Summer is up with all its heat and scorching sunrays. Mint or poodeena is the bounty of long sunshiny days of summer. Poodina is used in most of the Indian recipes as it has many nutritional and therapeutic benefits. It is used as mouth and breath freshner as it has a very cool taste and refreshing aroma. Digestive problems and bowel diseases are also cured by mint or poodeena. Served at lunches or dinners, mint rice adds-on to the taste and pleasure of summer fiesta.
Ingredients:
- 250 grams Basmati Rice (soaked in water for half an hour)
- 2 medium onions or piyaaz (finely sliced)
- 2 tomatoes or timatar (cut into cubes)
- 1 thick bunch of mint leaves or poodeena
- Namak or Salt as per taste
- 1 teaspoon of lal mirch (red chilli powder)
- Half teaspoon haldi or turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste or adrak lehsan paste each, making together two teaspoons
- 2 to 3 hari mirch or green chilies
- 2 taiz paat or bay leaves
- 1 small piece of dalchini or cinnamon stick
- Quarter teaspoon of laung or cloves
- Cashews (kaju) and coconut (sliced or cubed) are optional
- Quarter cup Ghee or oil
Start by making a thick paste of mint leaves (poodeena) and green chilies (hari mirch) in the grinder. Heat the oil or ghee, add onions, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaf and fry till onions start changing their color. Then add ginger and garlic paste and tomatoes and little water in it and cook until tomatoes get soft and blended. Now add poodeena paste, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and cook for two minutes. Add enough water that the rice gets finely cooked and rice. Mix everything with the spoon and cover the pan. When the rice gets near to ready, slow down the heat and let them cook on steam for 15 minutes.
Yours greenly mouthwatering mint rice is ready. Garnish it with fried cashews and coconut and serve it hot with raita.
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