kashmiri biryani

INGREDIENTS

2 cups basmati rice soaked for 30 mins
7 cups water to cook the rice
salt as required
a pinch of saffron/kesar

for the veg curry:

½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped cauliflower/gobi
½ cup peas/matar
½ cup chopped potato
2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee
1 tsp shah jeera/caraway seeds
2 inch cinnamon/dal chini
2 black cardamom/badi elaichi
3-4 green cardamom/hari elaichi or choti elaichi
3-4 cloves/laung
1 or 2 strands of mace/jayitri or javitri
1.5 tsp fennel powder/saunf
1 tsp ginger powder
½ or 1 tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
1 tsp garam masala powder or kashmiri ver masala
¼ tsp asafoetida powder/hing
¼ tsp grated nutmeg/jaiphal
5-6 tbsp yogurt, dairy or cashew yogurt (i used cashew yogurt)
1 cup water
salt as required

for the layers:

½ cup chopped mint and coriander leaves
2 pinches of saffron soaked in ⅔ cup warm water or warm milk or warm yogurt

for garnish:

20-25 whole cashews or a mix of almonds, cashews and raisins roasted or fried in some oil
a few mint leaves (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

drain the soaked rice. boil the 7 cups of water first. then add the rice.
cook the rice till they are ¾ cooked. drain the rice in a colander. sprinkle the saffron on the rice.
keep covered so that the rice does not dry out.
heat oil or ghee in a pan or pressure cooker.
add all the whole spices and fry till they become fragrant.
now add the chopped vegetables. saute for a 1-2 minutes.
add all the dry spice powders and saute for 2 minutes. keep on stirring.
add the yogurt and stir. add water and salt.
if using a pan, cover with its lid and cook till the veggies are done.
if using pressure cooker, then pressure cook for 2-3 whistles till the veggies are cooked.
preheat the oven to 180 or 190 degrees C.
grease the pyrex bowl or pan with oil or ghee or butter.
layer the base with the rice.
sprinkle some of the chopped mint and coriander leaves.
also sprinkle some of the saffron dissolved milk or water or yogurt.
now layer with the vegetable curry.
sprinkle the mint, coriander and saffron dissolved milk again.
make 1 or 2 or 3 layers this way.
cover tightly with aluminium foil or the pan’s oven safe lid. bake for 30-35 minutes.
when done give a rest time of 5-10 minutes.
serve the kashmiri biryani garnished with roasted or fried cashews, almonds and raisins along with some chopped mint leaves. also serve a raita by the side.

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