Golden Corn Pulao

My friend Sushma of Savi-Ruchi is hosting a blog event "Tried & Tested" for the month of April 2011.According to this event, Sushma choses one food blog as the blog of the month( In this case , it is "the chef and her kitchen"). All month long, bloggers who choose to participate, have to try recipes from the selected blog and share their experiences.I too shall participate in this event (this would be my first one!!).
The first dish that I am gonna try is Pratibha's Spicy corn pulav. I call my attempt as Golden corn pulao.
I stuck to the original recipe for the most part except for the spice quantities. The dish turned great and we simply loved it. I served this amazing pulav with tomato cucumber raita.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Basmati rice
2. 3/4 cup  frozen corn
3. 2 medium sized onions (Here in US, sometimes the onions you get are very large. adjust the quantity accordingly)- chopped into thin slices
4. 1 bay leaf
5. 2 black cardamoms 
6. 1 " cinnamon stick
7. 4 cloves
8. 10 cashewnuts (Fry these in ghee and keep it aside)
9. 1 pinch saffron
10. 1 tbsp warm milk
11. 3 tbsp chopped cilantro or coriander leaves
12. Salt as per taste
13. 2 tbsp ghee or oil
14. Water 2 cups 

To grind into a paste: 

1. 1 medium onion chopped
2. 1/2 tsp  red chilli powder
3. 4 garlic cloves
4. 1/2 " ginger
5. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder or haldi
6. 1 tbsp coriander powder
7. 1/2 tsp garam masala powder

Method:

1. Wash  the rice and soak it for about 10 minutes.
2. Grind all the ingredients under " To grind in to a paste" in to smooth paste. You do not need  to add any water.
3. Drain the water from the rice. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee or oil in a pan and lightly roast this rice until all the moisture is gone.
4. Soak the saffron in warm milk for
5. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp ghee or oil  in a heavy bottomed pan.
6. Add the bay leaf , cloves, cardamom and cinnamon and fry for a minute or two
7. Then add slice onions and fry until brown.
8. Then add the ground masala paste and fry until oil separates from the masala.
9. Now add the corn and mix well.
10. Add the slightly toasted rice, salt and 2 cups of water (Use the 1:2 ratio  for rice and water that is 1(rice):2(water))
11. When the water comes to a boil, close the vessel and reduce the heat (In my electric range to about 3).
12. Cook till rice is done and all the moisture has evaporated.
13. Now add in the saffron soaked in milk, coriander leaves and cashewnuts.Mix it gently.
14. Serve hot with the raita of your choice.