Mint is soothing and helps relieve stomach ache. It is is known to cleanse blood and eliminate toxins from the body. Use a handful to garnish your salad or to add flavour to your tea.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup - pudina leaves (lightly packed)
1&1/2 cup - basmati rice or raw rice
1 - onion, chopped
1 - tomato, chopped (optional)
2 or 3 - green chilli
1/4 tsp - turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - garam masala
2 or 3 cloves - garlic
1/2 inch - ginger
2 - cloves
2 - cardamom
1 - star anise
Cinnamon, a small piece
1 - bay leaf
Coriander leaves, a small quantity
8 to 10 - roasted cashew nut
2 tsp - oil or ghee
Salt to taste
3 glasses of water (including the ground paste)

Note: Star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves should be dry roasted

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 10 minutes. Drain and Keep aside.
Make a fine paste with mint leaves, some coriander, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and keep aside.
Heat oil or ghee.
Add bay leaf and onion.
Cook till onion becomes light brown.
Then add tomato and fry until it becomes soft.
Add rice to this and sort it for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the ground paste and garam masala.
Then add required salt, turmeric powder and water.
Cover and cook till done.
Garnish with roasted cashews, coriander and pudina leaves.
Serve hot pudina rice with raitha.
The pudina rice might taste a little spicier when ground pepper is added to it.

Recipe: Anjana

Image: Flickr/creativecommons stevendepolo