Coconut Milk Rice

My Rasha turns seven today, Alhamdulillah.... seven years ago, we waited for this little blessing to come into our hands... when I think of all those days of hospital rounds, the endless prickings to take my blood for checking my sugar count, my HD's pampering lunches and dinners, the long walks holding hands at nights when there would not be a single soul on the streets, lovely times at work and at study (I was doing my MBA at that time, which completed in time for her arrival!), so on and so forth... of course, like many of us, I enjoyed my first pregnancy to the core... Somehow I knew it was a girl in the reckoning and I held HD from asking the doctor regarding the child because I just didn't want to know, and just like I had guessed, Rasha turned up... a tiny little child who was so unlike her ummi, but one sight on her and I was in love... our first who made us abba and ummi and made our life complete, went on to be the elder sister to my Azza, loving and fighting at the same time... I could go on and on like every mother would do, but I am stuck for words at this point of time... I still can't believe she has turned 7, it's a magical number as far as we are concerned. A time when the salaah (five times mandatory prayers) becomes prescribed, a time when studying the Qur'an and more about Islam becomes a part of life, and Alhamdulillah, she is doing it in her way, at madrassa and at home otherwise, my little lazyhead... :) Ummi only wants to see you as a good daughter, an awesome elder sister and friend to Azza, a good woman as you go forward and yes foremost, a good Muslimah, InShaAllah... hugs and kisses to you my darling... may Allah shower His barakah on you every-time, Aameen...

I would have loved a chocolaty treat for today, but looking into the schedule of things, I would love to go with the flow, so here is a really flavorsome rice that goes so well with any spicy curry. Even if you pair it up with a pickle and raita, it's more than enough. Rice overloaded with coconut milk and laced with the aroma of whole masalas... I guess I don't have to say much about the flavors, right... :)

Coconut Milk Rice

Serves 3-4

2 cups rice, washed and drained
1 tbsp ghee
1 bay leaf
1 small pc cinnamon
1 star anise
3 cloves
2 cardamom
5 black peppercorn
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 green chillies, slit
2 onions, thickly sliced
400 ml can coconut milk
400 ml water
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add all the whole masalas and fry till fragrant, not more than a couple of minutes. Add in the ginger and garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone. Add the onion and green chillies and saute till soft. Add the drained rice and fry for a couple of minutes. Add in the coconut milk and water. Adjust the salt. Close the lid and keep the flame on high. Cook till one whistle and switch off. Allow the pressure to go by itself. Open the cooker, fluff up the rice with a fork. 

Serve warm with any spicy curry of your choice!!!