Recipe Method

1. Pour 500ml boiling water onto the rice. Set aside for 2 hours.
2. Combine the masala, salt, mint, garlic/ginger mix, yoghurt, chilli, curry leaves, thyme and soaked saffron and all the chopped vegetables Set aside for 1 hour for the flavours to infuse.
3. Sprinkle salt and colouring over the prepared potatoes in a glass or steel bowl. Toss them in heated oil to crispen the outside only. Set aside back in their bowl.
4. Add the ButterSpread to the same pot, and gently fry the onions until light brown. Add cumin, bay leaves, fennel seed, star anise, cinnamon quills and cardamom seeds, and roast together lightly.
5. Assemble as follows:
6. Sprinkle a can of the drained lentils into fairly deep pot suitable to go in an oven.
7. Pile the vegetable mix over.
8. Sprinkle over half the fried onion spice mix, then the remaining can of drained lentils and chopped egg.
9. Arrange the potatoes over.
10. Spoon on the drained, uncooked soaked rice.
11. Cover the pot, and bring to the boil for 15 minutes.
12. Meanwhile set the oven at 180°C.
13. Pour over the reserved canned lentil liquid, and finish off the remaining onion spice mix.
14. Cover with a well-fitting lid and cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
15. Remove from the oven and fluff up with a fork to combine the ingredients a little.
16. Garnish with dhania, and cashews if using  (and consider fresh rose petals for a special occasion)