Rajma Chawal or Red Kidney Beans Masala with Rice

Rajma Chawal is red kidney beans cooked in a masala made from onion, tomato and some spices served over a bed of white rice.

Haaapy Wednesday....

I'm not entirely sure about my feelings for Wednesday, the optimist in me says the week is half done and the cynic in me says there are still TWO days left to go... Either way, it calls for a treat, don't you think so?

I've had a hectic time going on. It was pretty much work work work until Sunday where I worked for a full day on the blog.Yes, an ENTIRE day. Raj just did his stuff and I did mine. Sis cooked up lunch and we just ate Masala Puri - a local street food for dinner. I redesigned a lot of stuff around on the blog on Sunday. Tried different templates, but finally decided HTML isn't my cup of tea. Too much effort, so reverted back to my old template and just updated the layout. The awesomely beautiful weather totally helped the non-working-yet-working Sunday I had. Such heavy lashing rains and melodious songs on YouTube. Have I mentioned, I absolutely LOVE rains.

And then back to the work work work grind from Monday. So it is finally mid week and I deserved my treat I believe. Something delicious, yet quick to make. When I'm stressed out, I always make rice. On other days, I'm not usually a big fan of rice. I stick to rotis (wholewheat flatbread). But I think it is that starchy comfort I seek in rice when I'm all drained out. And what goes well with Rice - RAJMA...   Rajma Chawal in simple English words is Beans and Rice. Beans and Rice, now that's a world famous combo.

I highly recommend using Basmati rice here. The long grains and the fragrance of Basmati makes any simple dish also seem special. But I was out of Basmati. So I had to make do with regular short grain rice. But I highly highly recommend Basmati. Did I mention that already?

Have you ever fried onions and garlic in oil? Or at least been around when someone else was frying it? Doesn't it just smell AMAZING? That aroma always makes me hungry, even after I've just had a big meal. Well, this Rajma Chawal is a treat for the nose too with the frying-of-onion-and-garlic. It is the perfect appetite builder. So I am not responsible for munching on those banana chips while cooking, it was the onions.

I've pretty much used the same recipe in the past to make black bean soup. Just replace the red kidney beans with the black ones and you are done. So if you want to skip the rice, although I suggest you try this famous marriage of flavors, you can have the Rajma just as a regular spiced soup with some crusty bread to mop it up.

Rajma Chawal or Red Kidney Beans Masala with Rice

Red kidney beans cooked in a masala made from onion, tomato and some spices served over a bed of white rice.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:         North Indian
Prep Time:    20 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Yield:             Serves 2

Ingredients:

Rajma:

2 cups cooked Red Kidney Beans or Rajma (see note if using dried beans)

2 Tomatoes

1 large Onion

1-2 cloves Garlic

1/2" piece of Ginger

2 tsp Cumin Powder or Jeera powder

1 tsp of Coriander Powder or Dhania Powder

1/2 tsp of Garam Masala

1 tsp of Cumin seeds or Jeera

1 tsp Sugar or Jaggery powder

1 tbsp of Kasuri Methi (Optional)

4 tsp of Oil

Salt to taste

Water

A handful of coriander leaves for garnish

Chawal:

1 cup of Rice (preferably Basmati)

2 cups of Water

Method:

Chawal:

Wash the rice twice with sufficient water.
In a deep pan, bring 2 cups of water to boil.
Once it comes to a rolling boil, add the washed rice and cover and cook until the rice is done.
Drain out any excess water.
Alternatively, pressure cook the rice for around 2-3 whistles or 8-10 minutes after the pressure builds up to cut the rice cooking time into half.

Rajma:

Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
Grind together the onion, ginger and garlic and add to the pan.
Fry the onion paste until it turns slightly brown or for about 3-4 minutes.
Grind the tomato into a puree.
Add the tomato puree to the pan and mix well. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
Now add all the spice powders and 1 cup water and allow it to simmer on low heat for 4-5 minutes. If you used dried beans and cooked it yourself, then instead of plain water, you can use the water in which the beans were cooked in.
Add the cooked beans, salt and sugar or jaggery and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the kasuri methi and mix well. 
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Note

If using dried red kidney beans or rajma like me, then soak 1 cup of dried beans for 8-10 hours.

Drain out the water.

In a pressure cooker or a deep pan, add the soaked beans and add enough water to cover the beans and a little more. 

