Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Pudina rice with brown rice



Having read in many blogs the benefits of brown rice, I could not resist picking a pack when I found it in the local super market. I have to tell you here, that the country where I live in, such stuff are rare to find. Many a things I would take for granted in my grocer or upmarket stores in India, cannot be found here. So I just picked a pack of brown basmati rice the other day when I spotted just three of the 1 kilo packs in all! Apparently, the super market was putting it up as feelers to see the response.

I have repeatedly proclaimed that I am a mint and ginger freak. Naturally, my first trial with the brown rice was pudina rice with a touch of ginger in it.
The brown rice cooks a while longer than the normal basmati rice, needs more water to cook and will be a bit gathered as opposed to the soft yet separate grains. The yield is almost the same, but it can fill you up quickly too.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown basmati rice
1and 1/2 -1and 2/3 cups water (I used vegetable stock for cooking the rice)
1 medium onion sliced finely
1/4 cup green peas
1/4 teaspoon salt
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 table spoon ghee or cooking oil

For the mint sauce:
1/2 cup mint leaves, washed and cleaned
3 red chillis
2" piece ginger chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 heaped table spoon Urad dhal
1 and 1/2 teaspoon oil
A medium marble size Tamarind-pulp extracted or replace with 1 tablespoon yoghurt
Salt to taste

For garnish:
About 1 tablespoon finely sliced ginger roasted in ghee/oil




Method:
Mint sauce:
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the red chillis and ginger. Saute until the chillis acquire a shine.
Add the garlic and the urad dhal. Toss for a few minutes, just until the urad dhal is golden.
Add the mint leaves. They will wilt soon. Remove from the stove top. Allow to cool.
Blend in a mixer the above with the tamarind or yoghurt and the salt.
Wash the jar and add the water to the paste.
Rice:
Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly well.
Soak in 1 cup of water for about 45 minutes.
Drain the water and spread on a cloth for a few minutes.
Heat oil in a non stick big vessel. Add the sliced onions, salt and turmeric powder. Saute until the onions are pink.
Put the drained rice in and saute for a few minutes.
Add the stock or water. Bring to a boil, add the peas, reduce the fire and cover the vessel with a lid.
Stir once in a while and when half way done, add the mint sauce. Replace the cover and cook until the rice is soft to press. Depending on the age of the rice, you may require to add some water.
Place a heavy tawa on the stove and keep this vessel on the tawa. Keep the heat at the lowest.
Continue to cook for 8 minutes.
Switch the heat off and add the ginger slices for garnish.
Serve hot with a tomato or carrot raita.
I have not tried to cook in the pressure cooker as I cannot judge the time or the number of whistles to allow. If you do in the pressure cooker, you may skip the last part of placing on a tawa and cooking.

23 comments:

  1. Nice dish with a healthy rice. I can smell the aroma of mint an ginger here

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice idea using brown rice ..looks delish

    ReplyDelete
  3. hello lataji,
    I too am curious about trying brown rice, having know the health benefits of this one...would soon buy a packet of brown rice.
    Your notes on cooking the brown rice would be of great help to first timers like me :P
    Pundina brown rice looks wholesome and filling, thanks.
    TC

    ReplyDelete
  4. Healthy idea of adding brown rice...

    ReplyDelete
  5. I too some times want to try the brown rice,looks and sounds good,the mint and ginger should give a great flavor ..Love your new header :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the nutty texture of brown rice but the only thing is it turns dry n shud b consumed immediately..Lovely flavor 2 d rice..me too love mint n ginger..:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. yummy way of making mint rice. never tried brown rice and sounds quite healthy too

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks all...I was really apprehensive about the rice...like Prathibha mentioned it does get a bit dry and that is why I added extra water to it. Reheating is not a great idea, though you can sprinkle water and do one quick reheat...If you are cooking plain and having with sambhar, rasam and such, reheat the gravy than the rice!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love brown rice....as in the Matta rice variety....but I haven't tried using it for any variety rice. I can imagine how aromatic this must have been.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Healthy and delicious combo.. looks absolutely amazing !!
    Indian Cuisine

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's a good way to eat brown rice for the first time I think and the stock must make it more flavorful.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lovely combo..We have completely switched to brown basmati rice and we absolutely love the nutty flavor of brown rice. I cook in the electric rice cooker and the texture is perfect. It is true that it gets a little dry when cool. I sprinkle water and microwave it for a couple minutes and good to go :)

    Current event -
    http://tamalapaku.blogspot.com/2011/05/event-announcement-design-menu-3.html

    ReplyDelete
  13. That is a great way to enhance brown rice as normally just plain brown rice is not very appetizing :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wat a fabulous way to enjoy brown rice, i love making variety rice with brown rice too..delicious pudina rice..

    ReplyDelete
  15. This looks a like super healthy version of the usual pudina rice. Lovely presentation!

    ReplyDelete
  16. That's a great prep using brown rice :-)Loved the flavors that you used. I know how frustrating it would be not to find the things that you are used to ,when you are in a different country.

    ReplyDelete
  17. have not really tried mint rice and it sounds too tempting..sounds great with brown rice..

    ReplyDelete
  18. mint rice with brown basmati rice is first time for me. love the flavor formed.

    ReplyDelete
  19. very healthy and full of lovely pudina flavour and looks delicious and inviting too.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Brown basmati rice is the only rice I use these days. It tends to be a little more chewy than white rice. It works really well in dishes like bisi bele bath, kadambam sadam and pongal where it is cooked until very soft.

    Loved the flavors used in this rice dish, I am sure it would have been very flavorful !

    ReplyDelete
  21. My kind of comfort food. And yes, I'm a Ginger freak too. Love to add it every chance I get. I think the brown rice would have just added more texture and flavor to this dish. Looks really good!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love mint and growing in my garden. Ginger is my fav, i make mint pulaov but not much with brown rice- Quiet an healthy dish!

    ReplyDelete

Hello,
Welcome and thank you for taking time to drop by.
I appreciate your valuable comments and tips.
I sincerely hope to improve with them.
Hope we shall interact often.
Thanks once again,
Lata Raja.