Spinach Rice

(From Banu's Cookbook)

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Basmati Rice
2 Cups of Chopped Spinach
3/4 Cup Thawed Frozen Peas
1/4 Cup of Chopped Cilantro
1 Medium Onion Chopped Fine
1/2 inch Ginger
1-2 Cloves of Garlic
5-6 Green Chillies (More if you want the rice to be spicy)
2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tsp Garam Masala
2 Tsp Dhania-Jeera Powder
Oil for Seasoning
Salt to Taste
4 cups of water to cook the rice.

Method:
1. Wash and Soak the Basmati Rice for 15 or 20 mins and also keep the 4 cups of water to boil.
2. In a pan, heat the oil, add Cumin seeds. Then add the finely chopped onion and saute for a few mins.
3. Then add the finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute until Onion is translucent. You can even make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies if you prefer it that way. I personally liked it chopped fine.
4. At this point add roughly chopped (washed and drained) Spinach, Cilantro and Peas. Also add the powder Masala's - turmeric, garam masala and the Dhania-Jeera Powder.
5. Mix all the ingredients well. Once the spinach is wilted (which is quite quick), add the drained Basmati Rice and salt and saute for a few more minutes.
6. Now add the boiling water and reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice. You can cover the pan, but keep an eye open so that the rice does not burn.
7. At the very end when the rice was almost done, I reduced the fire to low and let it cook on low fire for some time. This removed the remaining moisture from the rice while not burning it.
8. Spinach rice is now ready. Serve it hot with some salad, Raita or Papad.