Jeera Rice & Spinach with Moong Dal Saag

Last Sat'day I prepared jeera rice and spinach with moon dal as quick lunch after hours of kitchen cleaning! I have blog Jeera rice before and this time I add few more ingredients like garam masalas and raisins...and of course My jeera rice always had to be in cooker....till date I never prepared Jeera rice with cooking rice separately and then frying..no way! Jeera rice suppose to be a comfort food I can't spend that much time by preparing rice and then going to fry it!

And the saag, it was trial...first I thought to prepare spinach with dal the usual way...then I thought making only saag but that will not be enough to eat for both of us then suddenly the idea came to mind of using yellow split dal and to make a dry version, so here is what I did:

For Spinach with Moong Dal:

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bunch
Moong Dal (Yellow split dal) - 2 tbs
Onion - 1 large
Green chili - 3-4 ( I used dry red chili)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2-3 pods
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tspRed chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1-2 tbs 
Salt - to taste
Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Clean and soak the moong dal in water for 15-30mins. Wash and chop the spinach [fine chop the stems and keep aside], onion, garlic, green chili.

2. In a pan heat oil, add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Add garlic, chili, onion and saute for 2 mins or until onion change colour.

3. Now add the chopped stems cook for a min and then add the soaked dal, mix well and cook for 2 mins. Now add salt, turmeric and chili powder, give a good stir.

4. Add 1/2 cup water and let the dal gets semi cook, now add the chopped spinach stir well and cook for 5-7 mins or until oil starts coming out.

Our side dish is ready.

For Jeera Rice:

Rice - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1tsp
Garlic - 2 pods [ crushed]
Bay Leaf - 1
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - small piece
Dry red chili - 2-3
Raisins - few (optional)
Oil - 2 tbs
Salt - to taste
Water - 2 cup or less

1. Clean, wash the rice and keep aside.

2. In a cooker heat oil, add bay leaf, chili, cardamom, cinnamon cumin seeds and cook for 30secs. Now add crushed garlic and saute for 30secs.

3. Add rice and cook for 2 mins, add salt and water; close the cooker and cook for 5-7 mins or as you use your cooker for rice.

Enjoy quick Jeera Rice