Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups – long grain Rice
• 2 potatoes,quartered and boiled
• 2 capsicums, cut into strips
• 2 onions, chopped into strips
• 2 onions, quartered
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup – sliced mixed vegetables (Frenchbeans, carrots, cauliflower, etc.)
• 1 tsp – ginger, grated
• 1 tsp – garlic, grated
• 1 cup – Curd
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 Cloves
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 Cardamoms
• 4-5 whole black peppers
• 1 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 1 tsp – Garam Masala
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 2-3 pinches Asafoetida
• 1 tbsp – Lemon juice
• 1 tbsp – coriander, chopped
• 10-15 cashews
• 10-12 Almonds sliced to flakes (optional)
• 4-5 tbsp – Ghee

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in salted water for 30 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan.
3. Fry onion strips till crisp, brown, drain, keep aside.
4. Fry cashews till light brown, drain, keep aside.
5. Fry capsicums till tender, drain, keep aside.
6. Meanwhile, heat 6 cups water in a large vessel.
7. Add bay leaves, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, salt.
8. When it comes to boil, drain and add rice.
9. Bring to boil, cook for 8-9 minutes, till rice is just but not fully done.
10. Drain in a large colander, spread in a big plate, cool.
11. Grind quartered onions, ginger, garlic to a paste.
12. In hot ghee, add pasteand stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
13. Add all powdered masalas, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, stir, cook till fat separates.
14. Beat curd, add, stir till the boil resumes, cook 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes, stir, keep aside.
15. To fill handi:
16. Grease an oven proof handi well on the inside.
17. Place in half of rice, spread at the bottom.
18. Top with half vegetables layer, spread over rice. Mix together fried onions, capsicums, cashews, sliced almonds, coriander.
19. Sprinkle half over vegetable layer.
20. Sprinkle half lemon juice all over.
21. Repeat rice to lemon juice layer by layer.
22. Either cover with fitting lid, seal edges with chapati dough or Seal top with a tightly packed foil sheet.
23. Make a small slit for excess steam to escape.
24. Bake in a preheated oven at 130 C for 15-20 minutes.
25. Break seal at the table to get the most out of the aroma.

Recipe courtesy of Sify Bawarchi