Vegetable Pulao

In the early 1990s, cable TVs had just entered homes, infact, TVs had just entered a few homes. International brands were unknown to most except probably those who had travelled abroad. Internet was virtually unheard of and computers unseen by most. Weekends were 1.5 days long and travels by Bajaj scooters. The only McDonald we had heard of was the old farmer who had pigs and ducks on his farm. Eating out was restricted to local foods like pao bhaji, sev puri, samosas and dosas. Eating out was an extravagance, a luxury. Families ate out once in 1-2 months. Sundays became special affairs. Sunday was a day to cook out specialities by the woman of the house. The menu for sunday until lunch was pretty much fixed. Idlis with hot sambhar and spicy chutney for breakfast. And my mom's special Pulao and Chana masala for lunch. How we lusted for the lunch. All the while, playing in the street, the mind was still in the kitchen smelling in the aroma of pulao. My mom's simple yet delicious vegetable pulao was always a favourite among friends and relatives. I use the same recipe, the same ingredients, but I can never match up to the pulao of those early sunday afternoons of my life. But each time I make this pulao, the feeling of nostalgia envelopes me.

Vegetable Pulao

Indian rice pilaf made with vegetables and whole spices

Recipe Type: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice
2 cups Water (Or how much is needed to cook 1 cup of rice in a pressure cooker)
1 cup Assorted vegetables (Roughly chopped Cauliflower, Potato, French beans. Carrots and Green Peas)
1 Onion
1 Tomato
2-3 Green Chillies
5-6 Black peppercorns
1-2 Cloves
1" stick Cinnamon
1 Bayleaf / Tej patta (dry)
1 cube Maggi magic cube (veg)
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt

Method:

Wash the rice and spread on a muslin cloth to dry until ready to use.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker

Add the finely chopped onions and slit green chillies

Add all the whole spices and fry until the onions are light brown

Add the tomato and fry for 1 min

Add the rice and fry for 30secs - 1 min

Add the water. Crush the magic cube and add it to the cooker.

Add salt. The magic cube itself has salt, keep that in consideration while adding salt.

Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or until the rice is done.

Serve hot with raita or pickle

Bharwan Bhindi | Stuffed Okra Fry

It was a hatrick of stuffed bhindi two weeks ago. Bhindi(Okra) is our least favorite vegetable at home, so it is brought into the house once every blue moon. The way I can eat it, is the way hubby dearest hates it. The way he likes it, I don't. So tired of these bhindi wars, when I was grumbling to my friend about cooking bhindi, she gave me a couple of recipes. I tried her first one, and both of us seemed to like it. Next day, I tried something a colleague at office suggested, that tasted a little better... and finally i tried stuffing the bhindi with coconut and coriander as per Tarla Dalal (a variation also suggested by my friend), this version was our favorite of the 3 we tried...

Bharwan Bhindi | Stuffed Okra Fry

Okra/Bhindi stuffed with spice powders and pan fried.

Recipe Type: Side
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

20-25 Bhindi or Okra
3 Tbsp grated fresh Coconut
2 Tbsp fresh Coriander leaves (chopped)
1 Tbsp Chickpea Flour or Besan
1/2 tsp Jaggery or Sugar
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Amchur (dry Mango powder)
2Tbsp Oil
1-2 tsp Water
Salt

Method:

Trim the bhindi and make a slit lengthwise on one side of the bhindi.

Mix together all the ingredients for the stuffing.

Stuff the bhindis with the stuffing.

Add at least ½ - 1 tsp per bhindi.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a flat pan or a tava with high edges.

Place the bhindi in a single layer in the pan. The bhindi should not overlap each other.

Pour the remaining 1 tbsp oil over the bhindi.

Keep turning the bhindi until they are cooked.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Corn Tomato Bharta Recipe | How to make tomato bharta [Video]

Corn Tomato Bharta recipe with video instructions. Corn Tomato Bharta is a vegan curry made with flame roasted tomatoes and sweet corn. This smoky curry is gluten free and vegan.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe

Grilled juicy Tomatoes. Boiled Sweet Corn. Fresh Spices. A marriage made in HEAVEN!

The sweetness of the corn marries well with the tanginess of the tomatoes and the sprinkling of spices, just make this Corn Tomato Bharta so delicious.

