Capsicum-Peas Pulav

Come December and begins the season of Music, Dance, Drama in Chennai! Its that beautiful 2 months of the year from Dec to Jan when the city is abuzz with music concerts and dance performances all across the city halls. Some of the best talents in classical music & dance are noticed and come to the limelight every year. What an opportunity for young talented and aspiring artists from all across the globe! So glad to be a Chennai-ite for the sheer opportunities it presents in the field of music & art!

Ok, before you all think am writing a blog on Art of singing and dancing let me quickly u-turn to the Art of cooking:-) Well, come December...is not only the season for ears and eyes but also for the tummy with some of the winter veggies going cheap on the wallet and huge in the market. Time to stock up on green peas and all the bean variety that fill the market in abundance during these couple of months.

I have been dishing out a lot of peas recipes this month and want to share with you all the best of the lot so you too can relish along with me...the first of the lot is the hot and mildly spicy peas pulav which is light and delicious and so quick to make too:-) Try it and let me know your comments...

Ingredients:

- 1 cup basmati rice washed and soaked
- 1 cup fresh green pea (frozen is ok too)
- 1 cup thinly diced capsicum
- 1 medium onion thinly diced
- 1 tbsp of grated garlic and ginger
- 1 tbsp of ghee (clarified unsalted butte)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- 2 -3 green chilies slit across (adjust to taste)
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 inch cinnamon
- few cashes for seasoning (optional)
- salt to taste


Prep time: 15 mins                                    Cook time: 30 mins

Preparation:

- Wash and soak the basmati rice in water and set aside while you get the veggies ready.

- Dice the onions, capsicum and green chilies. Grate 1/2 inch of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic.

- Wash the green peas and keep all the veggies ready.

- In a pressure pan heat the ghee. Once ghee is hot, add the fennel seeds and as they splutter, add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cashews. 

- When the cashews turn lightly golden, add the green chilies, ginger garlic and saute, later, after about a minute add the onions and saute until it turns translucent.

- Now add the green peas and capsicum and salt to taste and saute for a couple of minutes.

- Drain the soaked basmati rice off the water and then, add to the veggies in the pressure pan and toss everything together for a couple of minutes.

- Now, add one and half cup water, close the pressure pan and cook on high for 7-8 minutes and on low flame for 2 mins and remove from heat.

- Allow steam to escape before releasing the pressure off the cooker.

- The measure of water is the same even if you are cooking in a rice cooker. Quick and tasty capsicum peas pulav is ready to serve:-)