1lb basmati or other long-grained rice, cooked and drained
3 tablespoons ghee or butter, to taste.
5 cloves
4 pods green cardamom
1 cinnamon tree leaf (or substitute 2 bay leaves)
1 small onion, sliced thin
2 green hot pepper, split lengthwise
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste (1 part ginger to 1 part garlic)
100 grams dried dates, pitted and sliced thin
50 grams white raisins
50 grams cherry or pineapple. (Cut into small pieces)
50 grams cashew nuts
50 grams pistachio nuts
50 grams almonds, blanched and diced
pinch of salt
3-4 strands saffron
1 tablespoon milk

1.Heat ghee or butter in a large wide pan or wok.
2.Add dry spices: cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon tree leaf.
3.Throw in the chopped onion and fry until it just begins to turn brown.
4.Add ginger-garlic paste and hot pepper and fry for about 1 minute before tossing in all of the fruits and nuts.
5.Add salt to taste.
6.Turn the flame down to low.
7.Soak the strands of saffron in milk, mixing until the milk turns orange.
8.Pour the cooked rice into the pan and sprinkle the saffron-milk on top.
9.Stir very carefully so as not to break or mash up the rice grains, mixing the flavorings and saffron color in uniformly and heating the rice.
10.Add more ghee according to your preference
11.Serve warm with Raita