masala rice

                                                        Masala Rice

Ingredients

1. 2 cups basmati rice 1/2 cup zucchini, 
2. chopped 1/2 cup green beans, 
3. chopped 1/2 cup fresh peas (carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, or broccoli may be substituted according to constitution) 
4. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 
5. 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds 
6. 1/4 tsp turmeric 
7. 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
8.  2 pinches salt 
9. 12 – 14 cloves, 
10. whole 1 inch piece of fresh ginger,
11. peeled and diced fine 2 cinnamon sticks, 
12. broken into small pieces 6 – 10 bay leaves, 
13. 10 cardamom pods, 
14. whole 1 pinch cayenne 
15. 3 cloves garlic, 
16. 1/2 cup ghee 1 Tbs coconut, 
17. shredded 1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped (divided use) 1 lime

Preparation

• Wash the rice two times. 
• Wash and chop vegetables. 
• Put the chopped ginger and ¼ cup of the cilantro in a blender with coconut and ½ cup of water. 
• Blend until liquid. 
• Heat the ghee in a 3-quart saucepan and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, and hing, and cook until the mustard seeds pop. 
• Then add the cloves, bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon. 
• Heat until the spices are fragrant then pour in the blended mixture. 
• Add the garlic and salt, and then cook until the garlic browns slightly. 
• Stir in the vegetables and rice, mixing thoroughly. 
• Add cayenne. 
• Pour in 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat to a simmer and cover loosely. 
• Cook until the vegetables are tender and the rice is cooked, about 18 to 20 minutes. 
• Turn this out into a serving dish and squeeze fresh lime juice over it. 
• Sprinkle chopped cilantro and coconut over the top before serving.