Kabuli

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long grain or basmati rice
3 potatoes, boiled until just done and sliced thinly
3 small onions sliced
1 cup cauliflour florets
1 sweet potato, boiled until just done and sliced thinly
2 tomatoes, sliced in circles
1/2 cup boiled peas
juice of one lemon
1/2 pommegrante worth of seeds
1/4 cup cashews
handful of raisins, soaked in water for a few minutes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup yoghurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 bayleaves broken into 3 each
2 cardamom pods, crushed
3 cloves
4 green chilis
1 tsp ground cinnamon
5-6 tbsp. ghee (melted butter) or olive oil
2 slices dry bread, cut in cubes



Method

1. Cook rice until just done and fluffy in 3 1/2 cups of water with salt, bay leaves, cloves, and cardamoms.

2. Add about 1 tsp ghee or oil and the pommegranate seeds to the rice. Keep aside.

4. In the same fat, add the vegetables one type at a time. Heat through, remove from pan and set aside.

5. Again using the same fat (add a little more if needed), add the cumin and chili. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Then add drained yoghurt, cinnamon, salt, chili powder, cumin, and turmeric.

6. Cook this mixture until the whiteness of the yoghurt is gone. Add back the vegetables and the reserved bread cubes. Stir and add the lemon juice, and keep the mixture aside.

7. Grease a large heavy, deep pan or casserole dish. Add one layer of rice, then one layer of the cooked vegetable mixture, finally a layer of tomato slices. Repeat until all parts are used up, ending with a layer of rice.

8. Pour the milk over the top of the dish and cover tightly. Put in a 350 oven for about 10 minutes.

9. Serve hot as a stand-alone dinner. Serves 8-10.