Peas Pudina Pulav

Colorful, attractive pulav with a great aroma. What else do you need to relish?? You will enjoy eating every byte of it..

Conversation between myself and my hubby:
Me: Pulav is ready & I'm very hungry. Come we'll have our dinner. (Usually, we both have our dinner together :))
Hubby: I'm not hungry as I had snacks in the evening
Me: Okay, I'm hungry & will have my dinner. Will serve you later.
Hubby: Okay.

When I got the plate, he liked the aroma & the color of the pulav so much that.., his next statement was....

"nangu hakikodu, ootada kelsa mugidu hogli.." (English: Serve me also, I'll finish my dinner).
ha ha ha..

The pulav served its purpose of attracting people. My mother used to prepare this in a different method.., I made some modifications to suit our requirement & here it goes...

Ingredients:
2 cups pudina/mint leaves
1 cup green peas
3 green chillies
1 onion
1/2 inch ginger
1 pod garlic (I didn't add this as it is not my personal choice..)
1 tablespoon grated coconut.
2 cups basmati rice (even normal rice would do.., I added normal + basmati as I had less of later)
1.5 teaspoons garam masala
1 inch cinnamon (powdered)
1 star anise
2-3 cloves
1 cardamom
2-3 tablespoons butter or oil
4 cups water.
salt according to taste

For tempering/oggarane/tadka:
1 cup capsicum (cut into cubes.., it would become colorful, if all the 3 colors of capsicum are added.., I added green & yellow, as I didn't get red capsicum)
1 onion sliced
1 tablespoon oil

For garnishing:
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice(optional)

Method:

• Mix pudina, ginger, garlic, onion, chilli and grated coconut together and grind in a mixer to form a smooth paste (without adding much water)
  
• Soak the rice for 10 mins.
• In a pressure cooker or pan, heat oil/butter.
• When oil is hot add, cinnamon(powdered), cardamom, star anise, clove & fry for a minute.
• Now add the paste prepared & fry in oil until all the water evaporates.
• Add green peas & rice, when paste starts leaving oil from the sides.
• Mix the rice, green peas well with the paste & add garam masala, salt & water.
• Close the lid of the cooker & cook for 1 whistle.
• Now prepare the tadka in a seperate kadai(vessel), add oil & when oil is hot, add onions. When onions become translucent, add capsicum & fry for a minute.
• Add this tadka & lemon juice to the rice cooked
• Mix well and serve it hot with carrot raitha

Carrot raitha:
Mix finely chopped onions, tomatoes , grated carrot with curd (yogurt)
Add salt according to taste
Carrot raitha is ready :)