Spinach Mushroom Pulao

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice

150-200 gm mushrooms, sliced

15 -18 spinach leaves

1/2 cup coriander leaves

8-10 mint leaves

5-6 green chillies ( add more or less to your spice level)

5 garlic cloves

small piece ginger

1 big piece cinnamon stick

5 cloves

2 cardamoms

1 star anise

1/2 tsp pepper corns

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

3/4 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp yogurt

1 bay leaf

2 medium onions, sliced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp ghee

Preparation:

1. Wash the rice, drain it and keep it aside.
2. In a blender, add spinach leaves, coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, star anise, pepper corns, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and yogurt and grind well together to a smooth paste adding little water.
3. Heat oil and ghee in a thick bottomed pan and add bay leaf and saute.
4. Add sliced onions and saute well till transparent.
5. Add green masala paste, chopped tomato, turmeric powder and little salt and mix well.
6. Cook it for 5-7 minutes till the raw taste of the masala goes off.
7. Add sliced mushrooms and mix well with the masala.
8. Then add drained rice and saute well for a minute.
9. Add 1 1/2 cup water, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
10. Cover and cook on low flame till done, stirring occasionally in between.
11. Once the rice is cooked, switch off the flame and let it rest for 15 minutes.
12. Then gently fluff up the pulao with a fork or a wooden ladle and serve with raita and pickle..