Vegetable Pullao - Reejhsinghani

Preparation : Cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Wash and soak the rice and dal for 1 hour. Drain and half boil both of them separately. Drain and set aside. Fry the onion rings until golden. Grind ginger, chiles, coriander and garlic to a paste. Heat 3tbs ghee or cooking oil and fry all the uncooked vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the ground paste, garam masala, turmeric and salt. Cover tightly and leave until the vegetables are half cooked. Blend coconut milk, lime juice and a little saffron essence. Fry the coconut to a golden color and slice finely. Take a large greased vessel and arrange rice, dal, onions and vegetables in layers. Start and finish with a layer of rice. Pour coconut milk over the top. Cover tightly and cook over a very low flame until the rice is tender and dry. This can also be done in a slow oven. Serve decorated with cashew nuts, fried coconut, strips of raw tomato and coriander leaves.