Vegetable and Mint Pulav

Ingredients:

Basamati Rice - 2 cups
Water - 4 cups
Vegetables(cut longitude) - 1 cup(Carrot,Bell Pepper,Peas,Beans,Onions)
Coconut(Grated)-1/2 cup or 1/2 cup coconut milk
Oil/Ghee - 2tbsp
Cashew -8-10 nos
Salt to taste

For Masala:


Cinnamon(dalchini)sticks - 3
Cloves- 2-3
Elaichi- 2
Somp - 1 tsp
Ginger(grated)- 2tsp
Bay Leaves - 3-4
Anise - 2
Khus Khus/Poppy seeds -1 tsp
Coriander Leaves(chopped) - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies- 3-4
Garlic- 1 pod
Mint/Pudina(chopped)- 1/2 cup

Method:

Fry each of the Masala item (Cinnamon,Cloves,Elaichi,Bay Leaves,Somp,Anise,Khus Khus) and grind it with the other ingredients(Ginger,Green Chillies,Garlic,Coriander,Mint,coconut)to a fine paste with little water(If using coconut milk then no water is needed)

Wash Basamati rice and drain all the water.(I don't soak as the rice becomes brittle)

Keep a pan on stove on medium heat and pour oil/ghee.Add bay leaves,cut onions and fry till golden brown.Add cashews and fry a little.Now put the ground masala and fry until the oil leaves in the sides of the pan.Now add Basmati rice,Vegetables,Salt and fry for a minute and mix well.After it cools down empty the ingredients to a rice cooker add 4 cups of water and cook it until done.You can also cook in the pan on slow heat.

Serve Hot Vegetable and Mint Pulav with vegetable kurma and cucumber raitha.