Kheema Pulao for the day you don’t want leftovers

I have been missing in action for the past few days. Not sure if I was missed but I surely missed blogging. It’s funny how just writing about what I cook even though I don’t know how to, has become a big part of my life.

Now I was busy because my bestie “A” was here in Perth with her gorgeous new baby girl and her mad husband who I love to hate. So the past few days went in a blur of activity from cleaning the house, cooking like a maniac, ensuring that everyone was comfortable and that we all had a great time. There was no formality with them but since my house has never seen a baby and with the scorching Perth temperatures my stress levels had reached extreme levels.

Thankfully everything went well and they left hale and hearty with happy memories and I am left with a house that smells of a baby and lot of leftover food. Even though I am not a baby person I miss the little one who was one of the sweetest baby I have seen in a long time. I guess I am biased but what the hell I am her aunt and for me she is the most special baby in the world.

So feeling sad and depressed I dragged myself to the kitchen hoping to finish whatever was left but then I changed my mind and decided to make something to lift the gloomy spirit in the house and kept the leftover food for the next day.

I had some frozen mince in the fridge and “A” had loved the mince curry I had made for her a few days ago. I had already blogged about the curry so I decided to make a “Mince Pulao” instead. And I am glad I did. The Pulao was delicious and the mince gave it a lovely light texture. It surely lifted my spirits. Here is the recipe for you to try.

Recipe – Keema Pulao (Rice with Mince meat) Serves 4, cooking time 40 minutes

½ kg Mince (you can use Chicken, Lamb or Pork)
1 ½ cup Basmati Rice washed and drained
½ cup Green Peas
2 medium-sized Tomatoes finely chopped
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 large Onion thinly sliced
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
1 big Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Cardamoms
1 ½ tsp Red Chilli powder (or less if you want it to be less spicy)
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tsp Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 ½ cups Water
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Freshly chopped Coriander

Heat oil in a pan or a pressure cooker and add Cumin seeds, Cinnamon stick and Cardamoms and let them splutter. Add the Onions and sauté on a medium flame till the Onions turn translucent. Add the chopper Tomatoes, Ginger Garlic and Tomato paste and sauté till the oil starts to leave the pan. Now add the mince meat and coat well.

Add the Turmeric, Red Chili powder, Salt and Coriander powder mixing everything well. Add the Rice, Green Peas and Kasuri Methi, freshly chopped Coriander and let it cook on a slow flame for atleast 10 minutes. You need to be careful at this stage to ensure that the rice does not stick to the pan.

Add the water and let it cook in a pan on a medium flame for the first boil and then on a low flame till all the water has evaporated. If using a pressure cooker let it cook for 2 whistles and open the cooker once all the steam has evaporated. Add the Lemon juice once removed from the heat.

Serve hot with some Yoghurt and Cucumber Raita.