METHI PULAO RECIPE

Its been a while since I have posted a recipe on pulao for the simple reason that I either make it at odd times (well... I consider anything made for dinner also as an odd time as I find it difficult to take any good pics) or when I am short of time.I must say pulao is easy to prepare and is also a good dish in any party. The flavors of the whole masalas and herbs and the beautiful fragrance of basmati rice when cooked to the perfection when paired with a raita(seasoned yogurt) is truly a blissful meal.

While I have already posted various pulao recipes like Mint pulao, Palak Pulao, Vegetable pulav,Peas pulao to name a few, today's Methi pulao is one of the most favorite one at home.Unlike regular pulaos, I make Methi pulao with coconut milk, a hint of bitterness from those fresh greens and the slight sweetness of coconut milk adds a nice taste to the pulao.I can assure you that you will fall in love with this flavorful pulao, if you try this recipe.
METHI PULAO | FENUGREEK LEAVES PILAF Recipe:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati Rice
2 cups Methi leaves/Fenugreek leaves
1 Onion,sliced
1/3 cup Paneer,cubed
1/3 cup fresh/frozen Green Peas
1 tsp home made Sambar powder*
1/2 cup Coconut milk**
1 1/2 cups Water
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 Bay leaf
1" Cinnamon
3 Cloves
2 Marathi Moggu
2 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Ghee
Salt to taste

to grind:
3/4" Ginger
4-5 Garlic pods
4-5 Green chillies
Method:

• Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 10 mins.
• Remove the fenugreek leaves from the stems carefully and wash them and add a pinch of salt and keep aside for 5 mins.Squeeze the water out of methi leaves.This will help to remove the bitterness slightly from fenugreek leaves,though it is optional to add salt.Do not chop the leaves for the pulav it will make the pulav bitter.
• Heat oil and ghee together in a wide thick pan or pressure cooker.Add cinnamon,bayleaf,cloves and marathi moggu and fry until they pop up.
• Grind ginger,garlic and green chili to a paste.
• Add sliced onions and fry until they turn pink.Add ground ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and fry well until the raw smell goes away.
• Add fenugreek leaves and fry for 2 mins.Add green peas and fry for 1-2 mins.
• Add drained basmati rice and fry well for a couple of minutes.
• Add paneer,sambar powder to rice and give a saute for a minute.
• Add coconut milk(1/2 cup) and water(1 1/2 cups) and add enough salt and let it come to a boil and close the lid of the pan/cooker and cook over low flame for 10-12 mins in the pan.If you are using pressure cooker pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer the flame and cook for another 7-8 mins.Switch off the flame.
• After the pressure drops,add lemon juice and give a nice and gentle stir to the pulao.

Serve it hot with raitha and papad.

* You can use 1/2 tsp Biriyani Masala(ready made) instead of sambar powder in the recipe.Both have their own taste and I like both the ways.
**I used 2 tbsp coconut milk powder mixed in 2 cups of warm water to make instant coconut milk.You can adjust the amount of coconut milk to suit your taste buds.You can even avoid coconut milk in this recipe if you do not coconut flavored pulaos.
Notes:

1. You can add mixed vegetables like carrots,potatoes,beans,capsicum in the recipe.Also you can add soaked chickpeas instead of veegatbles or peas in the recipe which makes it Methi Chana pulao which tastes nice too.
   
2. If you are using frozen paneer,soak them in hot water for a while which makes paneer soft.
3. You can add cashewnuts while frying onions which adds a nice taste to pulao.
4. You can even avoid coconut milk in this recipe and replace with water(2 cups) if you do not coconut flavored pulaos.
5. Marathi Moggu is not a very common spice available everywhere,if you do not get it leave the spice and proceed with the same recipe.
6. For a Vegan version avoid ghee and paneer in the recipe.