Methi Pulav Recipe | Methi Pulao | Vendhaya Keerai Sadham | Methi Rice

Methi Pulao or Vendhaya Keerai Sadham is a simple one pot recipe. It can be cooked in many ways and this is one of the super simple recipe with minimal ingredients. For variations, you can add tomato, garam masala, turmeric and replace peas with corns or beans and carrot. It can be a great lunchbox recipe. It is one of the easiest way to feed greens for your kids. If made with less spices for kids, adults can add little black pepper to make it more spicy.

Recipe after the jump...

Methi Pulao

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Methi leaves - 2 cups
Peas - 1 cup
Cashew nut - 10
Onion - 1
Green chilli - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2y6 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 2 tblspn
Oil - 1 tsp
Water - 1 3/4 cup

Spices:

Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Black pepper - 1/8 tsp
Black stone flower - 1
Star anise - 1/4 piece

Method:

Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the onions and cook the soaked peas for 1 whistle. If using frozen peas, you can skip pressure cooking.

In a pressure cooker, add the spices and wait for 1 minute. Add in sliced onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Once onion becomes translucent, add in green chilli and chopped tomatoes. Add little salt to speed up cooking of tomatoes.

Then, add in ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute till the raw smell is gone.

Then, add in chilli powder, cashew nut, salt to taste.

Now, add the methi leaves and stir fry till the leaf wilts. This is to reduce the bitterness from methi leaves.

Drain excess water from the basmati rice and add it. Mix well.

Add 1:1.5 cup of water and wait for the water to boil. Once water begins to boil, close the lid and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the flame to high and cook for 2 whistles.

Once the pressure subsides, fluff the rice and transfer it to another pot to prevent rice sticking to each other.

Serve methi pulav with raita or any of your favorite accompaniment.

Note:

• You can also cook the same using normal method. Adjust water according to that.
• The proportion for cooking rice in pot is 1:2 and for pressure cooker method 1:1.5
• If cooking on a pan, the measurement of rice and water is 1:2 ratio. And when the water starts to boil, reduce the flame to low and cover it with a lid. Check after 10 to 15 mins. Cook till the water is absorbed.

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes

In a pressure cooker, heat little oil and ghee. Add in the spices and wait for a minute.

Add in sliced onion and saute for 2 minutes or till it becomes soft

Once onion becomes soft, add in green chilli and chopped tomato. Add little salt to cook the tomatoes faster

Add in ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw aroma is gone

Add a handful of cashew nuts. Cashews on every bite will tastes delicious

Add chilli powder according to your taste. As I make this pulav for kids i reduced the chilli powder. You can add 1 tsp for little spicy pulao

Salt to taste is added

Now, add the methi leaves.

Saute till the leaf wilts. This will reduce the bitterness from methi leaf

Add in peas and mix well. If adding frozen peas add it as it is. Otherwise soak the peas for 4 hours and pressure cook for 1 whistle before adding to it.

Drain the excess water of soaked basmati rice to the cup you measured rice since it can be used to cook rice. Transfer the rice to the pressure cooker. Saute for few seconds.

Add water in the ratio 1: 1.5. So i added 1.5 cup plus 2 tablespoon of water. (For pot method, add water in the ratio 1:2. And when the water starts to boil, reduce the flame to low and cover it with a lid. Check after 10 to 15 mins. Cook till the water is absorbed.)

Wait till the water begins to boil.

At this stage cover with lid and pressure cook on medium flame for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the flame to high and cook for 2 whistles

Once pressure subsides, fluff the rice.

I used to transfer immediately to another pan to rice sticking to each other and burning on the bottom.

Serve hot with your favorite accompaniment.