Mint Pulao

This is another simple rice variety that came as a savior during my kinder-garden stages of kitchen particularly when I invited people home for lunch or dinner. The aroma that comes when you open the cooker just masks any flaws in its cooking and it is very compatible with plain raita to complex gravies. Sometimes easy works get great recognition and this is one of them so I love to cook this simple recipe again and again.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1.       Mint leaves – 2 cups cleaned

2.       Green chilies – 3

3.       Garlic cloves – 5

4.       Coconut – 2” piece

5.       Ginger – 1” piece

6.       Onion – 1

7.       Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

8.       Cinnamon – 1” piece

9.       Bay leaf – 1

10.     Cloves – 2

11.   Ghee roasted cashew nuts – 1 tbsp (optional)

12.   Oil – 2 tbsp

13.  Basmati rice – 2 cups

      14.   Ghee – 1 tbsp

Method:

Step 1: Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Grind together the mint leaves, green chilies, garlic, ginger and coconut in a mixer jar into fine paste.

Step 3: Heat oil directly in the cooker, temper with: cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and sauté thinly sliced onion in it till crisp and brown.

Step 4: Add the ground paste and sauté until raw smell goes and oil starts to separate.

Step 5: Drain and add the rice and fry for 2 minutes.

Step 6: Now add enough water for the rice to cook and necessary salt.

Step 7: Mix well and close the lid to pressure cook for 2 whistles or until it is done.

Step 8: When the pressure subsides, open drizzle a spoon of ghee and mix well.

Step 9: Garnish with roasted cashew nuts and serve with raita or gravy.

TIPS:

* Amount of water and time required depends on rice you use. Use the measures that you usually use for plain steamed rice.

*You can temper only the cumin seeds in ghee and mix at the last to have the cumin seeds crispy and flavorful.

*Adding a spoon of lemon juice at the end is optional.