Mughlai Vegetable Biriyani

Step 1 Cooking the Rice
Basmati Rice- 2 cups
Ghee- 2tsp
Cloves-5
Cardamom -1
Cinnamon stick - 1,half inch 
Salt
Water : 4 1/2 cup or as per your basmati rice pack instruction
Directions
1. Usually I cook rice in pressure cooker,Boil the water,add salt, ghee,and whole spices.To this add the washed and cleaned rice.Keep the lid without weight ,and when steam comes, put the weight and turn off after one whistle.When the pressure is released fully, take the rice out of the cooker and spread in a large plate and break the crumbs using a fork.Allow it to cool and keep aside 
You can follow this method or you can cook rice in an open thick bottomed vessel.
Step 2 Making the nut paste 
Cashew nuts: 1/4 cup
Almonds- 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds- 1 tsp(optional)
Milk- 1/4 cup
Soak cashew nuts and almonds in milk for 30 minutes and then grind it into a fine paste using the same milk.Keep it aside. 

Step 3 Preparing the Vegetables : 
Green beans - 1/2 cup chopped 
Carrot- 1/2 cup chopped
Green peas - 1/2 cup 
Cauliflower- 10-12 small florets
Potato- 1/2 cup cubed
Directions: Cook carrot,beans and potato in a vessel with enough water.Add 1/4 tsp of sugar to retain the color of the vegetables.
When it is almost cooked add the cauliflower florets and green peas.Let it cook and remove from heat and drain excess water.Keep aside.
Step 4 Making the Masala
Onion -2 medium, thinly sliced
Tomato - 1 medium chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1-2 tbsp
Chilly powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Spice masala powder- 1tbsp
Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup chopped
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup 
Yogurt- 1/4 cup 
Note : 1)You can fry the onions to golden brown color.If you want to use less oil , then sauteing while making masala will be enough.But frying will add more taste
2) You can avoid yogurt if you dont want a tangy taste to the biriyani.But authentic mughalai biriyani has yogurt in it.

Spice masala powder-Dry roast 2 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick,4-5 cloves,Mace- 1/2 tsp,Black pepper corns 2 tsp,Shah jeera 1/2 tsp and cumin 1 tsp together and grind them to a fine powder )

Directions
1.Heat oil in a pan,add the ginger garlic paste and saute until raw smell goes .Then add onion and saute until golden brown then add the tomato,make it soft and mushy.(If you are using fried onion,first add the tomatoes and when it becomes soft add the fried onions and mix well)
2. Add the Nut paste and all powders 
3. Now add the cooked vegetables and mix well.Throw in the chopped mint and coriander leaves,salt and keep the lid and cook it in low heat for 2-3 minutes.
4. Switch off the stove and add the yogurt .Take care not to curdle it.Check salt.
Step 5 For Garnishing
Onion - 1 medium thinly sliced
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp chopped
Mint leaves - 2 tbsp chopped
Cashew nuts - 6-8 
Raisins- 10-12
Saffron milk - 2-3 saffron strands mixed in 3 tbsp of milk
Method Heat oil or ghee in a pan and fry the onions to golden brown,then fry the cashew nuts and raisins..Drain all of it in a paper towel
Step 6 Layering 
1. Take a large baking dish ,Lightly oil it.
2. Layer the biriyani in following order first-half of the cooked rice,then the whole vegetable masala above that, and then the remaining half of the rice .Top it with fried onion, raisins,cashew nuts,chopped mint,coriander leaves and drizzle saffron milk
3. Cover the dish with foil and keep it in oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes.

4. If you dont have an oven ,you can try this dum method in microwave,with a microwaveable dish.or on stove top by keeping the lid and and a low heat
Step 7 Devour the spicy Mughalai biriyani with raita ,pappad, or pickle 

Curd Rice/Thayir Saadam

Ingredients
Cooked white rice - 2cups at room temperature
Curd- 1cup
Grated coconut-1/4 cup
Red chillies- 3
Green chillies- 5 chopped
Coriander leaves- chopped- 3-4 tbsp
Urad dal-1 tsp
Cooking oil
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt 
Directions
1. Mix the curd with rice in a large bowl. Adjust salt
2. Heat oil in a pan ,add urad dal and fry ,then saute the chopped green chillies and coriander leaves.Now add the grated coconut with a pinch of salt and fry for a minute on medium flame
3. Mix this fried coconut with the rice and keep aside for 15 minutes
4. Heat oil in a pan ,splutter mustard seeds,add curry leaves and red chillies.Pour this over the rice mix and serve.

