Velan's Cuisine Extraordinaire

[NOV]

First soak basmati rice for an hour. Strain and roast in a pan with a few drops of ghee. Set aside.

Next make a paste of 3 spoons of thick yogurt, 3 green chillies, a little pepper powder and a little cumin seeds (seeragam). Add a little Babas Kurma powder and set aside.

Heat some ghee and fry cinnamon (karuvaapattai) till it turns black. Add star anise (laungapoo) to the ghee and once its roasted add cloves and cardamom.
Immediately add sliced onions and continue frying. At this stage, add pandan leaves.
Add the ground paste next. Bring to boil an then add 1 chopped tomato and 1 large shredded carrot.
Once tomato is mushy, switch off the stove.

Now add this to the soaked/roasted Basmati rice and salt. Add water 1.5 to 1 rice.
Cook in rice cooker. Whilst it's cooking do not stir more than once.

Serve with chicken/mutton curry and cucumber raita.