Padma's Recipes: PUDINA ALOO BATH / MINT PALAV

Pudina(Mint) Aloo(Potato) Bath( Rice Variety) / Mint Palav or Pulao

Who does not love the aroma of some freshly plucked leaves right from our own garden and preparing it right away. I just love the smell of mint in anything and especially the smell that we get from frying the leaves, it just fills in the air.
This rice is so simple to prepare, all you have to do is just cook the rice seperately and mix in with the masala. You can make the masala way ahead and just mix in as and when needed. Can be had right away or leave it aside for 10 to 15 mts for the rice to absorb the flavor fully. Can be served with just chips or kosambari.

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Mint Leaves - 1 1/2 cups
Onion - 1 Large
Green Chillies - around 6( increase if u need more spice)
Garlic - 6 - 8 flakes
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Coconut - 2 piece or 3 - 4 tbsp
Lime Juice - 3 - 4 drops
Potato - 1( boiled)
Fresh Peas - 1/2 cup(cooked)
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Salt as needed
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp

Wash and soak rice for 15 mts, next add 2 1/2 cups of water with little salt and cook till done. Once done cool.

Heat a tsp of oil and add the cleaned and washed mint leaves. Fry till the leaves shrink completely. Remove and keep aside.

For grinding:-
Take the fried mint leaves grind along with fennel seeds, garlic, ginger, green chillies and coconut to a fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil and add the onions( for extra flavor before adding onions can add a small piece of cinnamon, 2 clove and 2 cardamom and a tsp of cumin seeds - all optional). Fry till nice brown. Next add the cubed potatoes(cut the boiled potatoes into thin cubes) and fry for 1 - 2 minutes, then add the ground masala with very little water and saute till the raw smell leaves. Also add the cooked peas and salt. Once the masala looses the raw smell and has thickened remove from stove and cool. Just before removing add lime juice and mix( or can even add lime juice after mixing the rice). Add the cooked and cooled rice and mix gently. Leave aside for 10 - 15 minutes and serve.