Pudina Rice (Mint Pulao)
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Mint flavored pulao is an easy to make instant rice dish to serve with onion raita in lunch or dinner. Flavorful green paste of fresh mint leaves, coriander leaves, coconut, ginger and garlic is sautéed with onion and then mixed with cooked rice to prepare pudina rice. It is a best option to give it in kid’s lunch box or serve as a light food in dinner. Prepare steamed rice in advance to make it instantly for lunch or dinner by following this step by step photo recipe.
| Ingredients: |
| 1/2 cup Basmati Rice (long grained rice) |
| 1/2 cup Mint Leaves |
| 1/2 cup Coriander Leaves, chopped |
| 1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice |
| 1/4 teaspoon Ginger, finely chopped |
| 2-3 Cloves of Garlic |
| 2 tablespoons Fresh Grated Coconut |
| 1 Green Cardamom, optional |
| 2 Cloves (long) |
| 1 Cinnamon Stick, broken into two pieces |
| 1/2 piece of Bay Leaf |
| 1 Green Chilli, finely chopped |
| 1 medium Onion, sliced |
| 1 cup Water |
| Salt to taste |
| 1 tablespoon Oil or Ghee |
| Fresh Mint Leaves and Roasted Cashew Nuts, for garnishing |
Directions:
- Wash rice 2-3 times in water. Soak them in 1-cup water for 15 minutes. Add rice along with soaked water in a pan and bring it to boil over medium flame.
- Cover the pan with a lid, reduce flame to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off flame and let it stand for 5-7 minutes. Remove the lid, transfer rice in a plate and let it cool for 4-5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add mint leaves, coriander leaves, lemon juice, ginger, garlic and grated fresh coconut in a small chutney jar of mixer grinder.
- Crush them to a smooth mint paste. Do not prepare this paste in advance otherwise it turns darker in color.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick pan or kadai over medium flame. Add green cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and sauté until cloves start to crackle for approx. 40 seconds. Add finely chopped green chilli and sliced onion; sauté until onion turns light brown.
- Add mint paste (prepared in step-4).
- Sauté it for 2-3 minutes.
- Add cooked rice and salt.
- Mix gently until each rice grain is evenly coated with masala. Cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off flame.
- Transfer mint rice to serving bowl and garnish with fresh mint leaves and roasted cashew nuts.
Tips and Variations:
- You can also use leftover rice in this recipe.
- You can also cook rice in a 3-liter capacity aluminum or steel pressure cooker over medium flame for 2-whistles instead of cooking in a pan.
- Amount of water required to cook the rice may vary according to rice type and age of rice. You can get the information required to cook the rice on backside of a rice package.
Taste: Mild spicy taste with mint flavor
Serving Ideas: Serve this rice with onion raita and papad in lunch or as a light and healthy dinner.