Hyderabadi Veg Dum Biryani

I enjoy eating & preparing spicy, slightly sweet veg biryani.

Ingredients: Vegetables

1) 1 big onion

2) 1 big potato

3) 1/2 cauliflower

4) 1/4 kg fresh french beans

5) 1 small bowl green peas

6) 1 small bowl corn

7) 1 big capsicum

8) 2 medium size carrots

9) 8-10 sprigs of corriander
10) 15-20 pudina leaves

Masala:

1) 2-3 tsp mustard seeds

2) 2-3 tsp dhania powder

3) 2-3 tsp turmeric powder

4) 3-4 tbsp chili powder (I added more, i like spicy)

5) 3-4 tbsp garam masala/goda masala/biryani masala (u can also add whole garam masala)

6) 1/2 inch ginger

7) 4-5 garlic cloves

8) 2-3 fresh curry leaves

9) 2 dried bay leaves

10) 3-4 green chilies

11) 3 tbsp dessicated coconut

12) Refined vegetable oil/Pure ghee (Quantity of your choice. I added 4-5 tbsp, to make biryani delicious. You can add less also.)
13) 2-3 oil fried onions 

Dryfruits:

1) 10-12 fried cashewnuts

2) 1 tsp kesar mixed in milk
3) 10-12 kismiss

Grains & General Items:

1) 2 cups of basmati rice (Add 3 1/2 cups water to cook rice)

2) Sugar to taste

3) Salt to taste

4) 1 tbsp milk
5) 1 cup curd

6) Water

Method:

1) Chop all the vegetables finely & wash the rice thoroughly.

2) Heat the oil/ghee in a large frying pan/a large non-stick container. Add all the masala, cashewnuts, onion. Saute it for 5 mins on low flame.

3) Add all the vegetables.Cook the vegetables in oil/ghee. Once the vegetables are half cooked, add the curd. Cook the vegetables. In another container, cook the rice by adding desired quantity of water & salt. Cook everything on low-medium flame. Once the rice is done, pour the rice in a plate & separate the rice with a fork before it cools.

4) Once the rice & vegetables are properly cooked, mix them properly.

5) If required, add oil/ghee & red chili powder (oily & spicy biryani tastes good.)

6) Mix kesar in a small quantity of milk. Add this milk in biryani.

7) Add sugar, salt, coriander & pudina leaves to taste. Now, keep tawa on a low flame. Cover the container with silver foil.
Keep the container on hot tawa for 30-35 mins. Once, you see the steam coming, switch off the flame.

8) Remove the biryani in a serving plate & decorate it with dessicated coconut, deep fried onion, finely chopped corriander & pudina leaves. Serve it with raita.

(For egg biryani, the recipe will be the same. Instead, of vegetables add boiled eggs).