Chef Atul's Vegetable Biriyani - Justgiving Covid 19 Appeal

This recipe is for the donors of Justgiving page initiated for fund raising for The NHS Charities Together. I am sorry for my internet problem due to which i couldn't demo it live. But, I would like to say thank you to all the donors. Thank you Sejal Bhansali & Puneet for the brilliant idea and organisation.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraisin...

Vegetable Biriyani


Ingredients:

500 gm puff pastry, suitable for vegetarians

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1” cinnamon or cassia bark
1 blade mace
4 green cardamoms, lightly bruised
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fine chopped ginger

2 medium onions, thinly sliced


15-20 green beans, cut into 2” batons, blanched
1 small cauliflower, cut into small flowerets, blanched
1 small broccoli, cut into small flowerets, blanched
3 -4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into batons, blanched
50 gm frozen peas
50 gm frozen corn kernels
20 chestnut mushrooms, cut in halves

1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp garam masala

2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Few strands of saffron
5 tbsp single cream

300 gm basmati rice, cooked al dente
¼ tsp mace powder
¼ tsp green cardamom powder

1 tbsp fine chopped mint leaves
½ tbsp fine chopped ginger

2-3 tbsp milk to brush on top of pastry


Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 200C or gas mark 6.

Roll out 1/3rd of pastry into 20X30cm. Place on baking sheet and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 10-12 minutes until light golden. Remove and keep aside to cool. Keep the oven at 200C.

Heat butter and oil together, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, mace, bay leaf and cumin seeds. As spices crackle, add ginger and sauté for a minute and add sliced onions. Fry the onions until lightly coloured. Add all the vegetables together and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, chilli and garam masala powders, stir for minute and add chopped tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add saffron and cream. Fold in the rice well and cook slowly until rice is almost cooked. Remove and cool in a flat tray. Sprinkle chopped mint and ginger, mace and cardamom powders.

Spoon the rice mixture on top of the baked puff sheet and spread it as evenly as possible. Roll out the remaining pastry into a larger rectangle than the base and place it on top of rice lightly. Tuck –in the sides under the baked pastry, neatly. Brush with milk and bake the pastry for further 15-20 minutes or until lightly coloured to golden brown.

Remove and cut into slices to serve hot with chilled mint raita.

Mint Raita – 200 ml Greek yoghurt, 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds, crushed, 1 tbsp chopped mint, salt to taste – whisk all the ingredients together and chill in refrigerator until needed.