Kofta Briyani

ingredients

1 cup basmathi rice
1 cup cooked chick peas(channa) 1 cup or 2 boiled potatoes
2″ piece ginger
2 big cloves of garlic cloves (4-5 if Indian garlic is used)
1 cup onion
3-4 green chilies
1 tea spoon lemon juice
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup tomato puree
6-7 strands of coriander leaves ground to smooth paste
A pinch of turmeric
2 tbl spoons cream(optional)
1/2 tea spn chili powder
Oil/ghee
Salt

Method:

Heat oil and add bay leaf. Add basmathi rice and fry till a nice aroma comes out of it. Add 2 cups of water, a little salt and cook till rice is done(take care the grains should be separate after cooking).
Grind 1″ ginger, garlic, 1/2 cup onion, green chilies, lemon juice into a paste. Add this to mashed chana or potato. Mix well. Make small balls of this mixture and deep fry them in oil (alternatively, bake them in oven like this).
Heat oil and add remaining ginger(grated), finally chopped onion. Fry till onions turn slightly brownish. Add coriander paste, tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric, cream and salt. Mix well and cook for around 5-10mins or till the gravy thickens.
Just before serving, take a serving bowl, spread one layer of rice, then one layer of gravy, followed by one layer of kofta.

Repeat this till all the rice, kofta and gravy is finished. The top layer should be rice. Serve hot.

Note: Arrange the layers only few minutes before serving, otherwise the koftas become soft and taste reduces.
The potato koftas does not become crunchy since we are not adding anything extra to make them crunchy.
While serving, take care not to break the koftas.