The following recipe is a combination of a cereal-rice and legume – rajma (red kidney beans), along with milk products that improve the biological quality of the protein in the meal. It is rich in calcium and Vitamin A (and carotene), Vitamin C and the B group of vitamins. Though this requires a little planning, the preparation can be completed in a short time if using a pressure cooker, thus saving more nutrients.
Ingredients
200g rajma
1 cardamom
150g curd (made from skimmed milk)
150g onion
100g tomato
1 inch piece ginger
2 cloves of garlic
15g mint leaves
100g coriander leaves
2 tsp salt
1tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp oil
400g long grained or basmati rice
200ml buttermilk
2 tbsp ghee
1 lime
Few coriander leaves for garnishing
100g paneer, cubed and lightly fried for garnishing
Method
1. Soak rajma overnight in just enough water to absorb.
2. Clean and soak the rice for 2 hours. Cook the rice in the water it is has been soaked in, till almost done.
3. Cook rajma in pressure cooker with cardamom and salt till just soft. Let it stand for 5 minutes before opening the cooker. Strain the stock and keep aside.
4. Slice onions finely. Chop tomatoes. Cut ginger into very small pieces. Crush garlic. Clean and wash mint and coriander leaves.
5. Heat oil in a pan. Brown the onions and keep aside. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and fry till golden. Add all the dry masala along with the mint leaves and coriander leaves. Add the rajma, tomato and beaten curd. Stir and cook for 15 minutes. Add a little stock to adjust the consistency.
6. Grease a deep flat-bottomed baking dish with ghee. Add half the cooked rice. Spread the fried onion slices and then the rajma as a layer over the rice. Then spread the rest of the rice on top of the rajmah layer and pour the buttermilk and remaining ghee over the rice. Cover the dish with foil and let it cook in a moderately hot oven for 15 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with lime slices and chopped coriander leaves.
This pulao can be served with a raita.
Nutrients per serving:
CALORIES – 446 kcal ; Carbohydrates – 66.7 gm; Protein – 15gm; Fat – 12.7gm; Calcium – 196 mg; Vitamin A – 158 IU
Raita
Ingredients
500g curds(from skimmed milk)
200g chopped cucumber
100g chopped onion
200g chopped tomato
100g fresh pomegranate seeds
100g orange segments
Mix the ingredients gently. Season as desired and serve immediately.
Nutrients per serving:
CALORIES – 71 kcal: carbohydrates -8.1 gm; protein – 3.3 gm; fat – 3 gm ; calcium – 126.7 mg; carotene – 283 mcg; thiamin - 0.08 mg; riboflavin – 1.55 mg ; niacin – 0.3 mg; Vitamin C – 15.5 mg
