← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 300 g Basmati rice, rinsed
• 1 Bay leaves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 Cloves
• 2 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp ghee (or half ghee, half oil)
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp Cashews (optional)
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp Ginger, finely grated
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 2 Green chilli, slit
• 1 Potato, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 Carrot, cut into batons
• 80 g Green beans, cut into 3 cm pieces
• 150 g Cauliflower, in small florets
• 75 g Peas
• 150 g plain yogurt, whisked
• 1½ tsp biryani masala or garam masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• ¼ tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp Salt
• 100 ml Water
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 3 tbsp warm milk

Method

1. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water for 30 min. Stir the saffron into the warm milk and set aside.
2. Heat the ghee in a heavy, wide pot over medium heat and fry the onions for 12–15 min, stirring, until deep golden and crisp. Lift out about half, plus the cashews if using (fry them for the last minute), and drain on paper.
3. To the onions left in the pot add the cumin and cinnamon, then the ginger, garlic and chillies, and stir for 1 minute. Add all the vegetables and stir-fry for 3 min.
4. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the yogurt, biryani masala, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Return to medium-low heat, add the water and cook, covered, for 8–10 min until the vegetables are nearly tender and the sauce is thick.
5. Meanwhile bring 2 litres of water to a rolling boil with the bay leaf, cardamom, cloves and salt. Drain the rice, add it and boil for 5–6 min, until the grains are long but still have a firm core. Drain well.
6. Spread the rice over the vegetables. Scatter with the mint, coriander and reserved onions, and drizzle over the saffron milk and a little ghee.
7. Cover tightly with foil and a lid and cook on the lowest heat for 20 min, so the rice finishes in the steam. Rest for 5 min, then fold gently from the sides as you serve, with raita.

Tips

• A heavy pot or a flat tawa under the pot stops the bottom layer from catching during the dum.
• The rice must be underdone when you drain it; it keeps cooking in the steam.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Hebbar's Kitchen Cook With Manali