Veg Hyderabadi Dum Biryani

For the rice

• Rice — 300 g
• Ghee — 50 g
• Cloves — 1 g
• Bay leaves — 1 g
• Cardamom — 1 g
• Cinnamon sticks — 1 g
• Pepper — 1 g
• Salt — 15 g
• Water — 4 cups

For the vegetable masala

• Carrots (1-inch pieces) — 62 g
• Beans (1-inch pieces) — 62 g
• Peas — 62 g
• Cauliflower (1-inch pieces) — 75 g
• Paneer (1-inch pieces) — 75 g
• Hyderabadi biryani masala — 7.5 g
• Salt — 13 g
• Turmeric (haldi) — 2 g
• Chilli powder — 5 g
• Ginger-garlic paste — 32 g
• Fried onions — 25 g
• Yoghurt — 125 g
• Lemon juice — 2.5 ml
• Ghee — 25 ml
• Mint, finely chopped, leaves only — 15 g
• Coriander, finely chopped, leaves only — 15 g
• Kewra — a few drops
• Saffron strands — a few, mixed in warm milk

Masala

1. 01Marinate all vegetables with yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, ghee, fried onions, Hyderabadi masala and lemon juice. Set aside.

Rice

1. 02Rinse the rice, then soak it for 30 minutes and drain.
2. 03Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and cloves, then sauté briefly until fragrant.
3. 04Add the rice and water and cook until done. Strain any excess water.

Biryani

1. 05Pour the vegetable masala mix into a heavy-bottomed pan (the ghee is already added).
2. 06Cook the mix for 10–15 minutes until the vegetables are almost done.
3. 07Spread the mix evenly in the pan and top with the cooked rice. Sprinkle over the kewra and saffron milk, then scatter with chopped coriander and mint.