Red Spinach Pomegranate Rice Pilaf/ Pulav

This iron rich vegetable can be used to make variety of dishes. Regular stir-fry or add in the dal curry, it always gives a nice aromatic taste. My mom would buy these fresh from the vegetable vendors who would come on his bicycle, and shout all the green vegetables names on top of his voice, so everyone in the neighborhood could hear him. They were usually really fresh and mom would end up buying whole lot than needed. But she would always end up using them. My love of greens comes from being used to so many greens all the time being cooked at home.

This particular variety of red spinach was rare to find in mid-west. But here I see them in abundance. I see a big fresh bunch at the grocers and I go for it. These have red stems and also red at the edge where the stem meets leaf. When added to the rice, it not only enhances the flavors, it gives a natural red color to the rice. Some of these are my tactics to get my kids introduced to as many vegetables as I can. :o)

Prep Time: 20 min | Cooking Time: 15 min | Serves: Family of 4

Ingredients:
Cooked Rice (Preferably cold/ left over) - 3 Cups
Red Spinach - a bunch
Onion - 1 large (chopped)
Tomato - 1 large (chopped)
Garlic - 3 pods (chopped)
Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp.
Fish Sauce (optional) - 2 tsp.
Sriracha Chili Sauce - 1 tsp.
Salt to taste (1/2 tsp.)
Sesame oil - 2 tsp.
Pomegranate seeds - 1 Cup

Method of Preparation:
 ~ Wash and rinse the greens. Soak it in cold water for atleast 10 minutes for all the dirt to settle down.
~ Once cleaned, chop them fine and keep it aside.
~ In a wide pan, heat sesame oil, add chopped onion and garlic. Cook them until onion is translucent.
~ Add tomato and red spinach, fry for few minutes and add all three sauces.
~ Once tomato is cooked, add salt and rice. Mix them all evenly. Now add half of the pomegranate seeds and give a quick mix and switch off the heat.
~ Serve it topped with remaining pomegranate.

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