Vegetable breyani

2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp ajmo seeds

2 tsp fenugreek seeds 3 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

2 star aniseed

4 cloves

4 cardamom

1 black cardamom

3 stems curry leaf

6 red chillies

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped ½ tin tomato purée

1½ tbs turmeric

1 tbs garam masala

2 tbs Kashmiri chilli powder 2 carrots, chopped into sticks 200g green beans chopped 300g cabbage chopped

80g peas

80g double beans

80g gadra (borlotti) beans

3 tbs ghee

4 tbs oil

Salt

7 potatoes, cut in half

1½ cups rice, unboiled 250g lentils

Yellow food colouring

3 large onions, sliced round for frying

1 cup fresh mint, chopped

1 cup fresh coriander

2 tbs fresh thyme

500g soya prawns or soya chucks

Fry soya prawns with a bit of oil or soak the soya chucks in boiling water. Once soft, drain and remove water.

For the curry, heat oil and ghee, add seeds and dry spices. Fry for 5 minutes, add red chillies, garlic, curry leaf and onions. Fry for 6 minutes. Add turmeric and fry for 2 minutes then add the garam masala and fry for another 2 minutes, then add the chilli powder and fry for 3 minutes. Add tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, beans, thyme, mint, coriander and salt. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until the beans are soft. When almost done, add the soya prawns or chucks.

Boil the rice and set aside. Boil or use a can of lentils and drain and set aside. Add salt and yellow colouring to potatoes and fry until soft and golden. Once all the potatoes are fried, fry the onions.

Layering:

In an ovenproof pot, add layers starting off with the curry, the rice, the lentils, the potatoes and the onions. Carry on with the layering until everything is finished, making sure you end with rice, lentils and potatoes. The last layer of rice has to be coloured with a bit of food colouring

Add small teaspoons of butter or ghee on top and mint. Cover with foil and place a lid on top. Steam in the oven for 1 hour on 200ºC.