For rice : Wash rice 2-3 times in running water and soak for at least 1 hour. In a pan add water enough to cook rice. Add the whole spices and let the water boil. Once the water boils, add rice and salt to it and cook till 80% done. Drain rice in a strainer, add ghee to it and spread on a flat tray or dish. Keep it aside.

Fry Onions
In a kadhai or heavy bottomed pan, add ghee/oil, when it hot enough, add onions and fry to dark brown and crispy on medium heat. Once the onions are done, take out from the kadhai, drain the oil and keep aside.

Prepare the vegetables
In bowl, add yogurt and all the powdered spices under Vegetables section. Add vegetables to it, mix well and keep covered till we use it. Add to the masala directly while adding it.

Cook Vegetables
In the same oil, add the whole spices and cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onions and fry for a minute. Add ginger garlic and green chilli paste. Cook till the raw smell of garlic goes and onions are light brown. Add the marinated vegetables and mix well. Add salt and mix well. Add water, cover and cook till vegetables are soft. If water dries add more.

Assembling rice and vegetable masala for biryani
In a heavy bottomed pan, coat the bottom of pan with a mix of yogurt/curd and ghee This avoid sticking of rice at the bottom and burning. Take rice and layer, spread in the curd and ghee coating. Add saffron milk, some fried onions. Take vegetable masala and spread evenly on the rice layer. From the rest of rice, take half rice and repeat layering the rice with saffron milk, fried onions,then spread rest of the

Finally, spread the rest of rice on the vegetable masala, add the rest of saffron milk, kewra essence, roughly torn mint leaves and add melted desi ghee. Cover the pan with a foil or with a thick rolled dough. Seal tightly and put the cover.