Desi Casserole

Okay, so let's get it straight. I love rice, in any form. But this casserole has my heart. The flavours mingle together in harmony creating piquancy on your palate. You can pick and choose a few things that can be done with the veggie mix, like making a Frankie out of it or using it as a pizza topping. This is also a great potluck dish, it's filling and easy to make for a big crowd. So try it out if you wanna send a meal to someone, or if you just want to eat something new.

Ingredients:

For the spice mix

1tbsp Chole Masala

1tsp Red Chilly powder

1/4th tsp Haldi

1/2 tsp Dhaniya powder

1 tsp roasted jeera

1tbsp Salt

1tsp Sugar

Grind these using a mortar and pestle.

The entire mix will be used in this recipe for 2.

For the veggies

Choose any veggies of your choice

1 finely chopped Onion

1 Clove of garlic

Puree of 1 tomato

1/2 tsp Ginger garlic and Chilly paste

3 tbsp Boiled Corn kernels

3tbsp Carrots

1/2 Capsicum Chopped

1/4 cup Cauliflower, cut into tiny florets.

2tbsp Peas

1/4th cup Boiled Beans ( I used Chauli, but you can use any, I highly recommend Chole for that Desi punch)

1 tsp lemon juice

Cheese of your choice, you decide the quantity.

Ghee

Water and Soaked Rice.

Method:

1. Pressure cook beans of your choice and peas along with some extra water and salt. I cooked Chauli and peas for 3 whistles.

2. In a pan, add 3 tbsp of ghee and cook finely chopped onions and garlic. Let it become soft and then add cauliflower. Cover and cook till cauliflower is halfway cooked.

3. Add carrots and cook for 5 mins. Add capsicum, boiled corn, peas and chauli and cook till all veggies look almost done. Add half of the spice mix and saute till everything gets aromatic. add the lemon juice and remove everything in a bowl.

4. Now in the same pan, add more ghee and soaked rice. Saute it with the remaining spice mix. Add tomato puree and leftover water from the pressure cooker. You have to add 3/4th of the water required to cook the rice. This way we will know exactly when to layer the veggies over the rice.

5. Once the rice is 3/4th of the way cooked, add more water to cook the rice. Layer with the mixed veggies and grated cheese.

6. Let it cook for another 6 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.

7. The ghee will help keep the rice grains separate. Once done, let the rice rest for 10 minutes. Then serve.