Chettinad Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients :

• Small onions - 1/4 cup
• Red tomatoes - 2
• Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Green chillies - 2 [ slit ]
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup [ finely chopped ]
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup [ finely chopped ]
• Mix vegetables - 11/2 cup [ cut into cubes ]
•  [ carrot, beans, capsicum, green peas and potato ]
• Bay leaf - 2 [ broken ]
• Salt - as required
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder - 11/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tblsp
• Fresh ghee - 3 tbl sp
• Basmathi rice - 2 cups
• Coconut milk - 2 cups
• Water - as required

For making garam masala powder :

• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamom - 2
• Star arise - 2
• Mase flower - 2
• Nut meg - 1/2 tsp grated
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
•  [ fry all the ingredients in a dry pan till nice aroma comes. Then grind in a mixer to a smooth powder . ]

Method :

Heat oil and ghee in a pressure pan, add the bay leaf, green chilli, onion, ginger garlic paste and fry for few minutes. Then add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves fry for 2 minutes in medium flame till the onion turns translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes and fry till it becomes soft. Now add cut vegetables along with salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and fresh garam masala powder  [ which we grind in mixer ]  and coriander powder. Fry for few minutes to get the masala mix well. Then add the soaked basmathi rice, coconut milk, and water. Check the salt at this stage. Close the pressure cooker and put the weight. Keep the gas at medium flame. Wait for 3 whistle to come, then remove from the gas. Once the pressure release, open the lid, and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Pour melted ghee over the cooked  biriyani . Do not stir let it cool. Then gently fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot with onion raitha and papad.