Planning lunches for my husband everyday is a task in itself. Although he is very non fussy, it becomes important to fix a lunch with servings of vegetables, protein, fruits etc, which needs to be easily prepared and filling, nutritious and tasty, interesting and non repetitive. This basic Pulav can be made even with left over rice, as long as its not cooked too mushy. Many times, when I have a lot of leftover rice from the morning, or basmati rice which is too much for a single serving, I put away a little in an air tight container to make my quick fix pulav with whatever vegetables I have in the pantry. The best thing about this is that, depending on the veggies, the taste of the pulav also varies, so It almost makes you feel its a different delicacy.

This morning, I had frozen peas, and some onions so this is what I used to make this rice dish.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup cooked Basmati Rice.

Frozen Peas.

1/2 of a Red Onion or one regular sized onion sliced long.

6-7 mint leaves chopped.

Chopped cilantro.

A pinch of ground cinnamon clove powder.

Seasoning:

Jeera/Shahjeera, Bay Leaf, Cashews, Star Anise.

PREPARATION:

• If preparing rice for the pulav, cook the rice with a spoon of coconut milk and a bay leaf.
• Take a kadai and add 2 spoons of ghee in it.  Add a bay leaf, star anise and shah jeera/ jeera and then the cashew.
• In a couple of seconds add the cinnamon-clove powder and the sliced onions.
• Saute them till the onions begin to sweat. Add the peas and salt and saute again.
• Now add the chopped cilantro and the chopped mint leaves and mix well.
• After a few more minutes switch off the gas and add the cooked rice and salt.
• Mix well until the ghee/oil is coated on the rice.
• Serve with Aloo Dum , Paneer Butter Masala or Cucumber Raitha.

HINT:

• Substitute the same recipe to include cauliflower and peas, capsicum and carrots, carrot and peas, beans, carrots and peas etc.
• You can add a pinch of garam masala but the cinnamon clove powder, and the chopped mint provide the aroma and flavour that`s needed.
  
• In case the side is just raitha, you can add more garam masala. When the side is a heavy masala gravy like Aloo Dum etc, keep the rice simple.
• For a wholesome lunch box, pack with a side of grapes/strawberries and a kosumbhari salad.