We will be cooking a gravy for the biryani along with vegetables in a pan. In another vessel, we will cook the rice for a short period and add it to the biryani gravy vessel to complete the process. Accordingly, we will need utensils. The gravy takes time so when it’s cooking, it is a good idea to keep water to boil for the rice on a low flame.

Soak the rice in plenty of water after rinsing it a few times.

Keep 1 litre water for boil in low flame to cook the rice.

Add 1 tbsp salt

We will add the rice to this at a later stage in the recipe

Heat a heavy bottomed pan on low heat and add oil, onions, whole spices and mix well. (no need to wait till oil heats up)

Cook until spices brown and onions become translucent and add the vegetables - carrots, beans, mushrooms peas.

Do not add potatoes at this stage.

Add a dash of salt. Let the onions turn translucent and vegetables become partially cooked.

This process till take 7-8 minutes on low flame.

Increase flame and let the onions brown well.

Once the onions are browned, add potato and saute for one minute.

Reduce flame and add add ginger garlic paste and mix for 30 seconds

Next, add red chilli powder and saute for 30 seconds

After that, add coriander, mint leaves and green chillies and saute for 30 seconds

Now, add curd and saute for 30 seocnds followed by tomatoes

Finally, add salt for the gravy. Mix everything together.

Add 500 ml water and increase heat for it to come to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil (about 5 minutes) reduce flame to medium low and close the vessel with a tight lid and cook for 10 minutes.

It’s in this time that the spices, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste get fully cooked and infused into the water.

In between, open once and taste the water. It has to be spicy, tangy and a tad too salty. If it’s low on salt or spice, add some and if low on tang, squeeze a little lemon juice. Close again and let it cook on a low flame.

As the biryani gravy is cooking, we will cook the rice.

Add the soaked and drained rice to the boiling water we kept when we started cooking.

Make sure the rice is fully drained and there is no residual water from soaking.

Cook the rice stirring slowly for 4 minutes and drain completely in a colander.

Add the drained rice to the masala.

Spread the rice evenly using a flat ladle.

At this stage it will seem like the water/gravy fully covers the rice and there’s no additional liquid. This is right consistency.

Close the lid tight and keep on a low flame for 12 minutes. Fluff with a fork, the rice will be fully cooked.

To serve, start by ‘breaking’ the biryani on the side, take a deep sharp ladle and scrape from the side bottom taking a serving of rice and vegetables. Serve with a portion of plain rice from the top.

Ideally served with a plain egg and onion raitha.