Peas Pulao

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Thanksgiving brings back wonderful memories. Though for most part, we did not celebrate Thanksgiving the American way we used to have a lot of fun. It was the beginning of the festival season.

And I miss the black friday sales as well. Until the last couple of years in US, I have never been to a black friday sale. For the uninitiated, it is the biggest sale event in America. Limited quantities of stuff get sold at even 30% of the original price. People go at all weird times to pick up Flat screen TVs, laptops etc. I used to pick up a lot of clothes, jackets, toys etc.

On a personal note, the best Thanksgiving was the one in 2008. Just a week or so before we had found out that we were expecting our little one. After a wonderful thanksgiving dinner at our friends place, we told our group of friends the news during a round of Poker. :-) The next best of course was when our best friends shared their news with us the next year.

Earlier this month, I was thinking I will cook my first Thanksgiving dinner today. I then totally forgot about it, only to remember it yesterday night. So all we had for our dinner was Peas Pulao.

This recipe is a variation of what my Mother in law makes

Ingredients

Basmati Rice uncooked 3 cups

Green Peas 3 cups (I used the frozen one, you can use the dried one as well)

Onion 1 big finely chopped

jeera 1 tsp

mustard 1 tsp

hing

Butter 1 tbsp

Oil and Salt to taste

For Grinding to a paste

Fried Gram dal (Pottu Kadalai) 1/4 cup - this is not a standard ingredient. I like it and hence use.

Coconut 1/2 cup

Green Chillies 2-3

Ginger small piece

Garlic 4 pods

Star Anise 2

Clove 2

Cinnamon small piece

Coriander leaves, mint leaves (either one or a combination) - small bunch

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the butter in a pan and add the uncooked rice. Sauté till it is slightly pink. I do this for pulao, biriyani etc to avoid the rice from sticking. Another easier way is to just add some butter and salt along with water when cooking in a pressure cooker.

2. Cook the rice along with 6 cups of water till done. (Water depends on the rice used). Transfer to a bowl and let it cool a little before stirring to avoid sticking.

3. Grind all the ingredients under 'To grind' and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard. When it sputters, add the jeera and hing.

5. After a few seconds, add the onion and sauté till it is slightly browned.

6. Add the cooked green peas, salt and the ground paste and cook till the raw smell of masala is gone.

7. Mix with cooked rice and serve with raita of choice.

My son is surprised as to why Amma has to take photo before we can eat. He had no patience today.