It was fate that make me sample this Corn Tomato Bharta. We planned to eat at a particular restaurant but the long winding queue of people waiting to be seated, made us change our mind and go to a new place. Since, we'd never heard of Corn Tomato Bharta, we decided to take a chance and try it. Try it, we did. Love it, we did.

How can I sample something new and not try to make it myself? I tried many versions and finally settled on this recipe.

What is a Bharta?

Bharta is a curry or sabzi made by grilling a vegetable directly on open flame or coals. The most frequently grilled vegetable is eggplant or brinjal to make Baingan ka Bharta.

Tomato Bharta is a village recipe in which the tomatoes and onions are grilled over coals until they are soft and then mashed to make the curry. Here, I have pureed the onions and tomatoes and cooked them further to make a spicy gravy. I have also added sweet corn for flavor and texture.

Tomato Bharta is very similar to the Bengali / Bangladeshi Tomato Vorta and the Trinidad Tomato Choka.

You can also grill the tomatoes in the oven or roast on a frying pan with little oil in it.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

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Video Recipe

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Corn Tomato Bharta Recipe | How to make tomato bharta

Corn Tomato Bharta is a vegan curry made of fire roasted tomatoes and sweet corn. Tomatoes and onions are roasted on an open flame, charring them and adding a smoky flavor. The onions and tomatoes are pureed and cooked along with spices to make the base of the curry. Boiled sweet corn is added for the slight sweetness and texture. Corn Tomato Bharta is vegan and gluten free.

Recipe Type: Side
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
Yield: Serves 2-3

Author: Anupama

Ingredients:

3 Tomatoes
1 Onion
1 cup Sweet Corn
3-4 Garlic cloves
0.5" Ginger
2 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Grill the whole tomatoes over an open gas flame until the skin is charred and the tomato softens or rrill the tomatoes in an oven for 20 mins. Turn them every 7-8 mins.
2. Allow the tomatoes to cool, then peel and puree them.
3. Grill an onion on the open flame until the skin is charred or it can also be grilled along with the tomatoes in the oven.
4. Once the onion is cool, peel it. Blend it along with garlic and ginger into a smooth puree. Add a little water to help the blending if required.
5. Boil the corn until done. Takes around 4-5 mins in the microwave.
6. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds
7. Once the cumin seeds brown slightly, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste and fry until it turns light brown
8. Add the tomato puree and add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder.
9. Cook until the oil separates or for 8-10 mins on low flame while stirring frequently
10. Add water to achieve the desired consistency and cook for another 2 mins
11. Add the salt and corn and simmer for 1 min
12. Serve hot with rotis

If you liked this, you may also like:

Punjabi Dum Aloo

Double Beans Masala

Amritsari Chhole

Matki Usal

Matki or Moth beans are look very similar to moong beans but are brown in colour and are slightly smaller in size. They are a high source of protein and as most beans, very low in calories. I usually use these to make Misal, but on days I have less time, I am content with just the usal. You can make the same recipe with sprouted moong beans too...

Matki Usal

spicy curry made with moth beans and fresh coconut

Maharastrian curry made with sprouted moth beans and fresh coconut.

Recipe Type: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian / Maharastrian
Prep Time: 15 minutes (Does not include sprouting time)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup dried or 2 cups sprouted Matki beans / Moth beans
1 Onion
1 Tomato
2-3 Green chillies
5-6 Curry leaves
A handful of Coriander leaves
3 tbsp desiccated Coconut
3 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Salt
Water
Method:

To sprout the beans yourself, soak in matki beans in 2 cups of water overnight

Next morning, drain out the water from the container and cover the container with a steel plate and allow to rest in a warm place for 2 days or until the beans sprout.

Alternatively, you can also tie the beans in a muslin cloth and allow them to sprout.

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.

Once they splutter, add the curry leaves, slit green chillies and chopped onions

Fry until the onions are done

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they are done

Add the sprouts and enough water to cover them

Add salt and cover and cook until the beans are done.

Keep checking the beans, if it feels dry and the beans aren't done, then add more water and cover and cook longer. If the beans are done, and there is excess water, then remove the lid and cook on high flame until the water evaporates. This can take anywhere between 20-30 mins to cook.

Once the beans are done, garnish with desiccated coconut and finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapati