Mint Pilaf and cucumber raita

Working days and cooking just dont go hand in hand. So on those days when i have a lot of calls but an inkling to have home cooked food, i need to rack my brain for something that is fast and easy. Of course in this case, I bought ready peeled mint leaves (and that cut off half the work!) . I have also made this with ready cut frozen vege which i have bought from tesco, so that limits my cutting and peeling work..

Ing:

A.
a bunch of mint leaves
2.5 inch ginger
8 shallots
5 red chili
3 birds eye chili

B
Cinnamon
3 pods Cardamon
1 bay leaf
Ghee
1 big onion sliced.
a bunch of french beans
A little cauliflower/brocolli
1 carrot
1potato

3 cups rice
a tablespoon of yogurt

For Raita:
1 cucumber
1 tomato
1 onion
1 red chili
half a tub of yogurt

1. fry all the ingredients in A for about 3 minutes. Dont let the mint leaves became cooked. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool then place everything in a blender and blend fine.

2. Fry all the ingredients in B. Add the ingredients from A and and let it come to a boil. ( you can add whatever vege you have at hand, in this instance I added beans and carrots)

3. Switch off the flame and add uncooked rice. add salt, mix well and transfer to a rice pot.

4. Add a tbs of yogurt and let rice cook

5. Once done, mix well, and if needed add another tbs of ghee for flavor.

6. For raita- finely chop or dice all ingredients and mix with yogurt and salt.