This super easy and yummy rice recipe was lying in my drafts for a longest time. I think I made it around 2 months back and took photos with the intention of blogging about it! Anyways, here it is, better late than never…

Mint Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Basmati (long grained) rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
• 2 packed cups fresh mint
• 1 large onion, chopped roughly
• 4-5 green chillies (depending on the spiciness of the chillies, use more or less)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• salt to taste
• a handful of cashews
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• ¼ tsp cloves
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil

Method:
In a blender blend together all the following: mint leaves, coriander leaves, garlic, ginger, onion and make it a soft, smooth paste with no lumps.

Next, heat ghee and fry the cashews and keep aside. Leave the leftover ghee in the pan and using that, put the following in the this order: cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinammon, cardamom and saute for around 30 seconds. Then add the mint paste and saute for a minute. Now add the drained rice, add salt to taste and saute till all the grains of rice get coated with the mint paste.

Now transfer this to a rice cooker and add approximately 1.75 cups of water, switch it on and let it cook till done. When the rice is cooked, open and check and add some more water if needed. Leave it closed for a while and then fluff it with a fork.

Sprinkle the cashewnuts just before serving. Serve with a serving of raita.

Minty Benefits

1. Mint is a very good appetiser and also aids in digestion.
2. It is also very good for soothing upset  stomachs.
3. The smell of mint also aids in relieving nausea
4. Mint is also very good in giving relief to respiratory illnesses, opening up the congestion in the nose and throat etc.
5. As mint oil is a very good antiseptic, you can use it to get rid of pimples
6. Last one, promise – Mint is a very good mouth freshener, so after you eat something, if you  pop a few mint leaves of mint in your mouth, it will  leave it smelling fresh and well, minty!