Ingredients:
- Basmati Rice – 1 1/2 cups
- 2 red onions chopped finely
- 3 tomatoes – blanched & pureed
- 1 carrot – cut into thin sticks
- 1 potato – peeled & cut into thin sticks
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 green bell pepper – chopped
- 1/2 cup green peas – fresh/frozen
- 2 green chillies – slit lengthwise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tbsp Desi ghee/oil
- Chopped cilantro/fresh coriander – for garnish
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tbsp grated coconut – fresh/frozen
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 4-5 dry red chillies
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp fennel seeds/saunf
- A small stick of cinnamon
- 4 cloves
- 4-5 black peppercorns
- 4 green cardamoms
- 1 star anise
To Grind:
Method:
- Clean Basmati rice in several changes of water. Drain & keep aside for about 15 minutes. Heat a tsp of ghee in a frying pan & fry the rice till fragrant. This takes about a minute.
- Pressure cook rice or cook on stove top with water in the proportion of 1:1 or 1:1.25 depending on the quality of rice, such that each grain is separate. Set aside & allow it to cool completely.
- Grind all the ingredients mentioned in the list into a smooth paste adding little water.
- Heat Ghee in a large wok, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, turmeric powder & green chillies. allow them to sizzle & add chopped onions. Fry onions till they turn pink.
- Add chopped carrots, potatoes & saute for a while. When half done add cauliflower florets, bell peppers & green peas one by one until cooked. The vegetables should retain their crunch.
- Add pureed tomatoes & bring the mixture to a boil. Add lemon juice & salt as per taste.
- Add rice & Garam Masala & fluff with fork & garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander leaves.