 1 Big (Cut into small pieces)
Yogurt – 1 spoon
Lime Juice – 1 Spoon
Salt – 3 tsps (Adjust to taste)
I Big Onion – Thin Sliced for garnishing.
Orange or Saffron Color - a pinch. (Optional)
Milk – 1 tsps (to mix orange color)
Baking Tray – 1
Aluminum Foil – to cover the baking tray

Preparation:
Take a big pan (I prefer pressure cooker) and heat the oil. Add the chopped onions and sliced green chilies and fry till it gets golden brown. Add Peanuts and Cashew and fry till it gets golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste, and fry for two mins. Add Chopped Mint leaves, coriander leaves and fry for two to three minutes. Add coriander powder, Shajeera powder, black pepper powder and Red Chilli powder to the oil and fry it for two minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry for two mins. Stir to avoid burning. Add all vegetables and soya chunks, add salt, turmeric, curd, lemon juice to the vegetables and mix well. If you use a pan, keep the lid and let the vegetables cook for 10 mins on medium heat. If you use pressure cooker, close the lid, keep it for two whistles.
For Damka: PreHeat the Conventional Oven before 15 mins at 350 degrees.
Onions for garnishing: Take a separate pan, heat the oil, fry the thin sliced onions till it comes to golden brown color. Keep it aside.
For Saffron color: Mix color in milk.
Take another vessel with water which is double the rice and bring it to boil. For ex: if you use 5 glasses of rice, use 10 or 12 glasses of water. After water boils, add soaked rice, cinnamon sticks, cardamom (Black & Green), Cloves, Bay Leaves and bring it boil. Remove the heat after the rice is half cooked and drain the rice. Keep it aside.
Take a baking tray, apply butter or ghee or oil. Pour the rice into the baking tray, spread it well. Pour the vegetables and mix it well. Add golden Fried onions on top, sprinkle the saffron mixed milk, spread the moist cloth on top of the rice. Cover and seal with aluminum foil. Keep it in conventional oven for 30-40 mins. Take out & Serve with Raitha.