Add salt and cover and cook until the beans are done but not mushy.

I cooked in the pressure cooker, so after the first whistle, I lowered the heat and allowed it to cook for 15 minutes.

Read more ...

Churmuri Soosla | Puffed Rice Breakfast

I LOVE ___ This is usually how I start my posts. You must think I love practically everything that I can eat (i.e. Vegetarian). I do hate some food. Well, hate may be a strong word. More like dislike. And I dislike something that more than half the world loves - Breakfast Cereals.

I'll replay a usual breakfast discussion between me and my hubby dearest Raj.

Me (crestfallen, yet optimistically looking for answers) - "I don't know what to make for breakfast"

Raj - "Don't worry, lets eat cornflakes"

Me - "Nooooo... I'll make something, give me 10 minutes"

He loves it, I dislike it (at least the ones currently in the market). All those cereal lovers out there, please FORGIVE me for my next statement. I somehow feel Cereals are just loaded with sugar and offer nothing health wise. And I'm somehow not a big fan of sweet breakfast.

So this promise of 10 minutes isn't always upheld, but then, he's out there with the Newspaper and doesn't really keep track of time.

Isn't a girl allowed plus or minus 10 minutes? I'm sure she is. This wonderfully light breakfast of puffed rice (Churmuri or murmura or mandakki or kadle puri. Whew! that's a lot of "or"s) is done and on your plate in less than 20 minutes. And no - I'm not exaggerating at all.

Puffed rice is exactly what the name says - it is puffed up rice. It is basically Rice Popcorn (more like popRICE). There are varieties in it - salted and unsalted. They both differ slightly texture wise. I've always used the salted variety.

This Churmuri Soosla as I call it, it my goto breakfast when I'm short of time. It's light, quick and it has the sweetness from the onions, tartness from the tomatoes and the lime, the heat from the green chillies and freshness from the coriander leaves. Basic spices like cumin seeds (jeera) and turmeric (haldi) just make it all the more delicious. You can skip the roasted gram, but I highly recommend it. If you cannot find it, I'd say try replacing it with powdered roasted peanuts and that should do.

Churmuri Soosla | Puffed Rice Breakfast

A light South Indian breakfast made with puffed rice.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:          South Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     15 minutes
Yield:              Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

150 gms of Puffed Rice / Churmuri
1 small Onion
1 medium sized Tomato
1-2 Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 Lemon / Lime
1/3 cup of Roasted Gram / Puthani
3 tsp of Oil
1 tsp of Cumin seeds
6-8 Curry leaves
1 Tbsp of finely chopped Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan or kadhai.
Add the cumin seeds and allow them to brown slightly.
Add finely chopped onions, curry leaves and slit green chillies. Cook until the onions turn translucent.
Add chopped tomatoes and fry them for around 2 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
Add the turmeric powder and mix well.
Wash the puffed rice and squeeze out the water.
Add to the pan and mix well.
Now add salt and lemon juice.
Grind the roasted gram into a fine powder and add to the pan. Mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Read more ...

Curried Brown Rice and Zucchini Fritters

Game Day? Movie Day? These Curried Brown Rice and Zucchini Fritters is are perfect for every occasion that DEMANDS you to to be glued to 2 things - your Sofa and your TV.

Called your friend over for Tea or Drinks? Curried Brown Rice and Zucchini Fritters - Perfect snack again.

I can keep going and listing down all the occasions when you can make it. But frankly speaking, you don't need any occasion to enjoy good finger food. We just had this as an appetizer during dinner - no guests over or anything, just us two enjoying a quiet dinner.

It is also a great way to use up leftover rice if you have any.

Brown rice is healthy, even, fashionable these days. Not as fashionable as Quinoa, but fashionable enough. These fritters are loaded with the goodness of brown rice and zucchini - they are almost HEALTH FOOD! Almost!  Tasty health food - oxymoron isn't is?

I've seasoned these fritters with Italian seasonings like oregano, basil etc, in the past, but I'm a CURRY GIRL at heart. I love my spices and my curry. The Garam Masala - the quintessential Indian blend of spices adds a wonderful Zing to the fritters. 

These Curried Brown Rice and Zucchini Fritters taste great when served piping hot with some good old ketchup.

Step by Step Instructions:

1) Cook the rice as per instructions.
2) Allow the rice to cool and then mash it. You can use a food processor or mixer to mash it.
3) Grate the zucchini and add to the mashed rice.
4) Add all the ingredients except the oil and mix well.

