Qubooli

Qubooli-chana dal flavoured in a yogurt and onion curry, layered with basmati,cooked in the aroma of cardamom,cinnamon and caraway seeds.
This recipe used to be our eid special,prepared for brunch with the traditional sheerqorma. Mom used to prepare it with dahi ki chutney(raita) and shikampur(minced meat patties with a filling of onion and yogurt,shallow fried). The festive air used to make it all the more tasty.
This is a very tasty one dish meal,and biryani equivalent for vegetarians :)
Now for eid generally I make mutton/chicken biryani,coz thats what is the PUBLIC DEMAND(read, husband demand),but cooking it in normal days makes me think of eid day back then when eid meant dressing up and looking good and doing hafta vasooli(eidi), making the most of being younger to people who can shell out cash(;)), wow I used to be rich after eid,with all the eidi collected(I was the youngest of all so,I didnt need to give it to anybody).
I was not able to cook this particular dish after marriage as I did not know the recipe,I missed it,but could not find a recipe close to what I ate.
which remindsme of a sher...arz hai
'rang laati hai mehandi sookh jaane ke baad,yaad aati hai khaane ki khaane se door jaane ke baad:)'(altered from original)
then recently found it in a google search and was more than happy to find it, I was in TN then, I made it, and it was an instant hit there,loved and relished by all,hope you like it too...




Ingredients:
1)Basmati Rice-2 cups
2)medium size onions-2(fried to golden brown)
3)chana dal-1/2 cup
4)yogurt-1/2 cup
5)ginger garlic paste-2 tsp
6)garam masala-1tsp
7)salt
8)cardamom 3,cinnamon-1 inch long stick,caraway seeds-1/2 tsp
9)turmeric-1/4 tsp
10)red chilli pdr-1 tsp
11)cilantro-1 cup chopped
12)8-10 green chillies chopped
13)Saffron,ghee
14)1 big lime

Method:
--Boil Dal till almost done,not mashed up,but whole.
--Wash and soak rice,put water,cinnamon,cardamom,caraway seeds,half of the cilantro,grren chillies and salt in a pot,cover and boil.
--In the meantime,heat ghee,whisk yogurt,ginger garlic paste,turmeric,red chilli powder,salt and ghee,cook till oil separates.
--Add daal and cook till dry,add garam masala and fried and crushed onion,squeeze out the juice of lime,mix well and keep aside.
--Add soaked rice to the boiling water,cook till 3/4th done, strain.
--Before putting it in layers,spread some oil,on the bottom of the pot,so that rice does not get stuck to the bottom .
--Now put half of the rice in the pot(first),then the dal mixture(second layer),then again the rest of the rice.
--soak saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk(if u dont have saffron use food colour)
--Spread blobs of ghee on the top rice layer,then sprinkle saffron milk,all over the top layer.Garnish with cilantro.
--cover it tightly with aluminium foil,then with a lid.
--cook for 10-15 mins on low flame(sim).
--Let it stand for 10 mins before serving,then mix the layers well and serve.
--Enjoy with Raita, tamate ka masale ka saalan or mirchi ka saalan.