Wash Basmati Rice 2-3 times and soak for 20-30 mins.
Roughly chop vegetables and soak in salt water for 20 mins.
Thinly slice onion. In a pan, add sliced onions and oil. Start frying on a medium heat. Fry until golden brown. Once done, drain on the paper towel and leave for an hour or two. They eventually become crispy. Our fried onions are ready.
In a big pot, take 3 cups of water. Add few whole spices like green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves. Add 2 tbsp oil and bring it to boil.
Drain the water from soaked rice and add it to the pot. Cook until it’s 90% done.
You need to keep an eye as it can cook quickly. Once done, drain the water and fluff the cooked rice with fork.
Heat oil in another pan. Add bay leaf and whole spices.
Now add sliced onions and saute. Cook until they turn pink.
Add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies.
Once onions are cooked, add tomatoes and cook until mushy.
Then add spices like turmeric, red chili powder, cumin coriander powder and salt.
Saute and add washed vegetables. Cook covered for few minutes.
Sprinkle shahi biryani masala over slightly cooked veggies and mix well.
Once vegetables are cooked, add yogurt. Combine well and cook again for few minutes. Our vegetables gravy is now ready.
Now take out some vegetable gravy in a bowl. Leftover vegetable gravy is our first layer. Now add cooked rice over this for our second layer. Sprinkle fried onions, chopped mint, chopped coriander leaves and saffron milk.
Add remaining vegetables on the rice and spread evenly.
Add another layer of rice on the top. Sprinkle fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves, saffron milk and some shahi biryani masala.
Close the lid and seal the container with foil or dough. Cook this over low heat for 12-15 mins for dum cooking. Serve hot with yogurt raita and papad.