A simple one-step pulav from the kitchen of K. Natarajan, a silver from Chennai. This is a good example of the OPOS (One pot one shot) style of cooking. Natarajan says you can replace broad beans with any vegetable – baby aubergines are his personal favourite – in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- Basmati / Ponni raw rice – 1 heaped cup
- Broad beans – 8-10, (remove strings and cut horizontally)
- Pepper–cumin powder – 1 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Coriander leaves – for garnishing, chopped fine
The Tempering:
- Sesame oil – 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Udad dal – 1 tsp
- Curry leaves – 7-8
- Green (or) Red chillies – 2-3, halved
- Asafoetida powder – a pinch
- Turmeric powder – a pinch (optional)
Method:
- Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.
- In a pressure cooker, heat the oil for tempering. Add the mustard and as it starts popping, add the udad dal. As it turns golden, add the other ingredients of the tempering.
- As they begin to crackle and let out their aroma, reduce flame and add the chopped broad beans, rice and pepper-cumin powder.
- Add salt and enough water to cook the rice (one cup for basmati and two cups for Ponni raw rice, says Natarajan).
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles – on a medium flame.
- Allow steam to settle down completely, gently fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with coriander leaves.
- Garnish with cashewnuts fried in ghee.
Serve this healthy one-step pulav with appalam or crispies.
This recipe was first published in His ladle love – a column in Harmony Magazine. Part-1 of this post is an interview with K. Natarajan, a Tamilian silver who is a great believer in OPOS. This is a cooking method developed by Rama Krishnan, a foodie from Chennai. |
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