Lima beans pulao

I love one pot rice preparations and I am constantly in search of new recipes which can be done fatafat. It comes to a great rescue in the morning hours, when you are dead bored to cook but want to pack something for your lunch. And I am in love with this lima beans pulao which I did recently which is not only super quick to make but enough healthy too. Quick coconut chutney and boiled egg will be nice accompaniments with this. 

Lima beans is a kind of lentil beans. It is called pachai mochai in tamil. It is also widely popular as field beans and vall beans. It is also sometimes called as broad beans or avarakkai. (Too manyyy names...confusing right?!:) ) In other countries, it is sold as Valor Lilva/ Surti Papdi Lilva in the frozen section of Indian grocery stores. Fresh lima beans need not be soaked overnight and can be cooked directly. Dried variety of this beans are also available and they are called as mochai kottai. This dried variety has to be soaked overnight before cooking. Fresh variety is green in color while the dried beans looks white. 

Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice

1 cup lima beans

1 small onion (thinly sliced)

1 ts ginger garlic paste

1 ts fennel seed, small cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 1 cardamon

Pinch of turmeric powder (optional)

1 tbs oil + 1 ts ghee

To grind

Few mint leaves

3 green chillies

Grind them to a coarse paste without any water

Preparation

- Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for a minimum of 15 minutes.

- Grind the mint leaves and green chillies together to a coarse paste without any water.

- Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. Once hot add fennel seed, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamon. - - After the whole spices give a good aroma add the thinly sliced onions and saute until translucent.

- Add ginger garlic paste and fry them for a minute.

- Also add the ground paste of mint leaves and green chillies. Saute for a minute until it gets rid of its raw taste.

- Now add the lima beans and give a good mix. Add needed salt. Add a pinch of turmeric powder if needed. Toss and cook the beans for a minute.

- Add the soaked basmati rice. Add needed water and salt.

- Close the lid and pressure cook for a whistle in high flame and for another whistle in simmer.

- Allow the air to subside by itself.

- Then open lid and give the rice a gentle mix.