Methi Masoor Briyani (Fenugreek Leaves & Split Orange Lentils Rice)

          Briyanis are very popular in India, it is basically rice cooked with very aromatic spices and vegetables and traditionally cooked in a lot of ghee, but I have kept away from the ghee and used just oil. You can make a variety of briyanis by changing the combination of vegetables or by adding different beans or lentils. I have already given a recipe for the Spinach And Kidney Beans Briyani, today it is a very flavorful briyani with masoor dal (split orange lentils) and fresh methi leaves (Fenugreek Leaves). Both of them lend a distinctive flavor to this briyani, again an one pot meal..

Need To Have

• Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Masoor Dal - 3/4 cup
• Fresh Fenugreek Leaves - 1 cup chopped
• Onions - 2 medium chopped
• Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cashews - 1 tablespoon for garnish

Make A Paste

• Cashews - 1 tablespoon broken
• Shallots - 6 chopped
• Ginger - 1 tablespoon chopped
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Green Chillies - 3
• Fennel Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• White Poppy Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon Stick - 1" 
• Javentri - 1" small piece

For Seasoning

• Peppercorns - 1 teaspoon
• Cardamoms - 2
• Cloves - 2
• Bay Leaf - 1

Method
          Soak the rice and dal for half an hour, roast the cashews for garnishing and make the paste with the given ingredients. Heat oil, add the seasonings, once the pepper starts spluttering add the onions, saute it till transparent. Then add the paste and saute till the raw smell goes away (for about 5 mins), add the turmeric and chilli powder, the fresh methi leaves, mix for 2 more mins, add the drained rice and dal, water around 5 and a 1/2 cups and salt. Cover and cook, once the water starts boiling reduce to medium heat and cook till almost all the water is gone but it is still a little wet. Now switch off the heat and leave it covered for at least 1/2 an hour without disturbing. Garnish it with the cashews and serve it warm with some curd or raitha.

Sending it to Divya's Culinary Journey for her Showcase - What's In Your Lunch Box? event and
                to Srav's Cooking Concepts for the CC - Spring Seasonal Food event,

Note
Javentri is an orange flower like spice, use just a quarter of it.
While adding salt to the briyani, taste the water, it should be a little salty, the rice absorbs the extra saltiness when it gets cooked, you don't want to mix salt later after the rice is cooked, you'll end up making it mushy.