Masoor and Tomato Biryani

Preparation Time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 50 mins
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients

• 3 cups steamed rice
• 3/4 cup whole masoor (whole red lentil)
• 3/4 cup onions , sliced
• 1/4 cup onions , chopped
• 3/4 cup tomatoes , chopped
• 1/4 tsp saffron (kesar) strands
• 5 tbsp ghee
• oil for deep frying
• salt to taste

To Be Ground Into A Paste

• 4 garlic (lehsun) cloves
• 7 red chillies
• 3 tsp coriander (dhania) seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 4 tsp poppy seeds (khus-khus)
• 25 mm (1") piece ginger (adrak)

Method

1. Soak the masoor in water for at least 6 hours. Drain and keep aside.
2. Deep-fry the sliced onions in ghee to a golden brown colour. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee in a vessel and cook the chopped onions till they turn translucent.
4. Add the paste, fry for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes. Fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add the soaked masoor, salt and ¾ cup of water.
6. Warm the saffron in a small vessel, add 1 teaspoon of milk and rub in unitl the saffron dissolves.
7. To the cooked rice, add the saffron, fried onions and salt and mix well.
8. In a large baking bowl, put 2 tbsp of ghee at bottom. Make four layers by spreading 1/3 of the rice, then spreading ½ of the masoor, next spreading a further 1/3 of the rice and finally spreading the remaining masoor and rice.
9. Cover and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°c (400°f) for 20 minutes. Turn upside down on a big serving plate just before serving.
10. Serve hot.