Wash and soak the basmati rice for 2 hours.
Blanch the almonds.
After soaking the dates in water for an hour, rinse these in more water.
Cut each date lengthwise into 5 or 6 slices, discarding the stones.
Pare the dry coconut and cut into thin slices.
Take out seeds of black cardamom.
Crush the seeds with peppercorns.
Wash, scrape and chop the green ginger.
In a thick bottomed pan, boil the basmati rice in the water in which it was kept soaking, till it is almost cooked and all water is absorbed.
Stir once or twice while boiling, so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a pan, put the sugar and add a little more that 1/4 litre of water, along with the cinnamon pieces, almonds, raisins, dates, cocnut slices, melon seeds, crushed cardamom seeds, crushed peppercorns and chopped green ginger.
Also add the saffron.
Sir and boil on a low flame till the sugar gets dissolved.
Now transfer the cooked rice to a large pan and add the condimented syrup, along with pounded green cardamoms.
Add ghee and the two cloves.
Now, gently mix this and cover its mouth with a fitting lid.
Seal the rim/edge of the pan/lid with wheat flour dough, so as to make the pan airtight.
Place on very low heat for 20 mins.
Break the dough apart, open the lid and serve the pulav hot.