Tehri Pulao

I had read about Tahiri or Tehri pulao many times on the net.I wanted to try the recipe.I felt ,that winter is the best season to try this mixed veggie pulao,I googled & came across many  recipes.I made changes as I had some spices & not all.Moreover, I favour dishes to be slightly spiced.Sangeeta Khanna has a green tehri pulao recipe

Ingredients : 1.5 cups basmati or tukda basmati, 1/4 cup cauliflower florets ( boiled in water up to 1 boil with salt & turmeric ) , 1/4 cup beans chopped into 1/2 inch pieces, 1/ 4 cup carrot chopped into 1/2 inch pieces, 1 small potato roughly chopped into quarters ,1/4 cup peas,  1-2 onions, thinly sliced, 1/4 tomato roughly chopped, 1-2 green chillies, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp jeera, , 1/4 tsp clove powder, 1-2 bay leaves, 1 stick cinnamon broken into 2-3 pieces, 2-3 chhoti elaichi  chilkas, 1tsp dhania powder,1- 2tbsp ghee, 1/4-1/2 tsp red chilli powder ( optional ), 1/2 tsp haldi, salt to atste.

Method : Take ghee in pressure pan ( twin vessel of the pressure cooker ) .Heat it on slow flame Add jeera,When they splutter, add sliced onions, chopped green chillies, grated ginger & fry till onion changes colour slightly.Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick pieces & fry them till they get aromatic.Add chopped veggies & peas.Fry them all .All veggies will get mixed with spices.Add chhoti elachi chilkas, Add washed rice to the pan.Mix nicely. Add dhania powder, clove powder ,turmeric powder & red chilli powder .Mix nicely.Add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder.Add 2 cups water .Add salt. Mix all ingredients nicely.

Pressure cook upto 3-4 whistles. Cool till whistle sound stops.Remove lid .Serve tehri pulao with raita and papad.

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.