Mint Coriander Pulao

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups
Pudina leaves (washed and chopped) - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves (washed and chopped) - 1/2 cup
Potatoes (medium sized) - 2
Carrot (medium sized) - 1
Peas - 1/2 cup
Mealmaker (optional) - 1/2 cup
Ginger (grated fine) - 1.5 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Vegetable oil - 2 tsp
Ghee - 4 tsp (or if you skip oil, you can put 6 tsp ghee)
Cinnamon - 1 stick (about 1.5 inch)
Star aniseed - 2 petals
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Clove - 2
Green chilli - 1

Method:
1. Wash the rice, soak for 15 minutes.
2. Wash and cut the vegetables and keep aside.
3. Dry grind cinnamon and star aniseed and put aside.
4. Put oil/ghee in a pan, add clove, coriander powder and grated ginger, and saute for half a minute.
5. Now add the vegetables. Add salt, chilli powder and turmeric.
6. Now add chopped pudina leaves and coriander leaves.
7. Add ground cinnamon and star aniseed powder and saute for 4 minutes in medium flame.
8. Transfer sauted contents to pressure cooker.
9. Drain water from rice and add rice to the cooker. Add 5.5 cups of water and keep on medium flame.
10. When the mixture starts to boil, taste the mixture for salt. Place lid and cook for 3 whistles. After 3 whistles, put on low flame and continue to cook for 3 minutes.
11. Serve hot with yoghurt raita.


Variation: Do not put pudina and coriander leaves. Instead, add 1/3 cup grated and ground coconut to the 5.5 cups of water while mixing with rice. Also, add 2 tomatoes to the vegetables.