Wednesday, January 28
Rice with Vegetable Nawabi
1 1/2 cups vegetables, Chopped in big pieces (Cauliflower, French beans, carrot, Potatoes, Green Peas etc.)
1 big Onion chopped
2 big tomatoes
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 green chillies
1 tbsp cumin seeds
Coriander Leaves – 1/2 bunch, small
Cashew nuts 8, soaked
2 tbsp fresh cream
2 tbsp oil/ ghee
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
2 tsp Aniseeds (Saunf)
2 to 3 Cardamoms
2 Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon
Garnish
Coriander Leaves – 1/2 bunch, small
Method:
- Blanch the vegetables in hot water with a little of salt and sugar. Make sure that the vegetables are cooked and not overcooked. Should be crunchy, so as they are done, immediately pour cold water. (Ideally ,we need to deep fry them)
- Blanch the tomatoes, for 4 to 5 minutes or till the tomatoes soften. Peel off the skin and keep aside to cool. Later blend in a mixer to a smooth purée. Set aside.
- Heat the ghee in a non-stick pan, add all the spices one by one, when done add green chillies and then add cashew nuts.
- Later add the onions and sauté on a slow flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Set aside to cool and then grid to a smooth paste.
- Heat the ghee in a pan. Add ginger garlic paste, when done add onion paste.
- Add the prepared tomato purée, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add the mixed vegetables, fresh cream and salt to taste, mix well and cook on a medium flame for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice or parathas and salad.
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Friday, November 25
Mint pulao / Pudina rice
This is a full proof recipe which always amuse my visitors, family and friends and everyone keeps asking for more.
Ingredients:
Basmati rice 1 cup
2 tbsp cashew nuts,broken
3-4 cloves
1/2" cinnamon
2-3 green cardamom
1 bay leaf
Onion,1 big,finely sliced
Fresh/ frozen peas 1/3 cup
2 tsp lemon juice
2 potatoes, boiled or 1/2 cup soya nuggets,soaked in hot water
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Masala:
1 bunch (1 cup) fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp fresh grated coconut
1/2" ginger piece
6-7 green chillies
1 tsp oil
Method:
Wash and soak the rice in water for 10-15 mins(soaking enhances the aroma of basmati rice) and cook it until done.
Spread the rice over a plate, adding a tsp of ghee all over it ,it will keep the rice granules separate.Let it cool .
Cut potatoes in small cubes(/ squeeeze excess water out of soya nuggets, and set aside).
Clean and wash the mint leaves and let them drain excess water.
Heat a tsp of oil, add mint leaves and saute it for about a minute until they wilt.Add green chillies,ginger and grated coconut and cook it a bit.
Let it cool and then grind it into a paste. Add half of the lemon juice. Adding lemon juice will help retain bright green color of mint.
Heat ghee in a thick bottom pan. Add cloves,cardamom,cinnamon and bay leaf, then add chopped cashews and fry until light brown in color.
Add sliced onions and fry until they turn a bit dark brown in color and then add peas to it and fry well.
Add potatoes/ soya nuggets now and let them roast a bit(brown patches on potatoes/ soya nuggets)
Add ground paste and fry well until the raw smell goes away.This takes a couple of minutes.
Lastly add cooked and cooled rice,salt to taste and lemon juice and mix carefully until everything is mixed well.
Serve hot with raitha.
Tips:
Can replace potatoes/ soya nuggets with paneer cubes or baby potatoes instead.
I have also tried it with dry dissected coconut too, and i came out equally well.
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Monday, September 14
Kheer, Rice Pudding, Indian sweet
Its been quite some time that i posted any recipe, and all is due to the fact that i don't get enough time to blog. I do have lots of snaps of recipes that i do make, but couldn't blog about them. So now when i had time , though of posting some sweet recipe.
Recently have been regularly watching ,"Yeah rista kya kahlata hain", in Star plus; and seeing Akshara making kheer for more then 2 episodes.. ;), though of making myself too. And then on the eve of rakhi got the occassion to make this. So here it comes, with the measurements... :) "100 gram chawal aur 150 gram shakkar, char logon ke liye.."he he....
But firstly something about kheer.., It's a popular Indian sweet, made for all happy ocassions. It is also called as ‘payash, payasa, payasam' in other Indian languages.
Kheer or payasam generally has a consistency of porridge. You can keep it plain or make it as rich as you like with the addition of nuts like cashews, pistachio, almonds etc. Most commonly made kheer is Rice Kheer or the Vermicelli kheer which is also called sevai or semiya payasam.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup rice
4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
A pinch of saffron(soaked in little hot milk)
2-3 crushed cardamom
2 tbsp sliced almonds
1 tbsp sliced pistachios
1 tbsp raisins (optional)
1 tsp ghee
Method:
Wash rice, drain and set aside.
