Veg Dum Biryani

Ingredients

Basmati rice 2 cups
Onions 2
Choice of veggies (I used potatoes, peas, beans, you can add carrots,corn,cauliflower florets,
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Black cumin seeds 1 tsp, Cloves 2, cardamon 2 (Coarsely grounded)
Bay leaf 1 
Curd 1 cup
Cinnamon stick 1 inch
Green chillies 2 slit
Mint leaves 1 cup
Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
Oil and ghee 1 tsp each
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Soak basmati rice for 30 mins, drain the water and keep aside.

Fry half of the onions in oil until they turn golden brown.

In a vessel, cook rice with 1 clove, cardamon, 1/2 inch cinnamon,1 bay leaf, salt. Pour some ghee on top and let the rice cook until its half done.

In a big handi add oil with grounded cumin,cloves, cardamon and cinnamon and when they start to splutter add onions, green chillies and fry them for few minutes. 

Add the veggies, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, mint, coriander leaves and cook them for few minutes covered with a lid. Once the oil starts separting from veggies, add curd and the fried onions. 

Now add the half cooked rice as first layer, on top add left over fired onions, mint & coriander leaves. 

Spread the 2nd layer of the rice and sprinkle some lemon juice, ghee. Mix few saffron sticks in milk and spread it over the rice.

 Cover it with lid and cook it on low flame for 15 minutes and keep rotating the vessel around so as to heat the whole vessel evenly. In some time you will see steam coming out of the vessel, turn of the stove. 

Turn of the stove and mix the biryani well with a flat spatula. Serve hot with onion raita or any gravy!