Quick Cilantro Rice

Cilantro / Coriander leaves are chopped up and blended into smooth paste with green chiles. The fresh cilantro paste is then briefly fried in oil infused with lot of whole spices. Steamed rice is then folded into the cilantro paste and garnished with cashews. Serve quick cilantro rice with raita of your choice.
Makes: around 1 – 2 Servings of Quick Cilantro Rice.

Ingredients:

Steamed Rice 2 Cups
Cilantro 2 Cups (Packed)
Cashews a Small Handful
Ginger Garlic Paste 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies 3-5
Cloves 3
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Bay Leaf 1
Mace 1/2 inch Piece
Whole Red Chiles 2 – 3
Green Cardamom 1
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves 5
Salt to taste
Oil 2 Tbsps

Method of preparation:

Remove stems, wash and roughly chop green chillies.
Clean and wash cilantro leaves thoroughly.
Remove hard stems, roughly chop washed cilantro.
Blend the chopped cilantro, green chillies and salt into smooth paste adding sufficient water.

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, add cashews and fry till golden brown in color.
Remove the cashews from heat and add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, mace, bay leaf, green cardamom, red chiles and curry leaves to the remaining oil.
Fry briefly or until aromatic, stir in ginger garlic paste.
Fry till ginger garlic pastes loses its raw smell.
Then stir in cilantro paste and fry for less than a minute.
Then add the already steamed rice and mix thoroughly to coat the rice with the fried paste.
Remove from heat and keep it covered till required.
Garnish with reserved cashews and serve quick cilantro rice with raita of your choice.