Better use a non-stick frying pan to make kheer.
Melt the ghee(/butter) in a frying pan on medium heat, add rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Then add milk and boil till rice is fully cooked and the milk is reduced to half ,on a medium heat, stirring often to ensure the milk does not burn in the bottom of the pan.
Finally add the sugar, saffron, cardamom, mixed nuts(almonds, pistachios) and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
Turn off the heat.
As kheer cools off it will become thicker in texture.
Kheer can be served chilled or warm.
Tips:
Rice can be replaced with Vermicelli.
If you will be serving chilled add 1 teaspoon of extra sugar
Instead of cardamom you can add your favorite essence, rose or almond or vanilla essence if you wish
Jaggery(brown sugar) can be added as a sweetener depending on personal choice.
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Thursday, May 28
Vegetable Biryani
BIRYANI, the name itself tells us that its something rich and flavourful and exotic and aromatic and tradional and.....
It was long time i thought of trying it out, but was afraid of the last step, cooking on low flame(as i don't have oven) and burning it, BUT the crispy bottom ,which was the result of slow cooking, made me make it again and again after that...
Biryani was introduced in Indian via Mughal cuisine. The word Biryani is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) (بریان) which means "fried" or "roasted". Traditionally, biryani is layered in a heavy pot and heated through until the rice at the bottom becomes crispy and delicious And the flavour of all the spices penetrates into each n every grain of rice. Its not very easy to cook biryani, as firstly it do requires a whole lot of ingredients (each and every is important for the flavour it gives) and takes time to cook, but the final result is simply awesome.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup basmati Rice
100 grams carrots
100 grams cauliflower
100 grams potato
More Veggie, like peas or beans
50 grams paneer
15 grams cashewnuts
15 grams Raisins
250 grams curds
40 grams fried onions
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
3 green chilli
1 tsp kala jeera
40 gms mint leaves
40 gms Coriander leaves
5- 6 tbsp oil
A pinch of Saffron(soaked in milk)
1 tsp whole garam masala
1 tbsp hydrebadi biryani masala
Salt to taste
Method:
First wash and soak the rice for atleast 20 minutes. Boil water and cook the rice in open pan(with lots of water), and drain the water when its only 70% cooked.
Chop all the veggies into big pieces lengthwise.
Take a wide bottomed pan, add oil,then whole garam masala,saute it. Then add zeera,ginger garlic paste, vegetables and mix well and finally add salt. Cook on medium high flame till they are only half done.
Now add mint,coriander,chopped green chillies,biryani masala, half cup of curd and then add paneer.
Next take a biryani bowl (or a baking dish), layer half of the cooked vegetables and spread all over, add some more curd, mixed nuts (optional), salt, fried onions.Next layer half rice, repeat the same process again.
Finally pour the saffron mixture over it and sprinkle the remaining fried onions and coriander leaves. Cover with tight lid or foil, and either bake on a preheated oven for about 20-30 mins or even can cook on stove top on low flame covered for 10-20 minutes.
Serve hot with raita or any vegetable curry.
Notes:
Whole garam masala: Can use ready mix or 2 inch cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom , 4 cloves, 2-3 bay leaves ,1 star arsine.
I didn't preferred deep fried onions , so before adding veggies added 2 sliced onions and cooked till done.
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Sending this to JFI:Mint at Ashwini's place started by Mahanandi
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Friday, March 6
Aloo pooha
Aaloo Poha or kanda pohe is i feel the staple breakfast/snack in every North Indian Kitchen. Actually this tangy snack is an all time favorite throughout India with slight variations,though. I also make it every week atleast once. Easy to make, its quite filling too. Must be, as its made with flattened beaten rice.
I sometimes use to make this even before my marriage, but that was under my mom ,so was quite simple. After marriage,when we were in bangalore, when first time i bought poha, it came out to be thin one. Result it all formed one big lump,when i soaked it.(That one is used to make chiwda) Then i bought thick one(asked specially for thick one). It didn't got soaked properly n was all dry. Finally ,asked my sister,What's wrong??? she told me there's comes one more of medium thickness,that we should use. OMG.
Once when we went to indore, i saw this poha everywhere, and it was too spicy there. Hot steaming poha was prepared and kept warm over boiling water so that the hot moisture from the water can keep the poha warm and moist. One nice combo was Poha Jelabi..
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cup Poha(rice flakes) (from Indian groceries)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 potato, diced
3-4 green chillies, chopped
Handful of frozen green peas (optional)
2 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped finely
1 lemon/lime
Haldi/turmeric powder 1 tsp
Jeera/cumin 1 tsp
1t mustard seeds
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Black salt 2 tbsp
Sugar 1tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash the rice flakes/atukulu in running cold water,in a seive, drain and set aside. These flakes will absorb the water and shall puff up.
