Green Pulao (Mint Cilantro Pulao)

The biggest question that's pops everyday is "what to cook today"??...I am sure this question pops to every single woman first thing in the morning....If I can decide then its well and good...but if I ask H he will say make whatever is easy for you this is the answer I get if I ask him in the mornings....if I ask him the same thing in the evening it will be "can I make pasta?' and my answer is a big NO to it.....and when it comes to my 3 year old it will be "Amma - I need rasam mammu'. He does not want to trouble Amma I guess,,,,,Anyways that saga of what to cook is a million dollar question and has become an everyday thing.

I wanted to try out something with mint (I have seen that people either love mint or do not like it altogether) and got it this time to incorporate it in subzi for roti but all I could think of was aloo (potato) to go with it and I was bored of eating aloo...I had already made Potato fry one day and gravy another day so did not want to go near that for at least a week...time was ticking I had to use the mint before it started turning blackish... I wanted to go shopping hence wanted to keep the menu simple for lunch ...so all I could think of was making some mixed rice (I wanted to make biryani but that's a long process) so went with the simpler version and went ahead with making the "Green Pulao". It took me less than an hour from start to end and I was all set to venture out on my shopping but the weather Gods did not permit me to do that...we were expecting some freezing rain this afternoon but it started early hence stayed put at home and enjoyed the yummy pulao with bell pepper tomato raita...Meanwhile I will think of some other vegetable or pulses to go with mint for rotis soon.....

Now coming to the recipe for making Green Pulao - I had only a medium size bunch of mint hence added a handful of cilantro to it. You may try this just with mint. I also want to add that I like to cut my vegetables lengthwise (about 1 1/2 inch size medium sliced)..you may do that the way you want. It tastes heavenly if you eat it couple of hours after making it since it soaks up the taste of the mint during that time.....Also if you prepare it couple of hours before serving make sure you warm it up without fail before serving the yummy pudina kothamalli rice.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Bastmati Rice
1 Big Carrot Cut lengthwise
1 Bell Pepper (Capsicum)
1 Cup Cauliflower florets
1 Medium Size Potato cut lengthwise
1 Medium size Onion Cut lengthwise
3 TBSP Frozen Peas
Beans cut lengthwise
1 Inch piece Ginger
1/4 Cup Yogurt
1 Tsp Jeera
1 Bay leaf
3 Cloves
Oil
Salt to taste

List of ingredients for grinding

Grinding Mixture 1 - Mint (take the leaves and wash it well), Cilantro (coriander - take the leaves and wash it well ), 12 Almonds (soak it in  boiling hot water for about 10 minutes and remove the skin), 1 inch ginger, 1 Green chilly. Grind all these together....wondering why am adding Almonds - they contain good fats and hence I have started substituting this instead of cashew in the dishes I make...it may be time consuming but it is worth the effort...

Grinding Mixture 2 -  2 Inch big Cinnamon stick, 5 Red Chillies and 3 Tsp Coriander Seeds. Take little oil in a pan and fry the spices mentioned and grind it into a fine powder after it cools down.

Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes. I cook the rice in the microwave by adding 2 1/2 cups water to 1 Cup of rice about 15 minutes.  I feel confident about making the rice in the microwave especially for making the mixed rice varieties....the grains stand separated this way...kind of scared to cook it in the pressure cooker.

I also boil my vegetables - carrots, potatoes, beans in the microwave for about 5 minutes (time changes based on the quantity of vegetables you are cooking) before adding it to the onion.

Take oil in a pan. Add the Jeera, Bay leaf, Cloves and Onion. Saute for few minutes and then add the bell pepper, cauliflower florets and ginger. Add some salt (like half of what you are going to use now). Fry them till they are cooked 80 %. Add the mint cilantro paste (mixture 1) to it and cook them till the raw smell leaves. Now the masala powder (mixture 2) and mix it well. Add the other vegetables cooked in the microwave along with the peas. Add the remaining salt and the yogurt. After they are mixed well add the rice. Do not use a big serving spoon to mix the rice with the veggies instead use fork and slowly mix it. This prevents the rice from breaking. Serve it with raita of your choice...I made bell pepper tomato raita to go with it....Enjoy!! Yum Yum!!