MINT RICE / PUDINA RICE

Pudina rice or Mint rice recipe is very flavorful, refreshing and fragrant South Indian style dish made with fresh pudina or mint leaves, rice and spices. Bursting with a peppy flavour, the pudina rice is a delightful one-dish meal, which you can just serve with a cup of curd. Pudina rice goes well in launch box or even for a meal to serve with some gravy or curry.

INGREDIENTS:

For green paste:

• 1 cup Mint leaves
• ½ cup Coriander leaves
• 2 Green chilies
• ½ inch Ginger
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated coconut
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• Tamarind - A small lemon size
• Salt to taste

For mint rice:

• 1½ tablespoons Oil
• 1-2 Bay leafs
• ½ inch Cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon Urad dal
• 2-3 dry red chilli
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts, broken
• 2 tablespoons Groundnut seeds
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 2 medium size Onions, chopped
• 2 cups Cooked rice
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION:

Making green paste:

1. Combine all the ingradients to the blender along with 1/4 cup of water and grind it into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Making mint rice:

1. Heat the oil in pan on medium heat. Add bay leaves and cinamon stick. Let it cook for some seconds.
2. Then add red chilli, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ground nuts and cashew nuts and mix well. Once mustard starts spluttering, add curry leaves, chopped onions, turmeric powder and mix nicely.
3. When onion turned to golden brown, add the green pudina paste. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium flame till all the moisture will evaporate.
4. Then add boiled rice, add salt as per taste and mix well. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes in low flame with occasional stiring so that the rice grains don't break.
5. After 5 minutes, turnn off the stove. Tasty pudina rice or mint rice is ready to be served. Garnish with cashews and fried onions and serve. 
6. Serve this mint rice with plain yogurt or raita like onion raita, onion-tomato raita or boondi raita.

NOTES:

• Use fresh mint and coriander to make the masala paste.
• Don't overcook the masal paste, otherwise it will turn dark in colour.
• Tamarind can be replaced with 1-2 tablespoon of lemon juice, which is to be added in the end.

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