Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients

• 2 cupbasmati rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes
• 1cauliflower, small, cut into florets
• 2carrots, sliced
• 1 cupgreen peas, frozen
• 1 cupplain whole-milk yogurt
• 4garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tbspfresh ginger, grated
• 2 tspgaram masala
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspchili powder
• 3 tbspghee
• 2yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cupfresh mint and cilantro, chopped, mixed
• ½ tspsaffron threads, soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk
• 2whole cinnamon sticks, small
• 6cardamom pods
• salt

Method

1. Mix the yogurt, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder and 1 tsp salt. Toss with the cauliflower and carrots and marinate while you fry the onions.

2. Heat the ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat and fry the onions, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Lift out half onto a plate.

3. Boil the soaked rice in a large pot of salted water with the cinnamon and cardamom for 5 minutes, until two-thirds cooked. Drain.

4. Add the marinated vegetables and peas to the onions in the pot and spread them flat. Top with half the herbs, then the rice, then the rest of the herbs and reserved onions. Drizzle over the saffron milk.

5. Cover with foil and a tight lid. Steam on the lowest heat until the vegetables are tender and the rice is fluffy.

   ⏱ 25 min

6. Rest 10 minutes, then gently fold from the bottom up and serve.