Cheera Choru | Red Amaranthus Rice

Red amaranthus rice or cheera choru is a healthy one pot meal that you can prepare for all. The leaves cook in no time and so it is a quick meal preparation too. My kids love simple one pot meals for lunch box. And so I plan a wide variety of one pot meals, each of which should be healthy and nutritious. I think most of the moms would love their child to eat a nutritious meal rather than relying on junk foods. 

Red amaranthus or chuvanna cheera is usually made cheera thoran at home, or prepare dal with spinach or this red amaranthus. I had also posted a sprouts cutlet that has red amaranthus which is another healthy alternative for kids. Try this simple quick lunch box meal and enjoy !!

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Cooking time ~ 15 minutes

Author ~ Julie

Serves ~ 4-5

Ingredients

basmati rice 2 cups

water 5.5 cups

salt 1/2 tsp

cheera (red amaranthus) chopped 2.5 cups

onion 1, small chopped

ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp

turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

chilly powder 1 tbsp

coriander powder, 1 tsp

tamarind extract 1 tbsp

peanuts soaked 1/4 cup

salt 1/2 tsp

oil 3tbsp

ghee 2tsp

coriander leaves 2 tbsp (chopped, optional)

Watch on YouTube -

Method

• Wash & soak the peanuts for 30 minutes.
• Snip off the roots if present and wash the cheera under running water to remove mud/ dirt 3–4 times. Check all the leaves for insects, discard any rotten ones. Cut the stems thin and chop all the leaves evenly. Keep aside.
• Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 20 minutes. You can use leftover regular cooked rice too. In that case, use approx 5 cups of cooked rice for this measure. If you have lesser cooked rice left, modify all the listed ingredients accordingly.
• If you are using fresh basmati rice, then start by cooking the rice first. In that case, add water(4.5 cups) to a pan and add salt(1/2 tsp). Boil the water and add the soaked rice. Cook till done, or cook for 10–12 minutes. Fluff with a fork, switch off the flame and keep aside till use.
• Heat a pan and add oil. When oil is hot, slide the onions followed by ginger-garlic paste.
• Add the soaked peanuts and sauté on high for 2–3 minutes. Add in the spice powders on low flame. Add the tamarind extract, give a quick mix.
• Add the chopped cheera and mix with the spices. Don't add salt now, add the salt as the cheera leaves are wilted and half cooked. Else, you may end up adding more salt. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
• Once the leaves are wilted, add salt and cook covered again for 3–4 minutes. The leaves will leave out water once salt is added.
• Finally, toss in the cooked rice. Adjust salt if needed (I haven't added any). Mix well, add the ghee and chopped coriander leaves. Simmer on low flame for another 2 minutes. 
•  Then the rice is ready to serve with cut cucumbers and raitha/salad.

NOTES

* I used a mix of both chilly powders (1 tsp of hot chilli powder and 2 tsp of kashmiri chilli powder).

* You can use cashews instead of peanuts if your kid has peanut allergy. But this definitely adds a nice crunch to the rice.

* Tamarind adds a mild tangy flavour to the rice, omit if you don't like.

* You can use green amaranth also to prepare this rice, but you may not get this colour to the rice.