Mixed Vegetable & Lotus Root Briyani

Actually i prepared this briyani for our wedding anniversary and served along with shahi paneer, its was sitting in my draft since a week, so thought of posting today..Initially this briyani was a simple mixed vegetable briyani which i wanted to prepare simply with usual veggies like green peas, carrots, beans,cauliflower etc, but while going through my freezer, i saw a packet of lotus root sitting since a long which i bought few months back from nearby chinese store..Finally i marinated those chopped lotus roots with ginger-garlic paste, red chilly powder with salt and made this briyani..While enjoying this briyani, those crunchy and tender lotus roots tastes really amazing, delicious and none at home found out these lotus chunks, its one of the best and better way to sneak those lotus roots.. Am gonna add lotus roots without any hesitation often in our menu now in rice or making them as curries along with any sort of veggies..Sending to Akheela's Festive Rice Event..



1cup Lotus roots (chopped)
2nos Carrots (chopped)
1/4kg Beans (chopped)
2nos Potatoes (chopped)
1/2cup Green peas (frozen)
2nos Onions(chopped finely)
3nos Tomatoes (chopped)
2nos Green chillies (slit opened)
2tsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Chilly powder
2tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Garam masala
Salt
2cups Basmati rice
1cup Coconut milk
2nos Whole spices (bay leaves,cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamoms)
1/4cup Mint leaves (chopped)
2tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt
Oil+1tbsp Ghee
1tbsp Lemon juice

Marinate the chopped lotus roots with a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder and salt..let them sit for an hour..meanwhile soak the rice for 15minutes, drain completely the water...heat few drops of oil and roast the rice until they get a shiny texture, keep aside and let them cool..

Now heat a heavy bottomed vessel with enough oil and ghee, fry the whole spices until they turns golden brown,add immediately the chopped onions,ginger garlic paste and saute until the onions turns transculent, add the slit opened green chillies,marinated lotus roots and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turns mushy..Add the chopped carrots, chopped beans and saute until the veggies gets half cooked..now add the green peas and potatoes cook everything along with chilly powder, turmeric powder,garam masala,salt,coriander powder, mint leaves for few minutes...Add a cup of coconut milk with 2cups of water to the veggies, bring everything to boil, once its starts boiling well, add the basmati rice, check for salt, keep the lid closed and cook for 5 minutes in high flame, finally put the flame in simmer, cook until the rice get well cooked..Finally add the coriander leaves and lemon juice, give a stir..

Serve with any sort of raitas..