Masale Bhaat

Masale  Bhaat

Ingredients

1 cup regular rice or long grained rice
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 small carrot
2 small brinjals/aubergines
1 small to medium capsicum/green bell pepper
1 small potato
1 - 2 tbsp yogurt
1 bay leaf/tej patta
7 to 8 curry leaves
3 to 4 tsp goda masala /kala masala
½ tsp kashmiri red chili powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
a generous pinch of asafoetida
2.5 cups water or as required
2 tbsp oil
salt as required

For garnish:

1 tbsp grated coconut
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
15-20 cashews
1 tsp ghee

Method

 Rinse and soak the rice for 30 minutes in enough water.
 Rinse and chop all the veggies.
  Heat oil in pan.
  Add the mustard seeds and bay leaf or curry leaves.
  Let the mustard seeds crackle.
  Then add the all the chopped veggies - carrots, cauliflower, capsicum,         brinjals and  yogurt.
  Saute the veggies for 3 to 4 minutes stirring often.
 Meanwhile heat 2.5 cups water and bring it to a boil.
  Add the red chili powder, goda masala, asafoetida to the sauted veggies.
  Stir and saute for a minute.
  Then add the rice and saute for a minute.
   Add the hot water and stir well.
  Season with salt.
  Check the taste of the water.
  If required add more salt.
  Cover the pan and simmer the rice on a low flame till the grains are     softened and cooked well.
 Do check once or twice when the rice is cooking, by opening the lid.
  If the water looks less and the rice uncooked, add some more hot water and continue cooking the rice. stir gently with a fork.
  While the rice is cooking, roast the cashews till golden in a pan.
 Once the rice is cooked, let the rice stand for 5 minutes in the pan.
  Then sprinkle ghee on top of the masale bhaat.
  When serving masale bhaat garnish with coconut, cashews and chopped coriander leaves.
 You can also sprinkle a few dots of ghee on the served rice instead of adding it in the pan.
  Serve the masale bhaat hot accompanied with yogurt, buttermilk, raita or a side maharashtrian vegetable dish or khamang kakdi.