BEETROOT PULAO

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati Rice
1 cup Onion thinly sliced
1 slit    Green chilli 
1 tsp gingergarlic paste
1 Tomato chopped
1 cup Grated Beetroot 
fistful Mint leaves 
2 tbsp   Coriander leaves  chopped
1 tsp   Biryani masala
1 tsp sambhar powder
Salt as  needed
2 cups  Water
 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon juice 

For the seasoning
1 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp  Fennel seeds
1  Bay leaf  
2  Cloves 
1"  Cinnamon -1 inch piece
1 Cardamom 

Method 

Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside.

Wash, peel the skin and grate or finely chop beetroot.

Heat oil in a pan, add fennel seeds, when it splutters, add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf.

Saute for a few seconds, then add thinly sliced onions, slit green chilli and cook until onions turn transparent.

Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few more minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Add beetroot, coriander leaves, mint leaves, biryani masala, sambar powder and salt needed.

Mix well, add 2 cups of water and lemon juice. When water starts boiling, add soaked and drained basmati rice. Mix well and check for salt by tasting the water, if the water is slightly salty, it will become perfect once the rice is cooked. Lower the heat and cook covered until rice is done. You can pressure cook rice or cook rice in a pan with lid or use the rice cooker.

Once done, fluff it with a fork, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita or papads.

Add water according to the quality of your rice.(1 cup of basmati rice needs appoximately - 1 1/2 -2 cups of water. The rice I used needed 2 cups of water, moreover I like my rice to be soft.)