Vegetable & bean biryani

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 md Aubergine; cubed -(large is better though)
1 pn Salt and black pepper
4 tb Vegetable oil or vegetable -ghee
3/4 ts Poppy seeds
1 ts Mustard seeds
1 pn Cayenne
1/4 ts Turmeric
3/4 ts Garam masala
1/4 ts Ground coriander
1 Red pepper; seeded & sliced
3 oz Butter beans; cooked
2 Tomatoes; skinned seeded -& chopped
8 oz Long grained brown rice; -cooked with saffron
1 oz Toasted pine nuts
1 oz Raisins
1 Coriander sprig for garnish*

Instructions:

Place the aubergine cubes in a colander sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse the cubes and dry. Heat the oil or ghee in a large pan. Add the poppy and mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes stirring. Add the cayenne pepper turmeric garam masala coriander aubergine red pepper beans tomatoes and salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Layer the rice and vegetable mixture in an ovenproof dish. Cover and cook in a preheated moderate oven (180~C 350~F Gas Mark 4) for 30 minutes. To serve: Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and raisins. Garnish with a coriander sprig and serve hot. * I've never used sprig of coriander - can't stand it unless it's ground coriander from a packet! It's called cilantro in the US isn't it? This recipe from Carole Bowen's book "The Vegetarian Cookbook" I think.