Methi Pulav / Fenugreek Pulav

Whenever there is a gathering among friends, topic of my blog comes. I try to avoid telling people that I write a blog whom I have just met. I do that because I don't want people to think I am advertising at every party. But, others do that for me anyway.
Main thing they talk about when it comes to my blog is "She has lot of baking recipes". Those who are not into baking will probably ignore other stuff that is on this blog. One of my friends was complaining that I don't post lot of Indian cooking recipes I make on a day to day basis. My answer to that was "But everyone knows how to make them". Here is one such recipe which, everyone probably knows but I am posting it anyway for those who don't know about it.

One Year back -Sourdough Chocolate Cake, Kara Sev/Sev
Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Lima beans - 2 cups frozen (or your favorite beans - optional)
Red Onions - 3 small or 2 large sliced thin
Fenugreek or methi - 1 bunch cleaned and leaves picked and chopped coarsely
Salt - to taste
Oil - 5 TBSP
Bay leaf - 1 - 2
Cashews - 1/4 cup

To crush in a blender or a mortar and pestle:
Cinnamon stick -1" stick
Cloves - 6
Cardamom - 3 whole
Black pepper - 10
Green chillies - 12 or more per taste
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1/2" piece peeled and grated

Method:
Crush all the ingredients mentioned in 'To crush...' in a blender or mortar and pestle without adding any water. Keep aside. Wash and rinse rice well. Add 3 1/2 cups of water, a pinch of salt and the frozen beans if using and cook in a pressure cooker or a rice cooker. You can even cook it in a saucepan on the stove top. When done and has rested for about 20 minutes, fluff with a fork. Keep it aside to cool down. In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add bay leaf. When it gets toasted, add the crushed paste, cashews and stir. Let the cashews toast. Add onions. Stir well and sprinkle a bit of salt and mix. When onions are half cooked, add the chopped fenugreek leaves. Let them wilt. When the fenugreek leaves are wilted completely, lower the heat and mix the rice and lima beans mixture to the pot. Stir well and adjust the salt if needed. Close the lid and lower the heat to the lowest setting. Turn it off after 3 - 5 minutes. Serve as is or with some raita or plain yogurt.

Notes:
You could use your favorite herb in the place of fenugreek leaves. Try using spinach, dill, mint etc. Of course, then you cannot call it fenugreek pulav.

Enjoy.