5) Shape the mixture into small patties and place in the hot pan and cook on medium heat.
6) Allow the first side to brown, and flip after 3-4 minutes. Allow the second side to brown and crisp up.
7) Serve hot with ketchup.

Curried Brown Rice and Zucchini Fritters

Fritters or Tikkis made with mashed Brown Rice and grated Zucchini. Spiced with Garam Masala and pan fried. 

Recipe Type:  Snacks / Appetizer
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:              15 fritters

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Brown Rice
1 Zucchini
2 Tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2-3 Tbsp Corn Flour
3-4 Tbsp Oil to fry
Salt to taste

Method:

Cook the rice as per instructions. I pressure cooked it in 1.25 cups of water for about 10 minutes or 3-4 whistles. The rice should be soft and well done.
Allow the rice to cool and then mash it. You can use a food processor or mixer to mash it.
Grate the zucchini and add to the mashed rice.
Add all the ingredients except the oil and mix well.
The corn flour is added as the mixture begins to leave water after the addition of salt. If your mixture becomes too wet, add more corn flour. Heat oil in a shallow pan.
Shape the mixture into small patties and place in the hot pan and cook on medium heat.
Allow the first side to brown, and flip after 3-4 minutes. Allow the second side to brown and crisp up.
Serve hot with ketchup.

Read more ...

Tawa Pulao | How to make Tava Pulao Recipe with Step by Step Instructions

Street food ROCKS!!!

Don't you just agree to that? Many markets across the world are centered around the street food. Streets of Bangkok... Streets of Mexico City... Streets of Mumbai...

I think the true essence of a city lies in its Street Food. You get local food, fusion food and some even carry international favorites. But one thing is a constant in every food street, there is so much variety. After all, variety is the spice of life, isn't it?
I've found these are one of the busiest places in a city, especially after sundown. We have our own little food street in Bangalore which is packed even on weeknights.

Every city has its favorite, and so does Mumbai.

Mumbai is famous for its Vada Pav and its Pav Bhaji. Lurking in their shadows is the Tawa Pulao. Tawa Pulao literally is rice and vegetables cooked on a flat griddle along with some spices and oodles of butter.

Everything tastes better with BUTTER!!! Spoon in as much butter as you desire, it only improves the taste.

Tawa Pulao can be easily made VEGAN by skipping on the butter, or adding some yummy Almond Butter.

Tawa Pulao has now started to become a popular dish outside of Mumbai too. I've eaten it in so many places in Bangalore. It seems to be entering restaurants too. But the street version beats the restaurant version any day. On my list of favorite street food, Tawa Pulao ranks 3rd, right behind the Pani Puri and the Pav Bhaji.

I must credit this recipe to my friend at work. She got this for lunch one day and I simply had to have the recipe. I was pleasantly surprised when she told me the recipe. I couldn't believe it was so easy to make. My friend makes it with only green peas and she adds a chilli paste as well. I add any vegetables I find in my fridge. In the past I've added babycorn, sweet corn, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli etc. I guess you get the picture.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1) If using uncooked rice, wash the rice and cook it in 2 cups of water until it is done but not mushy. Allow the rice to cool and then gently fork it.
2) Dice the vegetables and keep aside. 
3) Puree the tomato in a blender.

4) Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
5) Once they brown, add the onions and cabbage and fry until the onions are translucent.
6) Add all the remaining vegetables and 1/2 tsp of salt and cook until the vegetables are done but still have a bite to them. You can cover the pan to quicken the cooking.

7) Remove the vegetables into a bowl, and place the pan back on heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomato puree and cook on low heat for 5-7 mins until the water from the puree evaporates and you get a thick tomato masala.
8) Add the pav bhaji masala and salt and mix well.

9) Add the fried vegetables and mix well.
10) Add the butter and mix well.
11) Add the rice and mix well.
12) Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve.

Tawa Pulao | How to make Tava Pulao Recipe

Tawa Pulao is rice cooked with tomatoes, vegetables and Pav bhaji masala. 

