BELL PEPPER PULAO Amchi Vegan

   BELL  PEPPER  PULAO

                                                               BELL PEPPER PULAO

                                                                           Amchi

                                                                           Vegan

A pulao is one of the standard bearers of Indian cuisine in which basmati rice, vegetables, spices and ghee or oil are combined in infinite ways.  My beloved Anna loved this simple but surprisingly tasty dish of rice and chunky bell peppers and my darling Amma cooked it for him so often.  :)

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

3 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups of bell pepper chunks

1 Tbsp ghee or oil  

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp salt

about 12 green curry leaves

DIRECTIONS

Wash the rice thoroughly, cover it with water and let it soak for about 30 minutes.  This will allow the grains of rice to absorb the water and plump up.

Drain the water from the rice, pour in 3 fresh cups of water, add the salt and cook till the rice is just done, uncover it and let it cool down.

In a large skillet heat the ghee or oil and the mustard seeds.  Cover with a splatter screen.  As soon as the seeds begin popping turn the heat very low and toss in the fenugreek, asafoetida and curry leaves.  Fry for a few seconds.

Add the bell pepper chunks and salt and stir fry on medium heat for 7 minutes till the peppers are cooked just right!

Loosen the cooked rice grains and combine with the peppers.

Check the salt.  It should be perfect.

 The pulao is ready.