The last one week, these kind of variety rice dishes is what I prepared for DH's lunch box- mission to clean the refrigerator completely, before hitting the supermarket ;) and Yay!!! I survived and also my blog ;)
Ingredients
2 1/4 cup White basmathi rice( check notes)
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
1 medium size onion finely chopped
1 to 2 green chillies slit lengthwise
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick(used the roll)
1 tsp shah jeera
few curry leaves
few broken cashews
3 to 4 tbsp Oil + few drops of oil to fry the cashews
Salt(as per taste)
1 tsp ghee(optional)
To grind into a fine paste (When ground, the mixture should be 1/2 a cup)
1 1/2 cup mint leaves
4 to 5 green chillies
2 to 3 peeled garlic cloves
1/2 inch ginger
Method
1. Cook rice with grains seperated. Spread it in a wide plate and allow it to cool.
2. Grind together the 1 1/2 cup mint leaves,garlic,ginger and 4 green chillies into a fine paste.
3. In a wide pan, heat oil at medium flame and once it is hot, add the shah jeera, cinnamon and bayleaves. Saute until the aroma comes out, which will happen in seconds.
4. Add the finely chopped onion, finely chopped mint leaves,curry leaves and the 1 or 2 green chillies. Saute until the onion becomes translucent.
5. Now add the ground paste,some salt and saute until it is incorporated well with the onion .Parallel to this, in a small pan, add very few drops of oil and add cashews and saute until it is golden brown.Add this to the mint-onion mixture just before adding the rice(This will help to retain the crunchiness of the cashews).
6. At low flame, add the cooked, cooled rice and remaining salt and stir well until the mixture is evenly combined with the rice.
7. Cover with a lid and let the rice sit on low flame for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ghee(if using) it tastes good , even without adding the ghee, and stir once gently. Serve it hot with raitha.
Notes
- I have used the electric cooker measuring cup for cooking the rice alone, where 1 cup of uncooked rice = 3/4 cup of uncooked rice (US standard measurement).
- Green chillies can be added more or reduced, as per taste.
- I have used the microwave for cooking the rice, which I have mentioned in my earlier posts too...It is just 2 cups of water to 1 cup of basmathi rice. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes. The rice is ready for these kind of rice varieties.
:)
