Tomato pulao / biryani

Hello friends, I will be travelling from tomorrow until Sunday. I will be back with some new recipe on Monday. Please stay tuned.

Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart, among other organs. Tomato pulao is a tasty and tangy rice dish made with nicely ripe tomato. This pulao can be made in a jiffy and best lunch box item for kids.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2cup – Raw rice/basmati rice
• 3 nos – Tomato (medium sized)
• 1 no – Onion (medium sized,chopped lengthwise)
• 2 or 3 nos – Green chilli (as needed,slit open)
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp – Red chilli powder ( as needed)
• 2 tsp – Coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp – Coriander leaves
• 1 1/2 tbsp – Mint leaves
• Salt as needed

For grinding:

• 2 cloves – Garlic
• 1 tsp – Ginger (chopped)
• 1 tsp – Fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 1 no – Cardamom

Seasonings:

• 2 tbsp – Oil/butter
• 1 no – Cinnamon
• 2 nos – Clove
• 1 no – Star anise
• 1 no – Bay leaf

Preparation method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 15 to 20 mins. Drain water completely and keep it aside.
2. Grind items given for grinding to a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
3. Grind 2 tomatoes in a blender to a smooth puree. Keep it aside.
4. Heat oil/butter in a pressure cooker, season with items given for seasonings. Add onion, green chillies and crushed ginger garlic paste saute until golden brown. Then add tomato puree saute for few mins.
5. Now add chopped tomato saute until raw smell goes. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and required salt saute until oil separates from the gravy.
6. Add coriander and mint leaves saute for few seconds. Now add 3 cups of water to this gravy(1:2 ratio for raw rice) and bring it to boil.
7. Add rice and pressure cook up to 2 or 3 whistles (depends upon the cooker we use).  Tomato rice is ready and serve hot with raita.