VERY MINTY~ VEGETABLE BIRYANI

      Title: VERY MINTY~ VEGETABLE BIRYANI
  Categories: Oriental
       Yield: 1 Servings
  
       1    Inch ginger -- fresh,
            Peeled
   4 1/2    Cloves garlic
       4    Chillies, green
       2 c  Yogurt -- thick
       6    Tomatoes, medium -- diced
       6    Cardamoms
       6    Cloves
       6    Cinnamon sticks
       1 ts Turmeric powder
       1 ts Garam masala
       2 ts Coriander powder
     1/2 ts Red chili powder
       1 bn Coriander leaves -- fresh,
            Chopped
       1 bn Mint leaves -- fresh,  torn
       5    Chillies, green -- slit
   2 1/2 c  Rice (basmati preferred) --
            Washed and well drai
       2    Medium-large onions --
            Sliced very  thin
       4 ts Ghee
       5 c  Water
       2 c  Beans -- slivered
       1 c  Carrots -- slivered
       2 c  Cauliflower -- cut into
         sm Flore
       4    Bay leaves (tez patta)
       1 ts (heaped) fennel seeds
       1    Star anise -- broken
  
   Pre-heat oven to 400.
   
   Grind to paste the ginger, garlic, and 4 chillies. Add to yogurt
   along with tomatoes, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, garam
   masala, coriander powder, red chili, coriander leaves, mint and slit
   chillies. Mix well and set aside. For best results let this soak for
   2-3 hours.
   
   Fry half the sliced onions in 3 tbsp. ghee until translucent. Add the
   rice, stir till coated with ghee and fry until a little crisp. Add
   water, cover and cook on low, low heat till three-fourths done.
   Remove from heat. Removing rice off heat after it is three-quarters
   done should leave some fluid content that will get absorbed in the
   baking process. Baking allows the flavors to seep in evenly as well
   as make the rice fluffy.
   
   Heat 4 tbsp. oil plus 1 tbsp. ghee. Add tez patta, fennel, star anise
   (a must!). Add remaining sliced onion and fry until clear. Add
   vegetables, stir until crisp cooked. Add yogurt mix, salt to taste
   and cook it down till thick and spoonable.
   
   Spread some rice in a large aluminum baking pan, then spread on some
   of the yogurt mix. Repeat, alternating rice and yogurt mix till
   everything is used up. Cover tightly with foil wrap by crimping foil
   over edges of pan. Bake for 30 mins.
   
   Serve with a cold raita and a light curry of your choice.
   
   ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
   
   From hassell@eecs.tulane.edu Mon Aug 26 16:27:59 1996 For the lucky
   one with tons of ripe tomatoes.! johnette
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