my $x = [some number];
my $y = [some number];
my $distance_mat;
####################
for(my $i=1; $i<=$x; ++$i){
        for(my $j=0; $j<$y; ++$j){
                for(my $k=0; $k<$y; ++$j){                       
                        $distance_mat -> [$i][$j][$k] = rand 1;
                }   
        }   
}
##############Start and end nodes have zero cost
for(my $i=0; $i<scalar(@{$distance_mat[1]}); ++$i){
        $distance_mat -> [0][0][$i] = 0;
}
for(my $i=0; $i<scalar(@{$distance_mat[-1]}); ++$i){
        $distance_mat -> [-1][0][$i] = 0;
}
#######################################

#call the recursive min_dist subroutine

my $last = scalar ( @{$distance_mat} );
my @minimum_path = &min_dist (\$distance_mat,$last);
## I want @minumum_path array to store the best path for each $i level as a pointer or index.

sub min_dist { 
       #I dont know how to program this recursive subroutine

       #My incorrect attempt looks like this

        my $k = $_[1];
        my @array = @{ $_[0]->[$k] };
        foreach( @array ){
              $_ += min_dist( $_[0],$_[1]-1 );
        }

        my $return=min( min_dist($_[0],$_[1]-1)+ ###I cannot figure out how to write this statement

        return $return;

        }   

sub min { #pass array of values
        my @array = sort { $a <=> $b } @_; 
        return $array[0];
}