Wash and add the rice to the rice cooker with pounded shallots,salt, bayleaves, spices and ghee.
Mix well and let the rice cook.
To a thick bottomed pan, add the ghee and set it on low heat.
Peel and slice the onions thinly.
Saute the onions in the ghee till they caramelize.
When the onions are soft and caramelized, remove and set it aside.
To the same pot add the ghee again, add the whole spices and let them turn aromatic.
Now add all the vegetables and mix well.
Sprinkle the salt and mix in the yogurt.
Add powdered fennel and biryani masala powder.
Mix well and cover an cook tlll the vegetables are firm but cooked.
Once it is cooked, remove half of the masala.
Fluff the rice and layer the rice on top of the masala.
Spread some caramelized onions on top.
Spread the rest of the masala.
Follow it up with more rice, fried onions, raisins and cashews.
Cover and cook on a low heat till the flavours are taken up well.
The malabar biryani is now ready.