ALU METHI PULAV

This is quite a simple dish. Long back Anu mausi had prepared something like this. I do not remember how exactly she made it, but on that basis, I tried this and it turned out very tasty.







So, here are the

Ingredients:

Rice (jeera rice or plain) 1 cup; here I have used unpolished red rice... healthy rice :)
Alu 1 medium
Kasoori methi 1/4 cup or
Fresh chopped menthya soppu 2 cups
Potato 1 medium
Onion 1 big
Grated coconut 1/2 cup
garlic 2-3 pods
Ginger 1/2 " piece
Green chillies 1 or 2
Cinnamon 1/2" pieces 3 or 4
Clove 8 pieces
Black pepper 4 or 5
Cashew nut a few pieces
Tamarind paste (thick) 1/2 teaspoon
Water 3 cups
Refined oil and/ghee 2 tablespoons
Salt about 1 1/2 teaspoons

Procedure:

Wash rice and drain water and leave it for half an hour.

Soak kasoori methi in hot water for about 15 minutes.

Cut potato into 1/2" cubes

Grind together coconut, onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, black pepper, one piece of cinnamon, and 4 pieces of clove into a rough paste.

Fry cashew nut pieces in ghee to a golden brown colour.

Heat oil in a pressure pan. Add remaining cinnamon and cloves and fry for half a minute. Add the ground paste and fry till raw smell goes. Add potato and fry for one minute. Add soaked kasoori methi or menthya soppu and fry for one minute. Add rice and fry for one minute. Add water (you can also include the water in which you had soaked kasoori methi ). Add salt and tamarind paste. Pressure cook till you get 3 whistles. When done, transfer to a bowl and garnish with fried cashew nuts. Serve hot with raitha.