Tricolor Pulao

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
1 inch piece cinnamon
salt to taste
water as required


For Saffron/ Orange layer:

1 tomato, grind to a paste
1 tbsp grated carrot
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste


For Green layer:

1 – 1 1/2 cup coriander leaves
3/4 cup garted coconut
3 green chillies
small piece ginger
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
lemon juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside.
2. Boil 4-5 cups of water in a deep pan adding cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Then add the drained rice and salt and cook in medium flame till done. Drain the water and divide the cooked rice into 3 portions and keep it aside.
3. For orange / saffron layer, heat oil in a pan and saute chopped onion till soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes. 
4. Add tomato paste, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and cook on high flame till the gravy thickens.
5. Then add one portion of cooked rice and grated carrots and mix well. Switch off the flame.
6. For green layer, grind coriander leaves, grated coconut, green chillies, lemon juice, cumin seeds and salt together to a smooth paste.
7. Then mix this with other portion of cooked rice. You can also use spinach puree for the green layer.
8. In a bowl/ serving plate, arrange the green rice, white rice and saffron rice like the tricolor and then serve with raita…