Savor the Flavor of India with Authentic Masoor Pulao Recipe

Here is a simple recipe for Masoor Pulao:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole masoor (red lentils), rinsed and drained
• 1 and 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2-4 green chili, chopped
• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2-3 green cardamom
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 stick cinnamon 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kashmir chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons ghee or oil
• 2 cups water
• 1 fried  brown onion
• Fresh finely chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves for Layering 
• 4 tablespoon curd.
• 2-3 Choices of food color diluted with lime juice and water each.

Instructions:

• Heat a cooker and boil whole masoor with 1 and 1/2 cups of water and pinch of turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 tomato roughly chopped give it 2 whistles.
• Heat ghee or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the cumin seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chopped onions, ginger, and garlic and cook until the onions are nicely brown about 5-6 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, green chili, turmeric powder, red chili powder, kashmiri chili powder, and salt to taste. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the drained boiled whole masoor and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in curd and garam masala powder, and cover for 5 minutes.

Rice preparation:

• Heat oil in a large pot and add whole dry spices cumin seeds bay leaf, green and black cardamom, and cinnamon let them splatter then pour 4 cups of water add salt to taste, and bring it to a nice boil.
• Once the water starts boiling, add in the soaked basmati rice and cook the rice until it is 75% done.
• Strain the rice and keep it aside.

Layering : 

• Take a big pot/handi
• Start the layers first by adding half of the cooked rice followed by prepared masoor masala coriander, mint leaves, and fried onion. 
• Again, end up the last layer with the rest of the rice.
• Sprinkle food color dilute with lime juice add 1 tablespoon ghee at the edge of the handi, and top up with coriander and mint leaves.
• Keep the handi on low flame and cover the handi and simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
• Fluff with a fork, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and fried onion, and serve hot.

Enjoy your Masoor Pulao!