Baby corn pulao

INGREDIENTS
Main ingredients
1 cup basmati rice or seeraga samba or any regular rice, 200 grams
100 to 150 grams baby corn, 12 to 14 baby corns
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
1 inch cinnamon/ dal chini
1 small to medium tej patta/indian bay leaf
2 to 3 green cardamoms/hari elaichi/choti elaichi
2 to 3 cloves/lavang
1 small star anise/chakriphool (optional)
50 grams onion or 1 medium onion, finely chopped or ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
¼ tsp red chilli powder/lal mirch powder
½ tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
1.5 to 2 cups water for pressure cooking
salt as required
1 to 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta for garnish
For the ground paste
65 grams tomato or 1 medium tomato or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
½ inch ginger/adrak, chopped
3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves/lahsun, chopped
METHOD
Soaking rice
rinse 1 cup rice first a couple of times in water. then soak in enough water for 30 minutes.
after 30 minutes, drain the rice and keep aside.
Preparing the ground paste
when the rice is soaking, prepare this ground paste. take ½ cup chopped tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves, 1 or 2 green chilies (chopped), ½ inch ginger (chopped) 3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves (chopped) in a small chutney grinder jar.
without adding any water, grind to a chutney like consistency. keep aside.
Preparing baby corn rice
heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker.
add the following whole garam masala and saute till they crackle - ½ tsp cumin seeds, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 small to medium tej patta, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 2 to 3 cloves and 1 small star anise (optional).
next add ⅓ cup finely chopped onion.
saute the onions till they become golden.
then add the ground paste. stir and saute for 1 to 2 minutes on a low flame.
next add the spice powders - ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chilli powder and ½ tsp coriander powder and mix very well.
add sliced or chopped baby corn (100 to 150 grams baby corn). stir and then add the rice.
stir and mix the rice with the rest of the ingredients.
add 1.5 to 2 cups water. add water depending on the quality of rice. i added 1.75 cups water.
add salt. stir very well. check the taste of the stock and it should taste a bit salty.
pressure cook on medium flame for 2 to 3 whistles or 8 to 10 minutes. if you add 2 cups water, then pressure cook for 3 whistles and if you add 1.5 to 1.75 then cook for 2 whistles.
let the pressure come down on its own and then remove the lid. fluff the rice with a fork.
serve baby corn rice with a side raita or a veggie salad