Vegetable Biryani

Soak the Rice

Place the basmati rice in a large bowl and cover with cold water.

Swirl the rice gently with your hand, then carefully pour off the cloudy water.

Repeat rinsing 3 more times until the water runs mostly clear.

Cover the rinsed rice with fresh cold water and let it soak for 20 minutes.

Prepare Saffron Milk

Crumble the saffron threads into the warm milk, stir gently, and set aside to steep for at least 15 minutes.

Caramelize the Onions

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in the heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.

Add the sliced onions to the pot in a single layer.

Cook, stirring every 2–3 minutes, until the onions are deep golden-brown and crispy, about 18–20 minutes.

Transfer half the caramelized onions to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside for garnishing.

Build the Vegetable Masala

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of ghee to the pot with the onions still in it.

Add the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cumin seeds to the pot.

Stir the whole spices for 30 seconds until they sizzle and smell fragrant.

Add the garlic, ginger, and slit green chili to the pot.

Stir and cook for 1 minute until the raw garlic smell disappears.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture looks thick and paste-like, about 5 minutes.

Add the turmeric, red chili powder, ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon salt to the pot.

Stir the spices into the tomato mixture and cook for 1 minute.

Add the yogurt to the pot one tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition to prevent curdling.

Cook the yogurt mixture for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it is fully incorporated and the oil begins to separate at the edges.

Cook the Vegetables

Add the potato, carrot, and cauliflower to the pot and stir to coat them in the masala.

Add the diced bell pepper and thawed peas to the pot.

Stir in the garam masala.

Add 1/4 cup water to the pot and stir everything together.

Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes until the potatoes are just barely fork-tender.

Stir in half the chopped cilantro and half the chopped mint.

Taste and adjust salt, then remove the pot from heat.

Parboil the Rice

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.

Cook the rice for exactly 5 minutes — it should be about 70% cooked and still have a firm center.

Drain the rice immediately in a colander and set aside.

Layer the Biryani

Return the vegetable masala pot to the stove over low heat.

Spread the parboiled rice evenly over the vegetable masala as an even top layer — do not stir.

Drizzle the saffron milk evenly over the rice.

Scatter the remaining chopped cilantro and mint over the rice.

Scatter the reserved caramelized onions over the top.

Dum Cooking (Steam)

Cover the pot tightly with the lid — if the lid is not tight-fitting, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pot before pressing the lid on.

Cook over low heat for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.

Remove the pot from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes.

Serve

Remove the lid and use a large spoon or spatula to gently mix the rice and vegetables together with a folding motion.

Discard the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and any whole cardamom pods you can find.

Serve immediately onto plates and garnish with the crispy fried onions.