Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients

• 2 cups (400 g) basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• ½ cup oil or ghee
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup (125 g) yogurt, whisked
• 1½ tsp salt, plus 1½ tbsp for the rice water
• 1½ tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, in thick sticks
• 1 cup peas (matar), fresh or frozen
• Whole spices: 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamoms, 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 green chillies, a handful each of fresh mint and coriander
• A pinch of yellow food colour in 2 tbsp milk (optional)

Missing something?

• No rice? Use any other rice, or broken rice (cooks faster).
• No potato? Use sweet potato or turnip (shaljam).
• No carrot? Use extra cabbage or capsicum.
• No peas? Use diced carrot or green beans.
• No yogurt? Use milk with 1 tsp lemon juice, rested 10 minutes.
• No onion? Use spring onions, or a little onion powder (less depth).