How to make kolkata style veg biryani

• Produce

  • 135 g Cauliflower
  • 1 inch Ginger
  • 1/2 cup Peas
  • 3 Potatoes, medium

• Refrigerated

  • 1/2 cup Curd

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds
  • 3 Cardamoms, green
  • 2 inch Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
  • 1 Salt as required
  • 10 Strands of saffron

• Dairy

  • 12 1/2 tsp Ghee

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 2 tsp Rose water or a few rose petals

• Liquids

  • 1 tsp Kewra water
  • 1/4 cup Milk or water
  • 5 2/3 cups Water

• Other

  • 1 Small to medium carrot (- peeled chopped or 70 grams carrots or ½ cup chopped carrots (gajar
  • 3 cloves ((lavang
  • 3 Medium onions (- sliced thinly or 156 grams onions or 1 cup tightly packed thinly sliced onions
  • ½ teaspoon salt or add as required
  • 1 Tej patta ((indian bay leaf

Found on vegrecipesofindia.com

Description

Directions

• rinse 1.5 cups basmati rice till the grains runs clear of starch. then soak basmati rice for 30 mins. later drain the rice.
• boil 5 cups water on a medium to high flame with 2 green cardamoms, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 to 3 cloves, ½ tsp caraway seeds, ½ tsp ghee (optional) and ½ salt or add as required. check the taste of the water and it should feel slightly salty.
• then add the rice.
• simmer on a medium to high flame without a lid till the rice is ¾th done.
• the rice grains should have a bite in the centre and must not be cooked fully.
• strain the rice and keep aside. let the steam pass and then cover and keep aside.
• in a bowl or measuring cup, whisk ½ cup yogurt till smooth. keep aside.
• in another bowl, take ¼ cup warm milk or water and add 10 to 12 saffron strands in it.
• then add 1 teaspoon rose water and 1 teaspoon kewra water. mix very well and keep aside. if using biryani ittar or biryani essence, then just add 1 to 2 drops of it.
• thinly slice the onions. chop all the veggies and keep aside. 
• in a pressure cooker heat 3 tablespoons ghee.
• when the ghee becomes hot, lower the flame. add 1 tej pasta and stir. 
• then add 1 cup thinly sliced onions.
• saute the onions on a low to medium flame stirring often till they turn golden.
• quickly remove half of the fried onions and keep aside.
• then add 1.5 to 1.75 cups chopped potatoes.
• saute potatoes on a low to medium-low flame for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame.
• then add ½ cup chopped carrots, ½ cup green peas and 1.5 cups chopped cauliflower florets.
• add 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste. mix everything very well and saute for a minute.
• then add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and 2 teaspoons biryani masala. i have used homemade biryani masala. if you do not have biryani masala, then powder the following spices in a small grinder or a coffee grinder till fine - 2 green cardamoms + 1 inch cinnamon + a single strand of mace + 1 black cardamom + ½ tsp caraway seeds + 4 to 5 black peppercorns + 1 all spice/kababchini- all powdered finely.
• mix the biryani masala very well with the veggies.
• then add the beaten curd. mix again.
• add ⅔ cup water.
• season with salt as per taste. stir very well and pressure cook for 8 to 9 minutes or about 2 whistles. you can also cook the gravy in a pan and then cover and simmer the veggies till they are cooked. if the curry looks dry, then add some water and if its too thin, then cook for some time.
• now take half a portion of the gravy in a thick bottomed pan or if you want you can layer in the cooker itself.
• add the rice.
• top with half of the fried onions all over.
• then sprinkle with half of the saffron + kewra water + rose water + milk mixture.
• dot with some ghee.
• layer with the remaining of the mix veg gravy. then layer with the remaining rice.
• repeat layering with fried onions, saffron milk and dotting with ghee.
• tightly seal the pan with an aluminium foil.
• cover the pan with its lid. place the pan on a tawa or griddle. keep the flame to a low and dum cook biryani for 30 to 35 minutes. if baking then preheat oven at 180 degrees celsius for 10 minutes. bake for 30-35 minutes at 180 degrees celsius.
• once done, switch off the flame. let the biryani rest for 5 to 7 minutes at room temperature before serving. then open the lid and the foil. if you see some gravy at the bottom, then dum cook the biryani for some more minutes.
• serve kolkata style vegetable biryani with raita and pyaaz ka lachcha.