Ingredients:
Rice – 2 cups, fine
Capsicum – 4, large
Onions – 2, large
Ghee – 6 tblsp
Cashew Nuts – 6 to 8
Raisins – few
Saffron – large pinch
Hot Milk – 1 tblsp
Fresh Curds – 2 cups, not sour
Coriander Leaves – 2 tblsp, chopped
Salt to taste
For Seasoning:
Bay Leaves – 2
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 2 one inch piece
Cardamoms – 4, small
Pepper Corns – 1/4
Masalas
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder – 4 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Method:
1. Wash rice, allow todry on a muslin cloth.
2. Chop one onion, slice the other.
3. Cut capsicums into small pieces, keep each separate.
4. Soak saffron in hot milk.
5. Heat 2 tblsp ghee in a pressure cooker.
6. Fry cashew nuts and raisins, remove and set aside.
7. Fry sliced onion in the same ghee to a dark brown colour, remove and set aside.
8. Add 1 more tblsp ghee to the cooker, add bay leaves and spices, fry till done.
9. Add rice, stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Add saffron, 4 cups of hot water and salt.
11. Cook without weight on low heat.
12. When done, each grain of rice should be separate.
13. Heat rest of the ghee in a kadai, add chopped onion, fry till browned.
14. Add capsicum and turmeric powder, stir fry till capsicums turn soft.
15. Now add all the dry masala powders along with some salt and fry for 2 to 3 minutes more.
16. Add 1 1/2 cup curds with half of the chopped coriander leaves, stir 1 to 2 minutes, remove from kadai and set aside.
17. Grease a large oven proof dish, transfer half of the rice into it, sprinkling some of the nuts and raisins, even out surface.
18. Pour capsicum curry and spread evenly.
19. On this transfer the second portion of the rice, even out surface.
20. Beat 1/2 cup curds, sprinkle on the rice layer along with fried onions, nuts and coriander leaves and a little ghee.
21. Cover dish tightly with an aluminium foil.
22. Keep in a moderate oven till serving time.
23. Serve with raitha of choice.
