Aalo Gravy Rice- Lunch Box Special

Yummy aalo gravy flavored rice

A very very easy and tasty dish. If the ingredients are ready, the dish is just 10-15 mins.

LUNCH BOX SPECIAL

INGREDIENTS:

1. Potato: 2 nos. medium size [chop into 2 inch cubes]
2. Onion- 1 big
3. Tomato- 3 medium
4. Coriander Leaves: a small cup/ or a hand-full 
5. Mint Leaves/ pudina: hand-full
6. Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 tspn
7. Top quality Basmati Rice: 1 medium size tumbler
8. Water: 1 and 1/4th of the tumbler or 1 and 1/2 of the tumbler [if aged/old rice- add 1 and 1/2 tumbler of water]
9. Oil- 3 tbspns
10. Ghee- 2 tspns
11. Salt: as required
12. Sugar: a pinch [tastemaker]
13. Bay Leaf [brinji ilai]: 1 crushed
14. Cloves, Cardamom[kraambu, yelakkai]: 2 pcs each
15. Cinnamon[pattai or lavangapattai]: 1 stick; break into pieces
16. Star Anise[annaasi poo / annasi mokku]: 1 piece
17. Fennel seeds [sombu]: 1/2 tspn
18. Cumin seeds [jeeragam]: 1/2 tspn

MASALA POWDERS:

1. Coriander powder: 1/2 tspn
2. Jeera Powder: 1/2 tspn
3. Chilly Powder: 1/2 tspn to 1 tspn [as per ur taste]
4. Garam Masala: 1 tspn
5. Biriyanai Masala: 1 tspn
6. Turmeric powder: 1/4 tspn

METHOD:

1. Wash and Soak the basmati rice in luke warm water for 15-20 mins.
2. Take a mixie jar, grind tomatoes, coriander leaves, and "masala powders" to a thick smooth paste without adding water.
3. Heat a cooker on stove, add ghee and oil.
4. Add ingredients from no: 13 to 18. Let them get saute in oil and ghee.
5. Add the sliced onion and saute until translucent.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and saute well until raw smell goes off.
7. Add the cubed potatoes and mix well. Add mint leaves and saute.
8. Add the tomato-coriander-masala powder paste and saute will until oil leaves the concoction. 
9. Simmer the flame.
10. Drain the soaked rice from water and add to the masala.
11. Add the mentioned quantity of water [as per proportion mentioned above]. And mix all together.
12. Keep the flame to medium, add salt and sugar as mentioned, mix thoroughly. 
13. Close the cooker lid. Wait until steam comes and place the whistle.
14. If its big cooker [5 litre and above], give 2 whistles, or 1 whistle and keep in sim for 5 mins and turn off.
15. If its small cooker [ 3 litre and below], give 3 whistles and turn off.
16. Open the cooker lid once the pressure is released.
17. Fluff the rice using fork/spatula without breaking and serve with any raitha! 
18. You may garnish with coriander-mint leaves if you wish!