Recipe for Broccoli Pulao

Ingredients

Broccoli – 1 crown
Basmati rice – 2 cups
Oil – 2tbsp
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Bay Leaf – 1
Salt – to taste
Water – 3 cups
Coconut milk/Yogurt – ½ cup
Lemon juice – 1 tsp

To Coarsely Grind

Whole spices – 1 tsp fennel seeds,  5-6 peppercorns, 1” piece of cinnamon & 1 clove
Ginger – 1” piece
Garlic – 5 cloves
Mint Leaves – handful
Cilantro – handful
Green Chilies – 4
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Method 
Wash and soak the basmati rice while you get the things ready.
Separate the broccoli into small florets. Peel the skin of the stem and chop it into small strips too.  Wash it and keep this aside.
Grind all the ingredients under ‘To coarsely grind’.
Heal oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed pan . Add the bay leaf. Add the ground paste and fry for a minute. 
Add the drained rice and fry for another minute. 
Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, salt and water. Bring it to boil.
Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 10- 15 minutes till the rice is almost done.
Open the lid and mix in the broccoli florets. Reduce the heat to minimum and cover again.
Let this steam for the next 5-7 minutes before switching off. Keep it covered for another 5 minutes before opening the lid. This time is just sufficient to cook the broccoli while retaining it crunch, color and nutrients.
Gently fluff with the fork and serve.

Variations

Try adding other vegetables like green peas, capsicum, carrot, fenugreek leaves (methi) or cauliflower. 
You can skip mint leaves if you do not like its taste. 
Those who love cashews or almonds can grind it along with the other ingredients. It tastes awesome.
You can skip the coconut milk or yogurt and use just water to cook the rice. However, coconut milk adds a creamy and nutty taste that according to me makes the dish tastier.
Adding yogurt gives a tangy touch.