Navrathri this year was as usual very good and very hectic. It was great seeing all my friends and relatives during these nine days.
Though I was not doing any elaborate traditional cooking, I felt like I had made enough of sweets and sundal varieties.

So, made this simple, healthy and very colourful Minty rice for lunch and served it with a simple dal, raita and chips for lunch:)

Ingredients

To grind to a paste
———————
Mint leaves ( pudina) – 1 cup
Coriander leaves ( dhania)- 1/4th cup
Grated Coconut – 1/4th cup
Green chillies – 4-5
Jeera ( cumin seeds)- 2 tsps
Pepper – 1/4th tsp

Basmati rice – 1+1/2 cups
Ghee – 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Cashew nuts – 1 tbsp
Pista – 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 15-20 mins.

Wash the mint and coriander leaves and grind to a paste along with coconut, green chillies, jeera and pepper.

Heat a tbsp of ghee in a pan. Add the ground paste and sauté till you get a good aroma. Drain the rice, add it to paste and continue to sauté for few more mins.

Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste. Mix well. Once the water starts boiling, reduce the flame, close the pan with a lid and cook till the rice becomes soft and dry. Fluff the rice gently.

Heat the remaining ghee in a pan. Add the cashew nuts and pista and sauté till it turns golden.

Garnish the mint rice with the roasted nuts and serve the rice hot with dal, raita and chips:)