Celery Rice / Celery Pulao

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup basmati rice
150 gm celery
2 green chillies, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock/ chicken stock
1/2 tsp fenenl seeds
2 tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, sliced
5-6 almonds/ badam, sliced
2 tbsp ghee
1/4 cup fried onion
a pinch of saffron (optional)
salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.
2. Chop the celery stem into fine pieces and grind the celery leaves to a smooth paste.
3. Heat butter in a pan and add fennel seeds, finely chopped celery stems and salt and saute well.
4. Add celery paste and chopped green chillies into this and saute for 2-3 minutes.
5. Then add vegetable stock/ chicken stock and bring this to a boil. Check for salt.
6. Once the stock starts to boil, add the drained basmati rice and mix well and cook covered on low flame till done.
7. In the meantime, heat ghee in another pan and add garlic slices and almond slices and saute till golden. Remove it from the flame.
8. When the rice get cooked, add the fried garlic and almonds along with the ghee and spread it on the top.
9. Garnish with fried onions and sprinkle little saffron on top. Keep it covered for 2 minutes and then serve hot with any curry of your choice….