Mint Vegatable Biryani

Some days are just so hectic it is hard to make a full course dinner especially both me and hubby working and two kids it seems like we are always running and 24 hours do not seem enough, so to satisfy our hunger I usually try to make up some with whatever is left in the fridge since no one of us want to really go grocery shopping.
So this is a very common biryani whipped up with everything left in bitesN bits in your fridge. Also since my mint plant is growing by leaps and bounds have to chop it off like every month had to add some of those too which made this dish turned out pretty much like a mint vegetable biryani.

What u need:

basmati rice 2 cups
sliced onions 2
thinly sliced onions seperate for garnish 1 cup optional
tomato 1 cup
chopped vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, beans, carrots , peas etc
green chillies 4 optional
garlic 1 inch
ginger 1 inch
minced coriander leaves
mint leaves about 1/2 of the cilantro
salt to taste
Star anise 1
Bay leaves 3
peppercorns 10
cloves and cardamon 8 each
cinnamon 2 pieces
garam masala Sanjeev Kapoor's 1 tsp
half n half 1/2 cup
turmeric 1/2 teaspoon
lemon juice 2 tsp

Heat with oil fry whole spices lighlty.
A minute or two later add onions cook till they r soft and little brown add tomatoes and veges fry well with the onions .
add ginger and garlic in paste form along with mint n cilantro.
Add to this turmeric powder and the spices u can add garam masala too I added Sanjeev Kapoor's garam masala.
Once the veges are nice crispy n half cooked add the half n half or cream also is an option gives a very soft flavour to the biryani , let it simmer till the sauce is thick about 10-15 minutes.
Now for the rice boil a pot of water with salt and lemon juice (lemon juice makes the rice fluffy ) and whole spices add the washed rice and cook till half done.
Strain the rice and let it drain ,then mix the vege gravy and rice little at a time till even and bake for 30 mins at 350 C. What I need did was took it baking pan out slightly mixed the biryani put it back in again makes it even color .

For garnish add fried onions and raisins serve with a yogurt based raita.