Pudina Peas Pulao with Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy

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Today, i bring to you flavours from our home kitchen :)

It was nearly midnight and i was sitting in grandparents room having random conversations while flipping through Good Housekeeping magazine. The last few pages had a bunch of recipes and i was randomly reading out the Vegetarian ones. The last recipe was "Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy".. Read it out loud, we deliberated on how it would taste, what it would go well with, etc etc...

The next day was Monday, i was all set to attack the day early on, and went over to gramma who was in the pooja room.. The conversation went something like this-

Me: Aarthimma, so whats the plan for lunch?
A'mma- Something interesting.... Are there veggies at home?
Me: yes, there are a whole bunch of veggies.. There is also spinach wilting away
A'mma: Can we make what you read out last night? Maybe have that with Chappatis?
Me: Sure thing...

Few mins passed.... it was 11am, i was prepping up for lunch, when she came into kitchen and said "Dont think we can make Chappati for all for lunch, lets make rice instead, what say?"
Me: ok, whatever you say aarthimma :)
[my head had started to play around with ingredients available at home]... Thus was born a YUMMMY lunch...

Pudina Peas Pulao

2 cups Basmati rice
2 tbsp Pudina paste[ i had made a paste of pudina leaves few days ahead, which was sitting pretty in the freezer]
2 green chillies
100 gms fresh peas
3-4 cloves
3-4 cardomom
2- cinnamon sticks
small bunch of fresh pudina leaves [for that zing]
Ghee or oil
Salt to taste
 
Method:
In a pan, saute the spices without any ghee or oil.
Add ghee or oil, saute the Green chillies for a few mins
To this, add fresh pudina leaves and the paste and slightly let them warm up...

In the Rice cooker-
Pour the required amount of water
Add the spices, green chillies, and pudina paste+leaves
Add the peas
Add salt
Add a spoon of ghee or butter [optional]
Shut the lid and allow it to cook...Stir occasionally so the spices, peas and rice mix well..

Voila, in about 25-30mins, the Pulao is ready....

Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy
2 bunches Spinach leaves [ chopped up roughly]
Water [to cook spinach in]
Cheese [ about 2-3 tbsp]- i used Kraft Pepper flavoured cheese[the only one i found at home]
Cornflour- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:
Boil and cook the spinach with very little water
Drain off water, and roughly blend it in a processor or with a spoon
Drain excess water and set aside
To this, add the shredded cheese and Cornflour
Add salt and mix all the ingredients well
if you feel it is wet, add more cornflour or maybe a boiled potato

Make sure the oil is hot in the Pan
Add the Spinach kofta gently and allow to get golden brown
Drain off excess oil, and place them on tissue

Tomato Gravy:
4 Tomatoes[ chopped and cooked to a pulp/puree]
Ginger
Salt to taste
1tsp Cumin Seeds [jeera]
1tsp Cumin Powder
1tsp Coriander Powder
a pinch of Turmeric Powder
Oil

Other optional ingredients*
3 Onion
4-5 cloves of Garlic
1 tbsp Coconut/Cashew paste[ optional]
*- I dint use these are grandparents dont eat onions or garlic

Method
In a pan, add wee bit of oil, and put in all the ingredients.
Allow it to cook for a few mins till all flavours blend in well.

Finale-
Now, put the Kofta into the gravy gently and allow it to come to a boil...

Bon Appetit!