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Rice or 5 cups of cooked Rice
1 cup Tomato Puree or 2 Juicy Tomatoes
1.5 cups of assorted Vegetables (like Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, Green Peas, Green Beans, Capsicum) (Optional)
1 Onion
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
2 Tbsp Pav Bhaji Masala (If you don't have this available, use Garam masala - 1/4 tsp, Coriander powder - 1 tsp, Amchur/ Dry mango powder - 1/4 tsp, Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp, Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp)
1 Tbsp Butter
2-3 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds / Jeera
Salt
Water
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

If using uncooked rice, wash the rice and cook it in 2 cups of water until it is done but not mushy. Allow the rice to cool and then gently fork it.
Dice the vegetables and keep aside.
Puree the tomato in a blender.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
Once they brown, add the onions and cabbage and fry until the onions are translucent.
Add all the remaining vegetables and 1/2 tsp of salt and cook until the vegetables are done but still have a bite to them. You can cover the pan to quicken the cooking.
Remove the vegetables into a bowl, and place the pan back on heat. Add the ginger-garlic paste and the tomato puree and cook on low heat for 5-7 mins until the water from the puree evaporates and you get a thick tomato masala.
Add the pav bhaji masala and salt and mix well.
Add the fried vegetables and mix well.
Add the butter and mix well.
Add the rice and mix well.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve.

Read more ...

Vangi Bhaat | Eggplant Rice Pilaf with Raita with Step by Step Instructions

Vangi Bhaat or Eggplant Rice Pilaf is perfect for those weeknights when you are tilting towards ordering that pizza or planning to drive to the closest restaurant for that greasy take out but your head is making you feel guilty over that restaurant food.

Isn't it true that we all get burned out sometime? All that going to work, doing the laundry, dusting the house, exercising and cooking.... seriously tires me out. Sometimes a little retail therapy aka shopping is what helps ease all that stress. Thank heavens for those little pleasures of life !!

Vangi Bhaat is always my GO TO dish when I'm not in the mood for too much of work and I want something home cooked, quick to make and as comforting as rice. It sometimes takes less time to come home and make Vangi Bhaat than wait for my take out at restaurants. And I know what goes in it and I can tweak it to my liking. And to add to it, it is a ONE POT recipe. Just one pot to wash, HURRAY!!!

There are absolutely no more excuses to not make it anymore - Quick, Tasty, Healthy and less pots to wash. What more can one ask for, right?

Vangi Bhaat is rice cooked with brinjal or eggplant along with some basic spices. Toss in everything in a pot and cook until the rice is done. I use a pressure cooker and I recommend it as it cuts the cooking time by half. 

I usually pair it with some cooling mix vegetable raita. The raita can be made while the Vangi Bhaat is cooking away.

Step-by-Step Recipe:



1) Wash the rice in sufficient water. Drain and set aside.
2) Roughly chop the onion, tomato and the brinjal.
3) Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a deep pan.
4) Add the cumin seeds.
5) Once they brown slightly, add the onions and fry until translucent.
6) Now add the tomatoes and brinjal and fry for 1 minute.

7) Add water, all the spices and salt. If you are not using a pressure cooker, the quantity of water may vary. Adjust accordingly.
8) Add the rice and cover and cook until the rice is done. In a pressure cooker, that will take you around 3-4 whistles or approximately 10-12 minutes.
9) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with Raita

10) To make the raita, just mix all the ingredients well.

Vangi Bhaat | Eggplant Rice Pilaf with Raita

Vangi bhaat is rice cooked with brinjal or eggplant and a few spices. It is vegan and gluten free.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

Vangi Bhaat:

200 gms of Brinjal or Eggplant
1.5 cups of Rice
1 Tomato
1 Onion
1/2 tsp of Turmeric Powder
1 tsp of Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp of Cumin Seeds / Jeera
1 Maggi Magic Cube (Optional)
4-5 tsp of Oil
3 cups of Water
Salt
A handful of fresh Coriander leaves

Raita:

1 cup of finely chopped mixed Vegetables (Tomato, Carrot, Cucumber, Onion)
1 Tbsp of finely chopped Coriander leaves
1.5 cups of Yogurt or Curd
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the rice in sufficient water. Drain and set aside.
Roughly chop the onion, tomato and the brinjal.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker or a deep pan.
Add the cumin seeds.
Once they brown slightly, add the onions and fry until translucent.
Now add the tomatoes and brinjal and fry for 1 minute.
Add water, all the spices and salt. If you are not using a pressure cooker, the quantity of water may vary. Adjust accordingly.
Add the rice and cover and cook until the rice is done. In a pressure cooker, that will take you around 3-4 whistles or approximately 10-12 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve with Raita
To make the raita, just mix all the ingredients well.