Meanwhile, chop onions, green chillies, potato.
Heat oil in a wide pan and firstly add the peanuts. fry them and set aside.
In the same oil add the cumin seeds and curry leaves(optional). Let it fry for a min and a then add onions, diced potato, green peas and green chillies to the pan . Add a bit of salt to enhance cooking.
Let it cook for few mins till the potatoes are done.
Meanwhile, mix all the spices in the soaked poha and mix well with your hands. (so as not to break the flakes)
Finally mix it well in the pan and let it sit on the flame for 3-5 more mins. Add the lime/lemon juice and chopped cilantro and mix well so that the juice is evenly distributed.
Serve hot with any of the below toppings.
Toppings:
I serve it with fried peanuts on top of it.
Also it tastes womderful with Haldiram's bhujia.
In nagpur we had it with some very hot red chutney over it, along with green chillies.
Also its served with chopped onions or grated coconut.
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Sending this to Cooking for kids :Potato, authored by Sharmi of Neivedyam as my kids love it too. Along with Yummy Samosa's and Vegetable cutlets.
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Thursday, June 26
Lemon Rice and A Click
She is going through intensive chemo and other treatments and needs to focus single-mindedly on healing and finding what treatment works best for her. Her health insurance, unfortunately, does not cover holistic alternatives which she would like to try. Bri and her husband Marc have enough on their plates right now in addition to worrying about her medical bills. Jugalbandi has organised a fundraiser to help Bri and her family meet her out-of-pocket medical costs for ONE YEAR. CLICK is a monthly theme-based photography contest hosted by Jugalbandi. This month’s theme is: YELLOW for Bri.Yellow is the colour of hope.The entries can be viewed HERE. The fundraiser will extend until July 15, 2008. The target amount is 12,000 U.S. dollars. We appeal to our fellow bloggers and readers to help us achieve this. Bri deserves a chance to explore all options, even if her insurance company thinks otherwise. There’s a raffle with exciting prizes on offer. After viewing the list, you may make your donation HERE or at the Chip-In button on any participating site. Your donation can be made securely through credit card or Pay Pal and goes directly to Bri’s account.
Rice is a staple diet of South India and there are many varieties of dishes made out of it. Lemon rice,it plays an important part of South Indian meal . Their feasts are not complete without this particular dish, its a must for all ocassions. Its so simple to cook and very yummy to eat. And one more good thing about it that, you can have it on its own.
This Refreshing lemony rice tastes great when served hot or cold.
Ingredients:
Cooked rice 1 cup
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
For Tempering :
Oil/ghee 2 tbsp
Musturd seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 2 3 pinches
Groundnuts and cashewnuts 4 tbsp
Red chillies 4 5 nos
Green chillies (chopped) 3-4 nos
Turmeric pwd 1 tsp
Fresh curry leaves (a must)
Method:
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the seeds and let them splutter.
Add asafoetida,nuts and fry till golden brown.
Add the red and green chillies. Add turmeric,saute.
Add the curry leaves and saute.
Turn off heat. Let it cool.
To the cooked rice, add the lime juice and salt to taste.
Add the tempering and mix it lightly.
Serve warm or cold ,goes well with South Indian spice dishes like chicken curry, potatoes curry.
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Click the event:
This click is for Bri.
Bri , a fellow blogger, was diagnosed with breast cancer two and half years ago. A mastectomy, chemotherapy and two years of relatively good health later, the cancer is back. It has metastasized to other parts of her body. At the age of 15, Bri lost her 41-year old mother to the disease. Now, she’s waging her own war against breast cancer.
You can support this campaign by donating to the fundraiser, by participating in CLICK: the photo event, and by publicising this campaign.
Read more...
Tuesday, April 22
Vegetable fried rice(Pulao)
This the most common dish that i make, both as lunch, as well as dinner, as its so healthy, easy and fast to make too...
Kids like to eat it too, and myself also satisfied that, aah finally i could make vegetables into their diet... Mostly my cooking is formatted that it should be kid friendly, as i have two toddlers at home to deal with, with a lot differtent taste buds..hehe
Eat it with raita, or as it is...
Ingredients:
2 cups Basmati Rice
1 Onions large sliced
Green Chillies(as par taste)
2 tbsp ghee,
2 Carrots,cut lenghtwise,abt a inchlong
1 Potato, cut lenghtwise,abt a inchlong
1/2 cup Peas
10 15 beans, cut in 1 inch size,
1 cup Cauliflower,cut into florets
2 tomatoes, puried
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
Salt To Taste
5 6 cashew broken
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
Cinnamon sticks - 1 inch
2 3 Cloves
4 cups water
Method:
Soak rice for atleast about 15 minutes, then wash and keep aside
Pre-cook rice with a pinch of salt. Allow the rice to cool.
