Pudina Rice

Ingredients (servings 2-3 persons)

For The Mint Paste

• 1 cup mint leaves, chopped,
• ½ cup coriander leaves, chopped (cilantro leaves)
• 1 to 2 green chillies, chopped
• ½ inch ginger, chopped or ½ teaspoon chopped ginger
• 3-4 garlic, chopped or ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped coconut or 2 tbsp grated coconut or 2 tbsp coconut milk (you can also add 2 tbsp desiccated coconut if you don't have fresh coconut)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 to 3 tablespoon water for grinding or add as required

Other Ingredients

• 1 cup MVR JSR rice or 200 grams
• 2 cloves
• 2 small cardamom
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon
• 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small tomato, sliced (optional)
• 1 small to medium potato, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup heaped fresh or frozen peas
• 1.5 to 2 cups water
• salt as required

Instructions

Preparation

1. Rinse the 1 cup MVR JSR Rice (240 grams) till the water runs clear of the starch. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes, drain the rice and keep aside.
3. Meanwhile, when the rice is soaking, prep the other ingredients.
4. Take 1 cup chopped mint leaves, ½ cup chopped coriander leaves, ½ tsp chopped ginger, ½ tsp chopped garlic, 1 or 2 chopped green chilies, 1 tbsp chopped coconut or 2 tbsp coconut milk or grated coconut, 1 tsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds in a chutney grinder or small wet grinder.
5. Add 2 to 3 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste. Add more water if required while grinding.

Making Pudina Rice

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in the pressure cooker.
2. Add the following whole spices - 1 inch cinnamon, 1 tej patta, 2 green cardamoms, 3 cloves, 2 to 3 single strands of mace and a small piece of stone flower (stone flower is optional).
3. Fry the spices for some seconds till they become aromatic.
4. Then add sliced onions. About 1 medium onion which has been thinly sliced.
5. Saute till the onions become golden. Then add the ground mint paste.
6. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ¼ tsp red chili powder. Stir and saute the masala paste for a minute or two.
7. Then add chopped potatoes, tomatoes and green peas. About 1 small to medium potato, chopped, 1 small tomato, chopped and ¼ cup fresh or frozen peas. Stir.
8. Add the drained rice and stir gently. The oil should coat the rice grains well. Stir & saute for a minute.

Cooking Pudina Rice

1. Add 1.5 to 2 cups of water. Stir well.
2. Add salt. Stir again.
3. Cover the lid tightly and pressure cook mint rice for 2 to 3 whistles till the rice grains are cooked.
4. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and gently fluff the rice.
5. Serve pudina rice hot with plain curd or with onion-tomato raita or boondi raita.