daliya (broken wheat) pilaf / pulao with dill greens ...


 Daliya (broken wheat) is loaded with fiber and all the vitamins found in wheat germ . It makes a good substitute for rice if you are a diabetic or on a diet . The good thing with this oft hated grain is that , although it can be cooked to look like a sticky slimy gruel (which most of the people hate about it) , this grain makes the most delicious pilaf , the most texturally enhanced halwa and beautiful fluffy idlies . But that happens when you love this grain and want to include it in varied flavors for your meals. One such flavor is here with a fresh aroma of dill and spicy hints of whole coriander seeds , cinnamon and star anise...
ingredients...
(for 2-3 large one dish meal servings)

broken wheat (daliya) 3/4 cup
cubed paneer (cottage cheese)100 gm
finely chopped onions 1 cup
finely chopped tomatoes 1.5 cup
chopped green chillies 1 tbsp or to taste
chopped ginger garlic 1 tbsp
chopped dill greens 2 cups tightly packed (i used frozen)
coriander seeds 2 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
cinnamon stick 1 inch piece
star anise 1 flower or 3-4 broken pieces as i used
cumin powder 1 tsp
black pepper powder 1 tsp
red chilly powder 1 tsp (optional)
ghee 1 tbsp (or olive oil or sesame oil)
salt to taste
kasoori methi powdered 2 tsp

procedure...

The texture of the chopped onions and tomatoes you see in the pictures is dude to chopping them finely in the chopper attachment of my hand blender . I find it very useful for quick meals and chopping the vegetables one by one as you go on adding them to the pan is so very convenient . I guess many of you do the same . In this recipe such minced chopping works best as it brings the best flavors as the daliya soaks them well.  Soak the daliya in 3/4 cup of water as you chop the vegetables.

Heat the ghee in a pan and throw in all the whole spices and let them splutter a bit.

Add the chopped / minced green chillies , ginger n garlic and let them stir fry till the sizzle but now browned.

Add the chopped onions and sprinkle some salt as it will help frying the onions in low fat medium. Fry the onions till they sweat and turn pinkish.

Add the tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes wilt too.

Now it is time to add the dill greens , mix everything well , add salt pepper and cumin powder . Add red chilly powder too if using.  mix well.

As the dill greens wilt and sizzle , add a cup of water , the paneer cubes and let it boil .

As the green mixture boils , add the soaked daliya to it .

Mix well and cover to cook for 5-7 minutes on low flame . Check when the daliya looks fluffed up and cooked . It cooks really fast and just needs to absorb all the flavors from the spiced up vegetables....sprinkle the kassori methi , mix well and let it stand covered for 5 minutes before serving.

Serve hot with plain curds or raita .


If you don't get dill greens (soya bhaji) , fresh or dried fenugreek leaves are also good for this with a finishing of fresh coriander leaves .

Any other greens can also be used but this kind of spicing suits very well with dill greens and fenugreek leaves , Other herbs would need suitable spicing for them but they all will be equally enjoyable and healthy....

Do you love your daliya now ? I make daliya in many ways and get a lot of hits on mt daliya posts. It actually encourages me to click pictures whenever i make something with this wonderful broken grain , and share it with you all here...

Enjoy...

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