Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
  
• 1/4 kg mixed chopped vegetables (carrots, french beans, peas etc)
  
• 1/4 cup fried potatoes cubed
  
• 2 cups thick yogurt
  
• 2 green chillies chopped
  
• 1 T coriander leaves chopped
  
• 1 t garam masala
  
• 2 t red chilli powder
  
• 1/2 t sugar
  
• 2 t turmeric powder
  
• 3 t salt ginger
  
• 1 T powdered cashew nuts
  
• 1 T grated coconut
  
• 1/2 cup ghee
  
• 3 onions grated
  
• 1 t garlic pounded
  
• 1 t ginger pounded
  
• 2 tomatoes pureed
  
• 1 t saffron dissolved in 1/3 cup milk
  
  

Method

1. In a bowl mix yogurt, green chillies, coriander leaves, garam masala, chilli and turmeric powder and 2 t salt.
2. Wash and soak rice. for about 30 minutes. Cook with 1 t salt till rice is three quarter done. Drain water and cool rice.
3. In a pan heat ghee and fry garlic, and onions till pink. Add sugar.
4. Add cashew nuts and coconut and fry for 5 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and the vegetables and cook over low flame till half done.
6. Add curd mixture and mix in the fried potatoes.
7. Making sure gravy is thick, arrange alternate layers with rice, starting and ending with a rice layer in a baking dish with a lid.
8. Sprinkle saffron and a bit of ghee on rice and around.
9. Cover tightly. (at this stage rice can be refrigerated for a few hours before cooking.)
10. An hour before serving bake in a pre-heated oven at 375° for about 40 minutes.