Green Onion Pulao & Dalcha

I try to make a pulao or biryani or fried rice 2 days a week. Mostly it happens on Thursday and Sunday!

Last Sunday, we made this Green Onion/ Spring Onion Pulao and Dalcha to go with it.

For light flavoured rice without much spice, I prefer some tangy or spicy accompaniment than our usual raitas. So this Dalcha was tangy match for this pulao. This is one version of the famous hyderabadi dalcha - with raw mango and brinjal, while most prefer it with meat. Since we are going meatless here, I am happy with this version.

Also had a bag of Spring Onions or Green Onions as they are also called. And it was going to dry out soon, so could not wait to make any chinese cuisine to pair it with and hence made this pulao out of it!

Green Onion Pulao:

What you need:

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Clove
1 Cardamom
A Small Piece Bay Leaf
A Small Piece Cinnamon
1 Onion Sliced
1 Bunch Spring Onion - Cut the bottom onion part finely and chop the top green part and keep them separately
4 Cloves Of Garlic Crushed
A Small Piece Ginger Crushed
3 Green Chillies sliced
1 Cup Basmati Rice Soaked
2 Cups Water
Salt As Required

What you do:

• Heat oil in a pan, add clove, cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon.
• Add onions and saute well.
• Add the bottom part of spring onion and saute well.
• Crush ginger and garlic with a mortar and pestle and add this along with the green chillies. 
• Add the soaked basmati rice and mix well.
• Add the green part of the spring onion and mix it well.
• Add 2 cups water and salt and bring to a boil.
• Close the pan and simmer for 15 minutes till rice is cooked. 
• Fluff it gently and serve with raita of your choice or with dalcha.

Dalcha:

What you need:

4 Tbsp Toor Dal

4 Tbsp Channa Dal

1 Tbsp Oil

1/2 Tsp Fennel Seeds

1 Small Piece Cinnamon

1 Small Bay Leaf

1 Sprig Curry Leaves

1 Green Chilli Slit

1 Onion Chopped

4 Cloves Garlic Crushed

Small Piece Ginger Crushed

1 Tomato Chopped

2 Medium Size Brinjal Chopped Into Medium Size Pieces

1 Raw Mango Chopped Into Medium Size Pieces

1 Tsp Chilli Powder

1 Tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder

A Gooseberry Size Tamarind Soaked

Salt As Required

Coriander Leaves For Garnish

What you do:

• Pressure cook the Toor Dal and Channa Dal with 1 cup water for 3 whistles.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the fennel seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, curry leaves and green chilli.
• Now add the onion and crushed ginger and garlic and saute till the raw smell goes.
• Add the tomato, mango and brinjal pieces.
• Add the chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and add 1 cup of water and cook till the vegetables turn mushy.
• Add the cooked dal and tamarind water or extract from the pulp.
• Add required salt and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.