Amma's Zeera Rice

Amma's Zeera Rice:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup baumathi rice
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 green chilies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 " cinnamon stick
• 1/2" ginger cleaned and chopped
• 2 cloves (lavanga)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
• 2 tbs ghee
• 1 tsp salt.

Method: Blend the coconut, cinnamon, cloves, cilantro, chilies, cumin seeds with 1/2 cup of water. Rinse rice in cool water and drain well. Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add the rinsed and drained rice and fry for a few minute. Add the peas and continue to fry for a few more minutes. Add the blended contents, salt to the pan plus add about 2 more cups of water. Mix with a spatula and continue to cook on medium heat. Let the contents boil for 10 minutes. Lower heat and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. When most of the water is evaporated, cover and reduce heat further to low. Cook for about 5 minutes and turn off heat. Let the rice sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Cooking Tips: Can use boiled and halfcooked vegetables like fresh peas, carrots, green beans to make this dish. For ease of cooking, you can use a rice cooker to cook this dish. You will need to add more or less water to make the rice as soft or dry as you want. Add 1/2 cup of cashews roasted in ghee to embellish the rice. Saute 1/2 cup of sliced/slit onions in 1 tbs of oil and add to the rice for a twist in flavor.
Serving: Serve with raitha, plain yogurt or any kind of dhal.