Layered Vegetable Biryani (Middle Eastern Style)

This recipe of biryani is now one of my favorites. Actual recipe calls for goat meat but here i have used vegetables instead. (Feel free to use goat meat or chicken pcs, totally up to you and rest of the procedure remains same). Few days back i was looking for authentic middle eastern biryani and i came across to chef Sonia Kayani's recipe. I saw this recipe and it was so very tempting that i pulled up my sleeves and just made it. It turned out very well with vegetables too and all guest who visited me enjoyed it a lot with lots of appreciation. My husband is now big fan of this biryani.
Usually this layer biryani is middle eastern daawat biryani on every festive occasion they make this. Which is very much packed with full of middle eastern spice and flavour. Must must try this, all biryani lovers will definitely enjoy.

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
Pinch of Heeng powder (Asafoetida)
3 onions sliced (2 medium & 1 small)
1 large ripe sliced Tomato
1 large potato sliced
1/2 cup chopped french beans
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/3 cup boiled green peas
1/3 cup creamy full fat curd
1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves
1 cup Fresh Coriander Leaves
1 whole large green chilly
1 whole bay leaf
3-4 whole black cloves
3-4 whole black pepper
1 whole black cardamom
3 whole green cardamom
1 whole cinnamon stick
11/2 tbsp saffron soaked in 3 tbsp milk (for about 30-40 minutes before using)
2 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp dry Mango Powder
2 tsp Saunf powder (fennel powder)
1 tsp dry methi powder (dry fenugreek powder)
1 tsp punjabi garam masala powder
11/2 tsp kashmiri red chilly powder (its not very spicy but gives nice red color)
1/2 to 1 tsp spicy red paprika (feel free to adjust the spiciness to your taste)
Salt to taste

For Garnishing:
1/2 sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
4 tbsp sultanas
4 tbsp sliced almonds
3 tbsp small chopped walnuts
4 tbsp roughly chopped fried cashew nuts
4 tbsp fried onion (till brown)

For Rice:
2 cups / 300 gms  Basmati rice (Wash and soaked for about 1 hr)
2 whole black cloves
2 whole green cardamoms


Recipe:

• Cover lid and cook washed and soaked rice with enough water. Once cooked drain extra water and let it cool. After it cools down color half of the rice with saffron mixture soaked in milk. So now on we are having yellow rice and uncolored white rice.
• By now in a deep non stick pan, heat ghee with cumin seeds, as soon as cumins seeds splutters add hing powder and Onions with very little salt. Saute sliced onions until translucent.
• Now add and use 1/2 cup tomato out of 1 cup which i mentioned earlier in ingredients with sliced potato, french beans, carrots, ginger- garlic paste, 1/2 cup mint leaves (use remaining 1/2 cup later), fresh coriander leaves, beaten curd, whole black cloves, bay leaf, whole black pepper, green and black cardamoms, cinnamon stick, salt and all dry powdered spices (Coriander, cumin, dry mango, fennel, methi, punjabi garam masala, red paprika, kashmiri chilly powders). Mix all nicely add water & whole one green chilly.
• Now cover the lid and on low flame cook for about 20-25 minute or until all vegetables are cooked.
• Open the lid, now use the remaining 1/2 cup of sliced tomatoes mixed with remaining 1/2 cup of mint leaves. Just sprinkle this on top of cooked rice and do not mix. Again cover the lid and cook further for another 10 minutes and later than turn off the flame.
• Now in big plate make first layer of white rice and layer this cooked vegetables on it, on top of this now layer yellow rice and again vegetables and sprinkle tomatoes and mint leaves, again follow the same procedure (white rice than vegetables, than yellow rice and lastly tomatoes and mint leaves)
• Now garnish it with sultanas, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts and chopped & fried cashew nuts and fried onions. 
• Here it is ready now. serve it with fried papad and Pudina raita as i did or any raita of your choice.