Dilli Leaves Chitranna

Dill leaves like any other greens is very good from the health point of view. I have put up Dill leaves spicy and sweet idlis which was received very well and today I would like to add yet another rice item to the long list of them. I prepared Dilli leaves Chithranna which turned out great which made me wonder if I would rather put this up sooner than later !

What you need to have:

1. Basumathi rice – 1 cup

2. Chopped Dill leaves (Tender) – 2-3 cups

3. Green Peas – a handful

4. Salt – To taste

Basumathi Rice & chopped Dill leaves

Ingredients of Seasoning:

1. Chopped onion – 1/3 cup

2. Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon

3. Black gram Dal – 1 teaspoon

4. Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon

5. Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

6. curry leaves – 2-3 strands

7. Green chillis – 3-4

8. Peanuts – a handful

9. Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon

10. Fresh grated coconut – a handful

11. Chopped cilantro – a handful

12. Oil for seasoning – 1 tablespoon

Ingredients of Seasoning & decorating

What you do with what you have:

1. Wash and chop green chillis, Cilantro fine, peal and chop onions fine, grate coconut and keep it aside as shown in the above image. Wash and chop dilli leaves fine as shown in image 1.

2. Wash and drain water from Basumathi rice and keep it aside for a while. Cook it in the as usual for about 20 minutes till done in such a way that the grains are visible when cooked.

Cooked Basumati Rice

3. Place a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil in it on the medium flame. When heated add mustard seeds when it starts sputtering add black gram dal, cumin seeds to it. When fried add chopped green chillies and curry leaves from step 1 to it. Now add peanuts and let it fry for a while.

Seasoning in progress

4. When peanuts is fried add chopped onions from step 1 to it and also add required quantity of salt and fresh green peas to it and fry till it turns transparent and also peas turns little soft. Add chopped Dill leaves from step 1 to it and let it cook till done closing it with a lid.

Dill leaves being cooked in seasoning

5. When it is cooked add cooked rice from step 2, chopped cilantro, grated coconut from step 1 to it and stir in well.  Squeeze lemon juice as well and mix well.

Cooked rice, chopped  cilantro being added

6. Ready to serve Dill leaves Chithranna is as shown in the image below.

Ready to serve Dill leaves Chithranna

Transfer it to a serving bowl

A closer view of the dish

How long it takes: 30 minutes

Number of servings: 4 people