Methi Pulav

Methi pulav

Ingredients:

Methi leaves : 1 cup wased and chopped

Coriander leaves : ½ cup chopped

Onions : ¼ cup sliced

Turmeric : ¼ tspn

Ginger garlic paste : ½ tspn

Green chilies : 3 to 4 (more or less per your taste)

Whole masala : 2 to 3 cardamom/elaichi, 1 inch dalchini/cinnamon, 2 or 3 cloves/laung and 1 bay leaf, biryani flower and mace.

Shajeera: 1.5 tspns

Cashew nuts : few roastd in ghee

Pistachios : few roasted in ghee (optional)

Salt : as per taste

Red chilly powder : 1 tspn (more or less as per your taste)

Lemon juice : 1 tspn

Basmathi rice : 1 cups 

Malai or cream : 1 tblspn

Milk : 1 tblspn

Coriander seed powder : 1 tspn

Cumin seed powder : ½ tspn

Garam masala powder : ¼ tspn

Method :

• Place a small pan on medium flame, add oil. Let it heat and then add whole masala.

• Let it fry for  mins. Take it off the flame. Now place a deep bottom vessel and add 2 cups of water.
• Let it boil then add whole masala with oil and salt.

• Then add rice and let it cook for about 5 to 6 mins. Add few drops of lemon juice. This is will help basmati rice from become too soft. Do not over cook it. Once rice is cooked perfectly, strain the water and rest it.

·         Take a blender, add chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves and green chilies. Blend them with out water. (Do not make it into a paste by adding water or oil. This recipe needs very finely chopped mint leaves and green chilies. Hence we use blender.)

·         Place a kadai on medium flame, add ghee and melt.

·         Now add shajeera and let it splutter. Then add sliced onions.

·         Let them cook until they turn translucent.

·         Now add turmeric, ginger garlic paste and sauté them. Let them cook on medium flame for about 2 mins.

·         Add blended mint, coriander and green chilies.

·         Sauté them, close the lid and cook for 2 mins.

·         Now add chopped methi leaves and salt.

·         Let them cook for a while until methi leaves reduce in quantity.

·         Now add red chilly powder, garam masala, coriander seed powder, cumin powder and sauté.

·         Add fresh cream. (This is optional. I used fresh cream to enhance the flavor).

·         Mix them well, close the lid, reduce the flame and let it cook for 2 to 3 mins.

·         Now add cooked basmati rice, little ghee (optional) and lemon juice. Mix it with methi masala and other ingredients.

·         Add roasted nuts and close the lid and let it cook for about 4 to 5 mins on medium flame.

·         Turn off the flame and serve it hot with any curry or raitha.