Iyengar Style Vendhaya Keerai Pulao Recipe – Menthe Soppina Bath/ Methi Rice

Iyengar Style Vendhaya Keerai Pulao Recipe is a tasty, healthy and a very easy dish to prepare. Since it has an option of no onion no garlic, it can be made during festivals. In Spite of being mildly spiced this dish looks so vibrant and the flavor of methi shines through. Ghee, pepper and perfectly roasted spices are the key to this dish.  Course : Lunch Ingridients : 2 cups Cooked rice 1-1/2 cups Methi Leaves (Fenugreek Leaves) 1 Onion , chopped (Optional) Salt , to taste Dessicated Coconut , to garnish (optional) 2-3 tablespoon Lemon juice , (optional) To Roast & Powder (masala): 2 tablespoons Black Urad Dal (Split) 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera) 1 tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns 1 Dry Red Chilli Curry leaves , a few To Temper: Ghee , or oil to cook 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu) Cashew nuts , or ground nuts Curry leaves , a few Instructions To begin making the Iyengar Style Vendhaya Keerai Pulao Recipe, first wash rice and cook it with little salt in the proportion 1:2/2.5. Once cooked, spread the cooked rice on a wide plate.Meanwhile, remove hard stems of methi leaves. Use only leaves and tender stems. Wash the methi leaves and chop them coarsely.Dry roast the ingredients mentioned under 'To Roast & Powder' which includes black urad dal, cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, dry red chilli and curry leaves. Keep it aside.Once the roasted ingredients cool down, transfer into mixer and fine powder the same.In a kadai heat oil/ghee. Once its hot, splutter mustard seeds; add curry leaves and groundnut/cashew and fry till they are golden brown. Add chopped onions(Optional) and methi leaves and a little salt. Fry well till methi leaves are cooked. Once they are cooked, add the ground masala powder and mix well.Add grated coconut at this point if you are using, mix well and switch off. Masala for Methi rice rice is ready. This masala should not be too dry or liquid.Add cooked rice to the methi masala. Drizzle some salt, lemon juice and mix well. Check for seasoningServe the Iyengar Style Vendhaya Keerai Pulao Recipe hot with Elai Vadam Recipe (A Traditional South Indian Rice Papad) and lauki raita to complete your meal.