Pudina pulao

I love pudina.It smells awesome & tastes great ! Especially the pudina paani or the mint water which adds the kick to the pani puri is simply irresistible ! So, when I came across Pudina pulao,I gave it a try.I used very little pudina & it turned out quite bland.So ,this time around,I took care to use sufficient quantity of mint.

Ingredients : 1.5 cups basmati rice, 2 cups of cleaned & cut vegetables (  beans,green peas,carrots, capsicum is optional ,potato), 1tsp grated ginger,2-3 green chillies finely chopped, 1/3 cup cleaned & chopped hara dhania , 1/2 cup cleaned & chopped pudina leaves, 1/2 tsp jeera, 1-2 cinnamon sticks,2 bay leaves, 2 lavang, 5-6 peppercorns, 2 small elaichi,1 tbsp ghee,salt to taste.

Method : Make a green paste of green chillies,grated ginger ,hara dhania & pudina by adding some water.Keep aside.

In a pressure pan ,take ghee & warm it up.Add the jeera.When jeera sputters,add cinnamon .Slightly pound the peppercorns ,lavang & elaichi & add them as well.Add the mixed vegetables.Slightly fry them.Add the bay leaves & mix nicely.Next add rice & mix nicely.Let it be for 5 minutes.Now add the green paste.Mix nicely.Add salt.Mix.Add 2.5 cups water .Close the pressure pan lid.Pressure cook upto 2 whistles.Slow it down & let it cook for 5 more minutes.Put off gas.

When it cools,remove the whistle.After 5-10 minutes,open the lid to smell the aromatic pulao ! Serve with papad ,raita or salad of your choice.

My rice got a little mushy .Maybe too many veggies made it so .Maybe I added more water.Or perhaps,I should not have slow cooked it after reducing the gas.Next time around ,I will be more careful.

Kadhai Gobhi

I had sent in this recipe to HT cafe & it was in the weekly column "Ghar Ka Khana" on 16th April,2009.

Ingredients:250gm cauliflower cut into medium sized florets,2 carrots diced,6 beans cut into 1/2 inch pieces,1 small bowl of peas,1 large capsicum diced,1 medium sized tomato diced,1/2 inch ginger grated,1 large green chilli cut into 1/2 inch pieces,1 tbsp dhania powder,1 /2 tsp pepper powder,1 tbsp oil for cooking,1/2 tsp turmeric,1/4 tsp hing,salt to taste.
Method : Heat oil in the kadhai & add grated ginger & green chilli pieces.Then add cauliflower florets,carrots,beans & peas.Add turmeric & hing.Keep a plate filled with water on the kadhai whilst the veggies are getting cooked.Add a little water to the veggies in the kadhai to cook the veggies after 5-10 minutes of cooking.Once the veggies are tender,add capsicum.After 2-3 minutes add tomatoes followed by dhania powder,pepper& salt.After 5 minutes ,put off the gas.Garnish with coriander.

This is a sabzi wherein you can add aloos  & pyaaz also if you wish.