Corn Pulao

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 cup heaped regular rice or basmati rice or 210 to 215 grams rice
• 1.5 cups corn kernels
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced or ½ cup sliced onion
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• 2 cups water or add as required
• salt as required
• 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves for garnish

For The Green Chutney Paste

• ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
• ½ inch ginger – chopped or ½ teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1 or 2 green chilies – chopped
• 3 to 4 small garlic – chopped
• 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut or fresh coconut
• 1 to 2 tablespoon water for grinding

Whole Spices

• 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 small star anise (chakriphool) – optional
• 1 or 2 single strands of mace (javitri)
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 to 5 black peppers
• 1 tiny piece of stone flower (patthar ke phool) – optional

Instructions

Preparation

• Rinse 1 heaped cup rice well in water and then soak in enough water for 20 minutes. 
• After 20 minutes strain the rice well and keep aside. I used ambe mohur rice (mango blossom rice). You can also use basmati rice or regular rice.
• When the rice is soaking, slice the corn kernels from the corn. Keep them aside. From 1 medium corn cob, I got 1.5 cups corn kernels. You can also use 1 cup corn kernels.

Making Green Chutney Paste For Pulao

• Take the ingredients mentioned “for green chutney” in a small grinder or chutney grinder.
• Add 1 to 2 tbsp water and grind to a smooth paste. You can skip coconut, if you don’t have. In this case, add 1 to 2 tsp water while grinding. 
• If not grinding then just add chopped coriander and mint leaves after the onions are browned, directly in the cooker. Also add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste and skip desiccated coconut.

Making Corn Pulao

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add all the spices mentioned under the list “whole spices”. Allow them to crackle.
• Then add the thinly sliced onions. Saute the onion still they start becoming golden.
• Then add the ground paste. Stir well and saute for a couple of seconds.
• Then add the corn kernels.
• Season with the following spices – 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp coriander powder.
• Stir very well and add the rice. Gently stir and mix the rice with the rest of the ingredients.
• Now add 1.75 to 2 cups water. Depending on the type and quality of rice, you can add water. For basmati rice, you can add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. 
• Organic basmati rice requires more water to cook. So add 2 cups of water for organic basmati rice. Stir.
• Season with salt. Taste and the water should have a slightly salty taste.
• Cover and pressure cook corn rice on a medium flame for 2 whistles or for 9 to 12 minutes.
• When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the rice. 
• Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. 
• And then serve corn pulao with a side veggie salad or raita.