Vegetable biryani

Rinse the basmati rice several times until the water runs clear, removing excess surface starch so the grains stay separate and fluffy.

Soak the rice in water 30 to 45 minutes, timing it so the rice does not turn mushy; drain in a colander and let the excess water drip off.

Shell the cardamoms and grind the seeds to a fairly fine powder; mix with the ground mace, ground nutmeg and garam masala for the aromatic spice blend.

Cut the cauliflower into large chunky pieces so they do not break; add carrots and potatoes. Fresh green beans go in now; blanched frozen beans are added later.

Add the yogurt, black cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and Kashmiri red chili powder; mix well by hand and marinate 30 minutes.

In a large heavy-bottomed wide pot, heat the oil and ghee.

Fry the sliced onions with a sprinkle of salt on medium-high heat; once the edges brown, lower to medium-low and stir continuously.

Before they get too brown, turn off the heat and spread the onions out on a paper towel.

Heat back on; add the bay leaf, green cardamoms and cinnamon stick, then the grated ginger and garlic, and fry on medium heat about a minute until the raw smell goes.

Add the marinated vegetables with all the marinade; stir continuously on medium heat until the gravy boils. Curdling yogurt does not matter here as the rice covers it.

Keep on medium-high heat, stirring from time to time, until all the moisture dries up.

Add the hot water, salt, a teaspoon of the aromatic spice blend, about half of the browned onion and the frozen green beans; bring to a boil, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes on medium-low heat.

Meanwhile bring a big pot of plenty of water to a boil with bay leaves, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, cloves and a tablespoon of oil; boil five minutes at a rolling boil, then lift out the whole spices with a strainer.

Add the rice with the lemon juice or vinegar and two tablespoons of salt and stir gently; the water should taste like the ocean.

Bring back to a rolling boil on high, lower to medium-high, and taste a few grains often; turn off the heat when they are no longer too chewy, before they turn mushy.

Set aside about half a cup of the rice water, then drain the rice.

Cook the vegetables only until tender but intact; tear in fresh mint leaves and turn off the heat. Remove half the vegetables with their gravy to a bowl.

Spread half the rice loosely over the vegetables in the pot without pressing; add a tablespoon of ghee, some browned onion and a few mint leaves.

Layer the remaining vegetables, then the remaining rice, ghee, browned onions, mint leaves, a few threads of saffron and the aromatic spice blend; add the rose water and keora water.

Set a flame tamer, or a cast iron skillet, on the burner and the pot on top; pour the reserved rice water over and close with a tight-fitting lid, or foil under the lid.

Put it on dum: five minutes on high heat to build steam, then the lowest heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

Turn off the heat and let it sit 10 minutes before opening.

Serve with a flat spatula or spoon, moving the rice gently from one side starting at the top layer and working down rather than digging in.