Tiranga Pulao Recipe-Tricolor Rice

• Basmati rice – 1 cup
• Cinnamon – 1 inch
• Cloves – 2 nos
• Cardamom – 1 nos
• Black stone flower – 1 no
• Salt – as needed
• Water – 6 cups
• Oil – few drops

For green rice

• Palak leaves – 1 cup ( chopped)
• Green chillies – 2 nos
• Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
• Big onion – 1 no
• Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon – 1 no
• Cloves – 1 no
• G&G paste – 1/2tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – as needed

For red rice

• Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
• Tomato – 2 nos (pureed)
• Big onion -1 no
• Cinnamon – 1 inch
• Cloves – 2 nos
• Bayleaf – 1 no
• G&G paste – 1/2tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Dhania powder – 3/4 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – as needed

Ghee – 1 tbsp

• Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Boil 6 cups of water in a bowl adding whole garam masala and few drops of oil.Add the rice once the water boils.Add some salt and cook the rice in medium flame for 5-7 minutes till rice is 3/4th done. Drain the excess water and remove the rice in a plate.Divide the rice into 3 portions and spread them in a plate.

• Wash and chop the palak leaves roughly.Heat oil and saute the palak leaves and green chillies till the leaves shrink in volume.Grind it with fennel seeds to a smooth paste.Heat oil in a kadai and saute cinnamon,cloves and g&g paste.Add onions and saute until it turns transparent.Now add the ground palak paste and salt.Mix well until the mixture becomes thick. Set aside.

• Soak paneer in hot water till use.Wash and grind the tomatoes into paste. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter cumin seeds & whole garam masala.Add the onions and saute until transparent.Add the tomato puree and mix well until its raw smell goes off.Add some salt,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and garam masala powder.Mix well to make a thick paste.Lastly add some water and boil,add paneer cubes and switch off the flame.

• Mix the green paste and red paste with the reserved rice and keep aside.

• Now take a microwave safe bowl. Spread the green rice in the bottom of bowl.Above that layer the white rice.Lastly spread the red rice.Garnish with some coriander+mint leaves.Add a tbsp of ghee over the rice.Close it with a lid and microwave the rice for 8-10 minutes.Rice would be done.Remove the bowl and & transfer it to a plate by turning the bowl upside down.Serve hot with raita ! Enjoy !

• You can replace palak with mint+coriander leaves to make green rice.
• Instead of paneer,u can use mixed vegetables like carrot,peas,beans and potato to make the rice more colorful and healthy.
• If you are making for kids,add some cheese or butter to the plain rice.
• Adjust the quantity of spice powders as per your taste buds.