Green Pea(ce) rice and a greener plate

An easy recipe for a tasty and a healthy rice. The tender green peas are cooked along with some diced fresh jack fruit seeds in a simple mixture of corriander leaves, ginger and green chillies. Tastes awesome even when cool and makes an ideal picnic lunch to be packed and eaten under green trees with plates made from beetle nut leaves. Jack fruit seeds are rich in protein and add a nice nutty taste to the dish.

Serve with pickle and curd for an all rounded meal.

Ingredients for three medium servings:

• Raw rice - 1 cup (washed and soaked for 15 minutes)
• Frozen or fresh peas - 1 cup
• Peeled jack fruit seeds chopper 1/2 cup - optional
• 1 table spoon oil
• 1 tsp salt

To be ground into a paste:

• Corriander leaves - 2 cups loosely packed
• Ginger - 2 inches scrubbed and grated
• Chillies -4 (or according to taste)

Method:

1. Heat a pressure pan on high with oil.
2. Add the peas and jack fruits and saute for couple of minutes.
3. Add the grounded paste and fry until the raw smell of ginger leaves. It will take about 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
4. Drain the water and add the soaked rice. Mix everything and let the rice toast a little with the vegetables and the corriander paste.
5. Add about 2 cups of water or as required depending on the type of rice.
6. Add salt, stir and close the pressure cooker. Cook on medium for about 2 whistles. The number of whistles will again depend on the type of pressure cooker user.

Once the pressure cools, fluff the rice and enjoy.