Heat the ghee in a saucepan and add bayleaves, cumin, cloves ,cinnamon and cashews; fry.
Add the onions and cook until brown. Add the green chillies. Stir for few minutes.
Add all the vegetables and mix well.
Cook until the masala separates from oil and vegetables (subzi) gets tender. Add tomato puree , cook for some time and then add garam masala.
Add salt and stir well.
Mix the vegetable mix with the rice.
Serve the vegetable pulao hot, with raita.
Tip:
While cooking rice, add few drops of lemon,so that grains of rice won't stick together.
Read more...
Sunday, April 20
Jeera Fried Rice
Jeera Fried Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup long grain rice
1 tbsp. cumin seeds (shajira & ordinary mixed)
8 10 halved cashews
8 10 raisins
1 bay leaf
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 5 cloves
2 cups water
2 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste
Method:
Wash rice well and soak in water for 15 minutes.
Drain and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy or nonstick pan.
When hot add jeera, and allow it to splutter,
Add bayleaf,cinnamon, and cloves to the ghee.
Stir fry for a few seconds,
And then add cashews and raisin to it.
Ater a while add the soaked rice,frying rice till light brown.
Add salt and water, bring to a boil.
Simmer covered, till rice is cooked and water evaporates.
Each grain should be separate.
Serve hot with dal fry or a spicy gravy vegetable.
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Saturday, March 29
Green vegetable fried rice
Ingredients:
Vegetables-
1 or 2 small carrot cut length wise thinly,
8 to 10 Green Beans cut length wise,
1/4 cup peas frozen or soaked over night,
1/4 cup Cauliflower flowerts,
1/2 capsicum cut length wise thinly,
1 medium Onion cut into half and thinly sliced,
4 small cinnamon sticks,
4 cloves.
lemon
Green Masala.
4 to 5 ( or to your taste) green chillies,
1/4th inch ginger piece,
1 or 2 garlic cloves,
1 cup chopped coriander leaves.
Wet grind the above said with little water in a blender and keep aside.
Method:
Cook 1 cup rice (Basmati or long grain) with 2 cups of water and set aside to cool.
In a heavy bottom pan mix 2 tab sp ghee and 2 tab sp oil and on medium flame fry onion, cinnamon sticks,and cloves till onion becomes transparent.
Then put rest of the cut vegetables to the same pan and fry till all the vegetables are done
Now put the green masala mix which was grinded to this along with salt to your taste and lemon juice to your taste and fry for about 3 to 4 mts.
Now take the rice which was set to cool and mix it to the vegetable mixture and turn the heat to low mix nicely and leave it on stove for 5 to 10 mts.
Serve it with any side dish like raita .
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Friday, March 28
Masala dosa
Ingredients:
1 cup plain rice.
1 cup parboiled rice.
1/2 cup white udad dal.
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds the batter.
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred
water for grinding
For masala:
2 large onions in vertical slices
2 large potatoes boiled and peedled
4-5 green chillies
1 tbsp. chopped coriander
8-10 cashews halved
1/2 tsp. each udad dal, cumin & mustard seeds
2 tbsp. oil
1/4 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste
Method:
Dosa:
Wash the rices and dal together.
Add plenty of water and methi seeds.
Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
Grind to a paste. Rawa-like grains should be felt in
Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours. Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required.
The consistency of the batter should be
enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread
with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Spread chutney spread over dosa.
Place a tbsp. masala in the centre.
Fold into triangle to cover masala.
Remove with spatula when crisp.
Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.
Masala:
Chop potatoes coarsely. Chop green chillies.
Heat oil, add cashews and brown lightly.
Add dal, seeds and splutter.
Add chillies and onions. Fry till tender.
Add turmeric, salt, potatoes, coriander.
Mix well.
Chutney spread:
1/2 cup grated coconut
4 red chillies or 1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 long bean tamarind
2 flakes garlic
1 tbsp. groundnuts
salt to taste
Grind all ingredients together to form a firm chutney. Use very little water.
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Sunday, March 16
Idli
Ingredients:
idli rava 1 packet(4 small katoris) (/ thai rice 4 small katori)
urad dal 2 small katori
curd 2 tbsp
Method:
Soak dal for 5 6 hrs, grind into fine paste,
wash rava with water 2 3 times
mix both together with salt n 2 tbsp curd keep in a container covered overnight,(it swells almost to double)
without disturbing the batter, put in idli moulds n cook for 10 15 min, check with knief.
serve with sambar n coconut chutney
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