Carrot Peas Pilaf

Carrot peas pilaf, I know some of the Indian recipes and length of ingredients intimidate others so here is an easy recipe for week night meal. I do recommend using a rice cooker so it needs much less attention and each grain falls apart beautifully. Let me break it down for you first the dry whole spice goes into the oil then goes wet spices ginger garlic and green chili  then onion finally dry spice powders then veggies last the rice thats the order I follow.

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups (Use basmathi for best results but sona masoori or long grain rice would work )
Carrot - 2 cut into chunk size pieces
Frozen peas - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Red onion -  1 quartered then thinly sliced
Garlic flakes - 4 finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
Green chili - 1 de-seeded and chopped
Dry whole spices -(Bay leaf -1, cardamom -3 cloves - 3-4,cinnamon stick - 2 inch piece, black pepper-5-6, cumin - 1 tsp)
Mint leaves few
Coriander leaves few
Salt to taste

Optional:
(Omit the powders  below if you like white color mildly flavored rice. For yellow color flavored rice use below ingredients)
Chili powder or paprika pd- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 /3 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Biriyani masala  ( any brand) - 1 tsp

Method 
1.Wash and rinse the rice 3-4 times the soak it for 20 minutes. Meanwhile
2. Heat a pan pour 3-4 tsps of cooking oil and put all the dry spices. Let the aromas come now add the chopped ginger garlic and green chili saute until raw smell goes now put the onion allow it to get translucent now add the chili, turmeric, coriander, salt and biriyani masala powder saute until it coats the onion well add mint leaves chopped , carrot and peas saute for a minute.
 3. Switch on rice cooker set it in white rice mode. Dump everything sauteed on the pan into the rice add enough water (as per  rice cooker instructions) Stir once and allow it to cook until it comes to warm mode . Gently fluff with fork and sprinkle chopped coirander leaves.
Serve the pilaf with raita
OR
If you are going to cook the rice in the same pan  add required amount of water to cook (that is it should be atleast two inches above the contents in the pan)  add the rice into it and stir once cover with lid and allow it to cook on low flame until all the water dries up and the rice is cooked. Check in between  by stirring gently not mashing rice grains, for browning on bottom add more water if needed. (Add a tsp of butter if you think the rice is going to be mashed )

Other carrot dishes from Food Network friends:

The Lemon Bowl: Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
Creative Culinary: Carrot and Zucchini Quick Bread with Toasted Walnuts and a Cinnamon Nutmeg Glaze
Devour: 5 Gorgeous Carrot Recipes That Will Make You Eat With Your Eyes
Hey Grill Hey: Bacon Wrapped Maple Glazed Carrots
The Mediterranean Dish: Turmeric Roasted Carrots
The Fed Up Foodie: Carrot Cucumber Asian Slaw
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Carrot Peas Pilaf
A Mind "Full" Mom: Vegan Carrot Soup with Spiced Peanuts
Pinch My Salt: Carrot Tomato Chipotle Soup
Healthy Eats: 7 Healthy Ways to Turn Carrots Into Cake
The Mom 100: Carrot, Cabbage and Kohlrabi Slaw with Miso Dressing
Taste with the Eyes: Baby Rainbow Carrots with Hazelnuts, Truffle, and Hollandaise
FN Dish: 6 Carrot Treats That Deserve a Spot in Your Thanksgiving Dessert Spread