Sprouts Pulao

This is a healthy combination of rice and sprouted legumes that provides protein, iron, folic acid and vitamin C.
Cooking Time 15 mins
Preparation Time 20 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients
cooked long grained rice – 1 cup
sprouted legumes, parboiled – 1 cup
cloves -2
Asafoetida powder – 1/4 tsp
Green chilli – 1 chopped
grated ginger – 1 tsp
Capsicum – 1/2 chopped
Spring Onions – 4 to 6 chopped
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Dhania powder – 1 tsp
Oil/ghee – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Tomato – 1 chopped
Chopped cilantro – 2 tbsp

Get Cooking!
1. Heat the oil/ghee; add the cloves, asafoetida and sauté for a few seconds.
2. Add the green chilli, ginger, capsicum and spring onions. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes
3. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, dhania powder and the sprouts and mix well
4. Add 1/4 cup water, salt and simmer over a slow flame till the sprouts are cooked.
5. Add the rice and toss well.
6. Serve hot, garnished with chopped tomato and cilantro

Tips
I added in roasted cashews, raisins & grated carrots – extra nutrition? Tried it with even some paneer cubes.

Vegetable Rice/Pulao

This is one of the many ways you could prepare vegetable rice/pulao.

Ingredients

Vegetables like carrots, beans, capsicum, potatoes – peeled, cut into 2″ long pieces
Peas
Onions
Tomatoes
Salt
Rice
Cardamom
Cloves
Cinnamon
Poppy seeds
Green chillies
Black Pepper Seeds
Ginger-garlic paste.
Oil

Get Cooking!

1. Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for a while.
2. Grind the poppy seeds with green chillies, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper seeds and set the masala aside.
3.Wash the rice and set aside in a colander for half hour to drain the water.
4. Sauté the onions in some oil.
5. When it becomes golden brown, add some ginger-garlic paste. Cook for a while.
6. Add the cut vegetables and sauté.
7. Then add the rice and toss it around.
8. Add the ground masala.
9. Pour in enough water to cook the rice. Add a couple of cut tomatoes, salt. mix in well.
10. Open cook till the rice is done, stirring occasionally to reduce browning up of the rice or cook in an electric cooker, stirring occasionally. Pressure cooking the rice makes it too mushy.
11. Serve with raita (we prefer cucumber raita)

Tips

Instead of adding the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves to the ground masala, you could sauté it before and then add the onions.
On occasions, I have added cashews/ almonds while grinding the masala.
You could also saute the tomatoes after adding the ginger-garlic paste (At times I have added just grated ginger instead of the paste)
Be creative! Add soaked & drained channa dal/ rajma to increase the protein factor.