INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups basmati rice, wash & soaked for 30 minutes.
- Layer 1
- (Grind to a paste)>
- 1" piece ginger
- 3 green chillies
- 2 tbsp. coconut grated
- 2 sprigs mint leaves
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- 4 flakes garlic
- (Slice thinly)
- 1 carrot
- 1 capsicum
- 6-7 french beans
- 1 onions greens chopped
- Layer 2
- (Grind to a paste)>
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. soaked khuskhus seeds
- 1 onion
- 5-6 blanched green chillies or white pepper
- 1 cardamom
- 1 clove
- 1 bayleaf
- 1/2" piece cinnamon
- (Slice thinly)
- 1 potato
- 1 onion
- Other ingredients
- 6-7 whole shelled walnuts
- 15 cashewnuts halved
- 15 almonds, blanched and halved
- 1 tbsp. raisins
- 1 tbsp. cheese or paneer grated
- 1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
- 2 bayleaves
- 1 cup milk
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp. ghee or oil
- METHOD
- Put plenty of water to boil, add salt and bayleaves, bring to boil.
- Add rice and cook till done but not mushy.
- Drain water, cool in large plate.
- Heat half ghee in a heavy pan, add carrots.
- Fry till tender, drain, add french beans to same fat.
- Repeat frying till tender, drain, add capsicum.
- Fry, drain, add paste for layer 1.
- Fry paste for 3 minutes, add salt, spring onions, stir.
- Take off fire, add fried vegetables back, keep aside.
- Heat remaining ghee in another pan.
- Fry and drain cashews, almonds, potato slices.
- Add onions, stirfry till light golden.
- Add raisins, salt, half the milk, paste for layer 2.
- Add fried dryfruit, stir and cook for 3 minutes,
- Take off fire, keep aside.
- To proceed
- Take a deep casserole about 6-8 inches wide.
- Divide rice into 3 parts.
- Grease insides of casserole, spread one part of rice at bottom.
- Spread layer 1 mixture evenly over the rice.
- Spread second layer of rice over mixture.
- Mix layer 2 mixture with the remaining rice.
- Spread evenly over 2nd rice layer.
- Sprinkle milk over layers.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly to cover casserole.
- Cover the casserole with a lid or clingfilm, making cuts for steam to escape.
- Bake in preheated oven at 250oC for 9-10 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh ground pepper, coriander and walnuts before serving.
- Serve hot with pakodi kadhi or raitha