Recipe Courtesy : Cooking with your heart and soul

Fried Rice

Ingredients
Basmati Rice/Long grained rice - 2 cups
Chicken -boneless- 1/2 cup 
Egg  - 2
Capsicum - 1/4 cup,chopped
Carrot- 1/4 cup,chopped
Beans - 10 no: or 1/4 cup chopped
Spring onion - 6-8 nos
Pepper powder-1 tbsp+ 1 tsp
Corn flour - 1/2 tsp
Soy sauce- 1 tsp
Salt
Cooking oil 
Direction
1. Cook the rice with enough water and salt and allow it to cool.Take care not to overcook.
2. Cook the chicken pieces in water and salt ,and when it is done ,shred it using hands or fork.Mix the chicken pieces with pepper powder and corn flour.Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry this for a few minutes.Keep aside
3. Cut the carrot and capsicum as long thin strips of 1 inch size, slice the beans thinly in elongated pattern.(or cut all vegetables according to your creativity )Cut the lower white portion of spring onion to round slices.Chop the upper green portion separately and keep aside. 
4. Beat the egg adding salt and pepper powder and scramble the egg in a shallow pan with enough oil.Keep aside 
5. Heat oil in a wide mouthed pan.Add the white spring onion,carrot, beans, capsicum and saute for 3-5 minutes with a little bit of salt until veggies are well fried and cooked .Add shredded chicken and pepper powder.Saute well
6. Now add  soy sauce and cooked rice,mix well.Finally add scrambled egg and green spring onion.Mix and saute for 2-3 minutes in medium heat and remove from stove.
Serve hot !!!
Note: 1) You can make egg fried rice with the same recipe,by avoiding chicken pieces
2) Vegetable fried rice can be made by avoiding egg and chicken in the same recipe 

Easy Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients
Basmati Rice- 2cups
Water to cook rice - 4 cups (adjust according to the instruction given on your basmati rice packet )
Onion -1 Big thinly sliced

Potato -1 Medium , peeled and cubed 

Carrot- 1/4 of a carrot, peeled and cubed

Beans - 5-6 ,chopped

Tomato - 1 small chopped

Green peas frozen- 1/4 cup thawed

Cardamom- 2

Clove-4

Cinnamon stick - 2" piece

Bay leaf - 1 small

Fennel- 1/4 tsp

Whole black pepper- 3-4

Ginger- 1 medium piece

Garlic- 1 big clove

Green chillies- 2 

Chilli Powder-1 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Coriander powder-3/4 tsp

Coriander leaves -1 tbsp chopped

Mint leaves - 1 tsp chopped

Raisins- 1/4cup

Cashew nuts- 1/4 cup

Oil/Ghee

Method

1. Heat a pan.Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fennel,bay leaf, black pepper) and heat for a few seconds.

2. Grind the above spices along with ginger , garlic, green chillies, turmeric powder and chilli powder to a fine paste ,adding 1 tsp of water.

3.  Soak basmati rice for 15-30 minutes in water. Wash and drain the rice, allow it to dry 

4. Heat oil/ ghee in a pan in low heat , add rice and stir for 1 minute .Remove from heat and keep aside.

5. Heat oil /ghee in a cooking vessel and add the sliced onion, and all vegetables to it , Saute until it becomes soft . 

6. Add the chopped coriander leaves,mint leaves,raisins and cashew nuts.

7. Add the ground paste roast it and mix well. 

8. Add required water and boil.When it is boiling add the fried rice and cook keeping a lid .

9. When it is done,remove the lid and allow the water to dry completely.Break the lumps using a fork 

Serve hot with Pickle, Raita, Curd, and Pappad 

Ghee Rice /Neychoru

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cup

Water -4 cups(adjust according to the instruction given on your basmati rice packet )

Onion - 2 small thinly sliced

Cashew nuts - 1 handful

Raisins - 1 handful

Pistachios/Almonds - 1/4 cup cut into small pieces(optional)

Cardamom -2 

Clove-4

Cinnamon stick- 2 inch ,cut into 2-3 small pieces 

Fennel -1/4 tsp

Bay leaf- 1 small cut into 2-3 pieces 

Whole Mace-1

Ghee- 4 Tbsp

Method

1. Soak basmati rice for 15-30 minutes in water. Wash and drain the rice. Spread on paper towel and allow to dry.

2.When rice is almost dry , Heat 2tbsp ghee in a pan and add the whole spices,saute for 1 minute.Then add half of the sliced onion and saute until the onion turns light brown.

3. Reduce the heat to low.Add the rice and stir for 1-2 minutes.

4. Boil 4 cups water in another heavy bottom or non stick pot, and add the rice -onion-spice mix.Cook in a medium heat. When rice is cooked and completely dried, spread the rice on a plate and break the lumps using fork , if any.

5. Heat 2tbsp ghee in a pan. Fry the raisins first ,then cashew nuts and drain them in a paper towel.Now add half of the sliced onion to the same ghee and fry until it turns golden brown color.

6. Add half of the fried raisins, cashew nuts, onion to the cooked rice and mix carefully . 

7. Transfer the rice to serving dish and garnish with rest of the fried raisins, cashew nuts and onion

Serve hot with any non vegetarian side dish or vegetarian korma