Vegetable Dum Biryani

INGREDIENTS 15-20 medium Button mushrooms, quartered 1 1/2 cups Basmati rice, soaked 1 Bay leaf 4 Cloves 2 Green cardamoms 2 Black cardamoms 1 inch piece Cinnamon 1 blade Mace Salt to taste 2 teaspoons Oil 2 medium Onions, thinly sliced 1 Patoto 1 Carrot ½ cauliflower ¼ pound paneer 2 teaspoons Ginger paste 2 teaspoons Garlic paste 2 teaspoons Red chilli powder 1 tablespoon Coriander powder ½ tablespoon Black peppercorns, crushed ½ teaspoon Cumin powder ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder 3 tablespoons Tomato paste ½ cup Skimmed milk yogurt, whisked ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped ¼ cup Fresh mint leaves, torn a pinch Saffron (kesar) ¼ cup Skimmed milk

METHOD Bring four cups of water to a boil in a thick-bottomed vessel. Add bay leaf, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, cinnamon, mace and one teaspoon salt. When the water starts boiling rapidly, drain the soaked basmati rice and add. Cook for eight to ten minutes, stirring frequently or until the rice is ¾ done. Drain in a colander. Boil another four cups of water and add the potato, carrot, cauliflower with some salt and cook it till it is ¾ done. Drain and store it. Heat some oil in a pan and add the chopped paneer and fry till golden brown. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add sliced onions and stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes or until the onion turns translucent. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and sauté briefly. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, crushed peppercorns, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Stir-fry briefly and add the tomato paste. Continue cooking over high heat for another two to three minutes, stirring continuously or until masala is fairly thick. Add the whisked skimmed milk yogurt, garam masala powder and half the quantity of chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves. Stir well and cook for two minutes more. Add the quartered button mushrooms and the vegetables and salt to taste. Stir-fry over high heat for two to three minutes and remove from heat. Arrange the cooked rice and mushroom masala in alternate layers in an oven proof dish (or Biryani handi), sprinkling the remaining chopped fresh coriander and torn mint leaves, and saffron dissolved in skimmed milk after each layer. Ensure that the top most layers is of rice. Cover the assembled biryani with a tight fitting lid silver foil and place it in a 350 degree oven for fifteen minutes. Break the seal and open the biryani, just before serving.