Mint Cilantro Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 1 1/2 Cups
Mint 2 Cups loosely packed
Cilantro 1 1/2 Cups loosely packed
Curry Leaves 10
Grated Coconut 3 tbsps
Green Chiles 4 – 6
Tamarind 1 – 2 inch sized Ball
Cashews 15
Cumin Seeds 2 tsps
Jaggery 1 inch Block (optional)
Turmeric powder a pinch
Asafoetida a big Pinch
Boiled Garbanzo / Chickpeas 1 Cup
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp

Method of preparation:

Wash rice and soak in fresh water for half an hour.
Cook the rice with 2 1/2 cups of water till rice is soft and all the water has been absorbed.
Soak tamarind in few tablespoons of water for some time and extract all the pulp.

Remove stems, wash and roughly chop green chiles.
Clean, wash and roughly chop mint leaves, cilantro leaves and curry leaves.

Heat a tsp of oil in a pan, add cashews and fry them till they turn light golden brown.
Remove cashews and add all the chopped leaves to the remaining oil and fry till they wilt.
Remove from heat and cool the leaves to room temperature.
Grind the fried leaves with coconut, tamarind pulp, half of the cashews, half of cumin seeds, jaggery (if using), green chiles and salt into smooth paste adding sufficient water.

Heat remaining oil in a pan, add remaining cumin seeds, turmeric powder and asafoetida.
Fry briefly, stir in chana, cashews and salt.
Fry the chana for few seconds, stir in ground mint paste.