Cilantro Flavored Cracked Wheat Pulao

My son has been recovering from a bout of fever and viral infection this week while the youngest one is dealing with it with out complaining. Well spent spring break. :) Now the infection is at us, the adults at home with vengeance. Life is still going on, though right now it is perfectly gloomy outside and inside, literally. Outside, I see snow covered grass (Yeap, I know it is already spring and gardening season for some of you lucky guys out there.) and greyish surroundings, nothing to be cheerful about.
Even my last post was a scheduled one and I have not sat in front of the computer for almost a week now. I haven't been even responding to the entries I am receiving for my Cooking with seeds - Wheat event or visiting any blogs and apologise for the same. Hopefully, I will be in full swing by next week. And now an added trouble, I have misplaced my camera with the memory stick in it. I am the organized one at home and usually put away things back at the right place. The rest are the kinds who can not find things right under their noses and so it is solely my job to find it if I need to post the entries for my own event. :) :)
In the meanwhile I go and search that camera, you guys enjoy this cilantro flavored cracked wheat pulao. Don't get fooled by the picture and think this as a spicy version of upma. Use coarser variety cracked wheat for the real feel of pulao. I had run out of the coarser variety and used the finer one that is used to make upmas. Basmati rice can be substituted for an authentic version. This can be refrigerated or kept frozen.

Ingredients for about 6 servings:
2 cups cracked wheat (can be dry toasted before adding but it is entirely optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup washed cilantro leaves
1/4 cup green beans (cut into 1 inch pieces)
1/4 cup fresh / frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1 each - onion & tomato (chopped)
1 tsp ginger
2 cinnamon + 2 cardamom + 4 cloves + 1/2 tsp peppercorns
2 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
1 - 2 Tbsp oil
3.5 cups water

Method:
1. Whiz the cilantro and ginger in a blender to a fine paste.
2. Heat the oil and add the onion and spices. Fry the onions until softened and golden brown in color.
3. Add the peas, beans, carrot and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes. Then add the tomato and cook for a couple of minutes more.
4. Add the cilantro paste and fry for about 2 minutes.
5. Then add the water and salt and bring it to a rolling boil. Lower the heat and add the cracked wheat. Cook covered till done, about 4 -5 minutes.
Serve with raita or yogurt.


Comment