Cucumber curd rice with guava curry

Serves: 4
Ingredients
Rice 1 cup
Water 4 cups
Orange zest (tied in muslin cloth) 1 tsp
Grated cucumber 1 cup
Thick curd 1 cup
Sugar (a pinch ) (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Grated ginger 1 tbsp
Mint leaves for garnish
For the guava curry:
Ripe, medium sized guava 4-5
Clarified butter or oil 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Cloves 2-3
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Grated ginger 1 tsp
Water 1 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar 3 tbsp
Fresh coriander, finely chopped 2 tbsp
Method
For the guava curry, wash and cube the guava; remove seeds, if any.
Heat clarified butter or oil in a pressure cooker, and add cumin seeds and cloves.
When they turn light brown, add the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and ginger.
Mix well and add the cubed guavas.
Sauté, add water and salt. Cover with the lid and allow it to cook till the first whistle. Remove from fire and let cool.
When cool, add sugar and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
(For diabetics, make it without sugar.)
Wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes.
Boil the water with salt and cook rice till done. Strain and add orange zest tied in muslin cloth to infuse with rice (don't mix) and keep aside to cool.
Mix grated cucumber and curd, and chill for 15 minutes.
When the rice is completely cool, remove the orange zest; add chilled curd and mix well. Season with salt and sugar.
Heat oil in the pan and add mustard seeds.
When they start crackling, remove from heat and add curry leaves and grated ginger. Fold this with curd rice and set in the serving cups.
Chill this for 40-45 minutes in the fridge before serving.
Garnish with mint leaves and serve with guava curry.