Columbian Karamani (Lobhia) Rice

Weekday lunches are usually personal affairs for me. I am my customer. I am the final boss. This is my time to make and taste different flavours from other blogs that I passionately bookmark during my daily visits. I usually try to put something together in less than 15-20 minutes. This way, I will have tried something new, yet not spent too much time cooking..

One such a weekday lunch experiment was inspired by Meera's Columbian Rice. This rice is made out of Black-eyed peas or 'Lobhia' or 'karamani', as we call it. This just called for a couple of hours of soaking of the bean. You will practically sing through the remaining recipe. End result: Divinely flavourful, absolutely earthy rice!

Ingredients:

Karamani: 1 cup (soak it for a couple of hours if you have time)
Rice: 1 cup
Water: 2 cups
Onion: 1, sliced
Bayleaf: 1
Red chilli: 2
Oil: 2 tbsp
Corriander leaves (to garnish)

Grind to a paste:
Garlic: 2 cloves
Corriander: 2 - 3 tbsp

Method:

• Add some water to the karamani and cook it for about two whistles - till it is semi done
• Reserve the cooking liquor
• Wash rice, drain water and keep aside
• Now, take a nonstick kadai. Heat oil and make the tadka
• Add the onions and saute' till they are slightly brown
• Add the ground paste of garlic and corriander. Saute'
• Add the rice. Saute gently for a couple of minutes
• Now, measure the karamani-cooked cooking liquor. Add water to it. On the whole, we need two and a half cups of liquid to cook the rice
• Introduce the measured two and a half cups of liquid into the kadai
• Lower the flame
• Cook covered for fifteen minutes
• Once done, mix gently
• Garnish with corriander leaves - something that i skipped in all the hunger and hurry :)
• Serve steamy hot!