Shahi Biryani

I have started to enjoy making Biryanis, both to entertain and also for Sunday lunches. You can tell from the increase in the biryani recipes on the blog in the recent past. Once the rice and spiced veggies on done, then all is left to do is the layering part which is my favorite thing to do. The layered look is very pretty on the plate too. Also it is easy to multiply the ingredients and make them for a crowd.
I'm on the look out for new and interesting biryani recipes and when I saw this being made on a Telugu cooking show, I promptly noted it down. This biryani has a spice paste that gives all the flavor to the dish.
Ingredients: Basmati Rice - 2cups
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1" piece
Cloves - 2 Mixed Vegetables - 4~5cups (potato, carrot, green beans, green peas, cauliflower, broccoli etc., chopped) Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced
Yogurt - ½cup, whisked
Saffron - a pinch mixed in 3tbsp of warm milk
Salt - to taste
For the Masala: Cloves - 5
Cinnamon Sticks - 3
Peppercorns - 6
Cardamom pods - 2
Coriander seeds - 2tbsp
Dry red chilies - 4
Ginger - 2" piece
Garlic - 3 cloves
Cumin seeds - 2tsp
Onion - 1 medium
Method:

• Cook basmati rice along with bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon stick either in a pressure cooker or directly in water on the stove. Make sure that the grains are separate. Set aside.
• Boil or microwave the veggies until tender.
• Grind all the ingredients listed under Masala into a smooth paste.
• Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan, add the thinly sliced onions and cook until lightly browned and caramelized, about 15~20 minutes. Set aside.
• Add 2tbsp ghee or oil (or a combination of both) in a pan; add the ground masala and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to the pan. Add the boiled veggies, yogurt and salt. Cook for 4~5 minutes. Set aside.
• In a deep, heavy bottomed pan assemble the biryani -- First add fried onions, followed by the veggie mixture, then rice, followed by veggie mixture, fried onions, rice and the remaining onions. Drizzle saffron milk all over the top. Cover with lid tightly and cook on medium-low flame for 10~15minutes.
• Serve hot with a curry and/ or raita.

Sending this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge'.