Ingredients
500g Basmati rice
125ml sunflower oil
2large onions, sliced
1 tspginger paste
1 tspgarlic paste
225gtomatoes, finely chopped
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp red chilli powder (kashmiri chilly powder)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom pods
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
5 to 6 cloves
2 bay leaves
salt
250g plain yogurt
250g potatoes, peeled and diced
150g fresh or frozen peas
100g carrots, peeled and diced
100 gms mushrooms diced
50 gms sweetcorn
70 gms finely chopped coriander leaves
70 gms finely chopped mint leaves
fried brown onions to garnish
N.B. You can use any mixed vegetables of your choice.
Method
Wash and soak the rice as per given instructions on the packet. . Then cook in plenty of boiling salted water to which half mint and coriander is added until half cooked. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomatoes, all the spices, the bay leaves, some salt and the yogurt. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the oil separates out.
Now add the potatoes, fresh peas and carrots with 150 ml water and cook for 5–8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat. Spread half the cooked rice over the bottom of a large saucepan. Put the cooked vegetables on this layer of rice and sprinkle with the chopped coriander and mint. Cover with the remaining rice.
Cover the saucepan. Put the lid tightly preferably with some weight on top and set the saucepan on a very low heat. (You can place the saucepan on a fry pan and then keep it on the flame) Cook like this for about 30 minutes.
Mix the rice gently with the vegetables, then spoon into a large,flat dish. Garnish with boiled eggs and serve.