Vegetable Biryani

• 300 gdried basmati rice
• a generous pinch of saffron strands
• 3 tbspwarm milk
• 1cinnamon stick, optional, removed before serving (optional)
• 4green cardamom pods, bashed, optional, removed before serving (optional)
• 2bay leaves, optional, removed before serving (optional)
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 2onions, thinly sliced
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 25gginger, grated
• 1green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tspgaram masala
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspground cumin, for the biryani
• 2tomatoes, chopped
• 500gcauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2carrots, diced
• 150ggreen beans, cut into 3cm pieces
• 150gfrozen peas
• 150gGreek yoghurt
• 20 gcoriander, 10 g chopped and 10 g torn
• 20 gmint leaves, chopped for the biryani and raita
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 1/2cucumber, coarsely grated
• 200gGreek yoghurt
• ¼ tspground cumin, for the raita

Method

1. 1Rinse the basmati rice in a sieve until the water runs clear, then leave it to soak in cold water while you prepare the vegetables. Put the saffron in the warm milk to steep.
2. 2Bring a large lidded pan of water to the boil with a tablespoon of salt, the optional cinnamon, cardamom and bay. Drain the rice, add it and boil for 5 minutes until the grains bend but still have a chalky centre. Drain well, discarding any whole spices, and set aside.
3. 3Dry the pan and heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 12 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and crisp at the edges. Lift half onto kitchen paper for the top of the biryani.
4. 4Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli to the onions left in the pan for 1 minute until fragrant, then the garam masala, turmeric and cumin, then the tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down into a thick paste.
5. 5Add the cauliflower, carrots and green beans with 100ml of water, a teaspoon of salt and plenty of black pepper. Cover and cook for 8 minutes until the cauliflower is just tender. Stir in the peas, 150g of yoghurt, the chopped coriander and half the mint. Taste; the sauce should be thick and well spiced, so add salt if it tastes flat.
6. 6Level the vegetables in the pan and spoon the rice over them in an even layer. Drizzle the saffron milk across the top, scatter over half the fried onions and the torn coriander. Cover the pan tightly with foil, then fit the lid.
7. 7Cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes until the rice is fluffy and a puff of steam escapes when you lift the lid. Leave off the heat, still covered, for 5 minutes so the grains firm up.
8. 8Squeeze the grated cucumber hard in your hands to get rid of the water, then stir it into the 200g of yoghurt with the rest of the mint, the extra ¼ tsp cumin and a pinch of salt.
9. 9Fork the biryani through gently from the bottom so the saffron rice streaks through the white, and pile onto a platter with the remaining fried onions on top. Serve with the raita.

Per serving

kcal

658

protein

22.3g

fibre

12.4g

carbs

98.9g

fat

20.6g