Patriotic Pulao

Patriotic Pulao

Ingredients:

1. Basmati/Biryani Rice - 3 cups
2. Grated Carrot - 1
3. Chopped Spinach(palak) - a small bunch
4. Chopped Onions - 2
5. Green Chillies - 2
6. Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tbsp.
7. Asafoetida/hing powder - 1/2 tsp.
8. Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 2 tsp.
9. Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp.
10. Corriander powder - 1 tbsp.
11. Saunf/Aniseeds - 1 tsp.
12. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
13. Salt - according to taste
14. Ghee/Clarified Butter - to cook

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai(vessel) and add 1/4th tsp.hing powder, 1tsp. jeera, 1/tsp. saunf and 1/2 the cinnamon stick.
2. Then make a paste of ginger and green chillies and add half of it to the vessel.
3. Add half the chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
4. Add salt, red chilli powder and corriander powder.
5. Then divide the rice into 3 parts and add one part to the vessel, along with the grated carrots.
6. Add water(double the quantity of rice), cover the vessel with a lid and wait till the rice is cooked.
7. Keep stirring it in between so that it doesn't stick to the pan. Adjust the water accordingly.
8. When it is cooked, remove from pan and allow to cool.
9. Then, again add 1/4th tsp. hing powder, 1tsp. jeera, 1/tsp. saunf and the remaining 1/2 of the cinnamon stick.
10. Let them splutter in oil. Then add the remaining half of the ginger-chilli paste.
11. Add the chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
12. Add salt, red chilli powder and corriander powder.(The whole process is repeated.)
13. Then add the chopped and washed spinach and cook for some time.
14. Add the 2nd part of the rice and water(double the qty. of rice).
15. Cover the vessel with a lid and wait till the rice is cooked.
16. When the rice is cooked, remove from pan and keep in a separate vessel/plate.

17. Then cook the remaining rice.
18. To arrange it, first spread the spinach rice on a plate, add the plain rice over it and finally top it up with the carrot rice.

Variation: You may add saffron/kesar soaked in warm milk to the carrot rice, and corriander leaves to the palak rice, and dryfruits to enhance the colour and taste, respectively, of the pulao.

Due to some technical problem, I couldn't post this month's recipes in the first week. Anyway, better late than never:-) HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!