Ingredients:

• For the Rice layer:
• 250g – basmati Rice
• 5 – green Cardamoms
• 1 – black Cardamom
• 5 – Cloves
• 1 inch – stick Cinnamon
• 1 – Bay Leaf
• A small piece – Mace
• 2 cups – Milk
• 1 cup – water
• Salt, to taste
• For the Kale Moti layer:
• 250g – Bengal Gram
• Salt, to taste
• a pinch – baking soda
• 4 tbsp – clarified butter/ghee
• 2.5 tsp – Ginger paste
• 2 tsp – Garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp – chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 3/4 cup – Curd
• 1 – big, chopped Tomato
• 1 big – cubed Potato
• 3 – finely chopped Green chillies
• For the Garnish layer:
• 1/2 cup – finely chopped Coriander leaves
• 1/3 cup – finely chopped Mint leaves
• 1 – finely chopped Tomato
• 4.5 tsp – finely chopped Ginger
• 6 or less – finely chopped Green chillies
• 1/2 cup – fried Onions
• 1/2 cup – Curd
• 1 tsp – Garam Masala powder
• 1/4 tsp – green Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp + 1 tsp – Saffron
• 1/4 tsp – Milk
• Atta – dough for sealing

Method:

1. Wash and soak the Bengal gram overnight. Drain.
2. Add water, salt, baking soda and cook till done. Make sure it doesn’t turn mushy. Drain the liquid.
3. Mix 1 tsp saffron in the warm milk. Mix the remaining saffron with 1/2 cup curd, garam masala powder and cardamom powder. Keep aside.
4. Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.
5. Boil the milk along with salt, water and the whole spices. Add the rice and cook till almost done.
6. Make sure that the rice is cooked just right. Let it cool.
7. Heat ghee/clarified butter in a pan or pot. Add the ginger-garlic pastes and saute till the raw smell goes.
8. Tip in the chilli powder, turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds.
9. Remove the pan off the heat and add the curd, tomato, potato, green chillies and return to heat.
10. Stir continuously till the gravy thickens and the fat leaves the masala.
11. Add the cooked gram. Simmer till the gravy coats the gram and the potatoes are cooked through. Add more salt if required.
12. In a large utensil, spread the cooked gram mixture. Pour the curd mixture evenly on top of this followed by the chopped tomato and ginger, coriander and mint leaves, green chillies and fried onions.
13. (You can keep some of the garnish aside for the final layering).
14. Spread the rice on top of it evenly. Sprinkle the saffron milk. Cover the pot or utensil with a moist cloth and lid. Seal the lid with atta-dough. Cook on dum for 15-20 minutes.
15. Serve hot with an accompaniment of your choice.
16. Recipe Courtesy: Mareena’s Recipe Collections