Hyderabadi vegetable dum biryani

     Its my long time ambition (crazy me :P) to prepare try dum biryani at home. At the same time, was bit hesitated, since i don't want to waste the food. But one fine day, saw a easy version of dum biryani in a tv cookery show. It grabbed my attention totally and finally decided to prepare it for my weekend lunch. Being skeptical, bought all the ingredients and tried. Now, here comes for your views too !

ALL YOU NEED:

Basmati Rice	1 1/2 cups
Coriander Leaf	1/2 cup
Fried Onion	1/2 cup
Food color	Pinch
Cinnamon	1/2 inch
Bay leaf	2 Nos.
Cloves	5 Nos.
Ghee	2 spoons
Salt	To Taste
Oil	4 spoons

To Marinate:

Chopped Veggies	2 cups
Garam masala Powder	1 spoon
Ginger Garlic Paste	1 1/2 spoon
Coriander Powder	1 spoon
Turmeric Powder	Pinch
Coriander Leaf	Handful
Chilly Powder	2 spoons
Fried Onion	1/2 cup
Mint Leaf	Handful
Curd	2 spoons
Salt	1/2 spoon

METHOD:
     Mix all ingredients under "To Marinate" and let it sit for 45 mins either in room temperature or in fridge. Soak basmati rice for 15 mins. Take a heavy bottomed pan, Add 4 cups of water, a spoon of ghee/oil, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, cardamom and pinch of salt. Once the water comes to boil, add basmati rice and cover it with lid. Let it get cooked until its 3/4 done. Once done, strain the extra water. Make sure all spices stay with basmati rice. Now, take another heavy bottomed pan, add 2 spoons of ghee, then add the marinated veggies, saute until raw smell goes off. Once done, add cooked basmati rice, spread it evenly, on top of it add food color water evenly (Mix pinch of food color in 2 spoons of water). Once done, add coriander leaf and 1/2 cup of fried onions and some ghee too. Now it time for making dum.

    For dum process, instead of using wheat flour, i used aluminium foil. Take wide and sufficient length of aluminium foil, cover the pan. Make sure, it covers tightly and perfectly. Close it with a plate or even with the suitable lid. If required place a heavy bowl or pan on top of it. Reason for this is, just to avoid leaking of pressure. Once done, keep the flame in simmer, place a dosa pan on the flame, and place the biryani pan on top of it. Let it be in the process of 35 to 45 mins. Once time is up, serve hot with some raita. I served with Peanut Gravy, Fried Egg and Cucumber Raita.

Note: You can also replace food color with safforn milk.

♬ Sangeetha♡Nambi ♬