Veg Biryani

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice- 2 cups
• Onions- 3 sliced
• Carrots - 2 sliced
• Beans- 5-7 cut into 1 inch pieces
• Potato- 1 big cut into 2 inch pieces
• Capsicum- 1 medium chopped
• Green peas- a small handful
• Green chilies- 7-8 slit vertically
• Garlic cloves- 6-8 peeled
• Ginger- 2 inch piece, peeled
• Dry bay leaves- 2-3 washed
• Shajeera- 1 tsp
• Oil- 4-5 tbsp
• Mint leaves- a small handful
• Coriander leaves- a small handful
• Salt- 2 tsp or more

For Masala:

• White Cardamon- 5
• Cloves- 5
• Cinnamon stick- 1 inch
• Coriander seeds- 2 tbsp
• Carom seeds- 1 tbsp (Ajwain)
• Poppy seeds- 1 tsp (Khas khas)

Method:

1. Wash and slice the vegetables. Crush ginger and garlic into a paste.
2. Grind the masala ingredients in the mixer and keep it ready.
3. Heat oil in a pan and shajeera and bay leaves.
4. Now add slit green chilies and onion. Cook till they turn light brown.
5. Now add the vegetables and mix well. 
6. Wash and roughly chop the mint and coriander leaves. 
7. As the vegetables begin to soften, add the chopped leaves, masala powder and mix well.
8. Keep the heat on simmer and cook fro 3-4 minutes. We do not want to over cook the vegetables. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
9. Wash the rice and soak for 15 minutes. The ratio of rice to water is 1:2.
10. After 15 minutes, add salt and the cooked vegetables to the soaked rice. I cook this in electric rice cooker. So I turn on the power and leave it to cook. 
11. Once it is done, let it rest for 15 minutes. Then open the lid and mix slowly.
12. Serve hot with Kadai Paneer or raita.