Peas Pulav

I learnt this pulav dish from my friend Sushma and we had it along with chinese chicken and raitha on almost all Sundays during our stay at Chennai. We normally took turns to cook in our apartment. I cooked during the week days and Sushma and Maha cooked during the week ends. We had awesome fun at our apartment... cooking, shopping, watching movies together... gosh! it was whole lot of fun...Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients
Rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 1/4 cups
Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Butter - 1 Tablespoon
Frozen or fresh Peas - 1 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Fresh coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Onion (big) - 1 (chopped lengthwise)
Green chilli - 3 (split lengthwise)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 1/2 Tablespoon
Lemon juice - 1 Tablespoon
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Bay leaves - 2
Fennel seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt - to taste


Method
1. Heat oil in a pressure pan and fry the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, fennel seeds and cumin seeds for 30 seconds.
2. Add the green chillies and onions and sauté for 6 minutes. Then add the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smell goes off.
3. Now add the mint and coriander leaves and cook until the aroma of the mint shows up and then add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Now add the washed rice and butter, stir well so that the butter is melted and each rice is coated well with it.
5. Add the salt and water,cover the pressure pan with its lid, put the weight on top and cook on high heat until you hear 2 whistles. (approximately 7 to 8 minutes)
6. Turn off the heat and when the pressure is completely released, open the pan and drizzle the lemon juice all over and give a good stir so that all the ingredients are evenly mixed.
            Peas pulav is ready to be served.


Note
* Basmati rice or any long grained rice can be used.
* Vegetables like carrot, beans and cauliflower can also be added with peas.
* Once the pressure is completely released after cooking the rice, do not have the lid on for a very long time else the rice will be over cooked and become mushy.
* This pulav can also be prepared in a normal thick bottomed, deep pan. Just follow the same procedures and allow the water to dry completely with a lid on the pan. Do not stir constantly when the rice is cooking which will break the rice.