Zafrani Veg Biryani

Zafrani Biryani is biryani with zafran or saffron/Kesar mixed in milk. There are many ways of making Zafrani biryani. When it comes to Veg, you can add any vegetables of your choice. This biryani is loaded with spices and also the color given by the saffron gives it the name as Zafrani. Same manner lamb or Chicken can also be added when it comes to non-veg biryani making. Next time i am thinking of making chicken zafrani biryani. 
Today we have veg meals, I made Zafrani biryani & Paneer Raita; while mom made delicious Beetroot Kurma. It was indeed a delicious meal for us today.

 Ingredients
    Basmati Rice 2 cups, soaked for 30 mins, then cooked to 80% and kept aside
    Kesar mixed in milk1/2 cup
    Onion 5 finely chopped
    2 tomato chopped
    2 carrots small cubes
    Onions 2 fried in ghee to caramel color, mix with 1/2 tbsp of clove oil
    Yogurt 1 cup
    1 lemon juice
    Ginger and Garlic finely chopped 5 tbsp each
    5 green chilli finely chopped
    1 inch cinamon stick
    4 pods cardamon
    1 tbsp shahi jeera
    8 pepper corns
    Fried Cashew nuts, Sliced almonds and raisens for garnish.

Method

• Heat oil add Shani jeera, cinammon , cardamon, crushed pepper corn and onions and saute for few min add ginger garlic, green chilli, add salt. Fry till onion turn transparent.
• Add tomato, fry for 3 mins and then add the yogurt. Fry well till the masala blends well, add   lemon juice and mix well.
• Now add half the amount of previously fried onions and well well along masala. Keep it aside.

Preparation of dum:

•  Take a kadai, grease with ghee, add first cooked rice, sprinkle little of kesar milk, and layer with masala,  fried onions, then next layer of rice. Now layer each time same way till all     the content is done. 
•  Keep the kadai air tight covered with a lid. Keep it above a pan or a bronze vessel for dum around 20-30 mins.
   When done, mix well , add ghee if needed. Serve along Raita and other side dish of you choice.

DUM