Read more ...

Mexican Green Rice with Spicy Fried Potatoes

Work has been very stressful lately. All I want to do is get home and start blogging. But at the end of the day I have literally no energy left. In fact, hubby dearest has been cooking dinners too. It’s been raining outside, and I have no time to enjoy it :( . I’m missing watching MasterChef on TV :( . I am craving for my end of the month vacation. I hope for it to be my much needed relief. Until then, my blog will have to be my only source of relaxation. *End of ranting*

Now, back to my sane self. Forgive me, sometimes “Hyper-Stressed out-Worried Anu” makes an appearance here. This post is going to cater to those with lack of time – like me. One pot meal. The answer to a busy night. I know the name sounds simply Exotic. I’ll let you in on a secret *hush* it is only coriander rice *hush*. Yup, you heard it right. Coriander/Cilantro is abundantly available in India, albeit it’s gotten really costly off late. I pay Rs.40 for a bunch :( in Bangalore. I did try growing it. It grew too, though not enough to suffice and the heavy rains killed almost half of my saplings :( . Too many sad smileys. Isn’t that an oxymoron? Sad smiley. Or is there a more appropriate name for it?

For a lot of communities, rice is a side dish and the main is something else. But for us Indians, especially South Indians, rice is the star. Everything else is a side dish. I have seen a lot of friends for whom a meal isn’t complete if they don’t have a spoonful  of curd rice at the end. If you have never seen a paddy field, I suggest you do see one, especially in or after the monsoons. That is probably the brightest green nature can throw at you. It really relaxes the eyes and the mind.

The original Mexican rice obviously uses Mexican chillies, I had no time to find exotic chillies, so I just used the regular desi chillies. They are probably a little spicier than their Mexican counterparts, so use it carefully to match your taste buds.

I toyed with the idea of different accompaniments and finally settled on the spicy potato fry. I did seriously consider the raita, but gave it to my greediness of having some fried potatoes *feeling guilty*

So on a slightly free weeknight, we enjoyed a part Mexican and part Indian meal of Green rice with spicy fried potatoes watching another exciting episode of MasterChef. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Mexican Green Rice with Spicy Fried Potatoes

Rice flavored with Coriander and Spinach served with spicy fried potatoes 

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Mexican
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:              2 servings

Ingredients:

Mexican Green Rice:

3/4 cup Basmati Rice
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup spinach leaves
2-3 cloves of garlic
1-2 green chillies
4 tsp oil
1 Onion
1 tsp Lemon juice
1.5 cups Water
Salt

Spicy Fried Potatoes:

2 Potatoes
3 tsp oil
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
4-5 Curry leaves
Salt

Method:

Mexican Green Rice:

• Wash and drain the rice.
• Lay it out on a towel to dry.
• Grind the spinach, coriander, garlic. onion and green chillies into a coarse paste
• Heat oil in a pan/kadhai and add the rice
• On a medium flame fry the rice until it is slightly golden appx. 5 mins
• Add the green paste, water and salt
• Cover and cook on low flame until the rice is cooked
• Add lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot

Spicy Fried Potatoes:

• Peel and chop the potatoes
• Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds
• Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and the potatoes
• Add the spices and salt and mix well
• Cover and cook until the potatoes are done
• You can have this with roti/chapati also

Read more ...

Menthe Pathrode | Methi Pathrode

I never knew gardening could be so much fun. My heart swells with pride every time a seed I sowed, breaks the mud barrier and rises up to face the earth. Those two little green leaves soaking in the sunlight, fill me with hope and love. Some of the easiest things to grow have never worked with me - tomatoes & chillies. For some reason these just refuse to bear fruit in my garden no matter what I do or how much nutrition I give them :( But there are some others which ask for nothing and just give give and give. Spinach is one of them and the other is Fenugreek or Methi or Menthe. I had my own fresh bunch of methi leaves, so I decided to make something special.

I love Pathrode. Traditionally, pathrode is made by rubbing a paste of rice, lentils, coconut and spices onto 

Colocasia leaves/ Kesavina ele, rolling and steaming them. Colocasia leaves are a little difficult to find in Bangalore, they are more common along the Konkan coast of India. In their absence, Methi makes for a good substitute. Here instead of rubbing the leaves with the spice paste, the leaves are chopped and added to the paste and steamed wrapped in banana leaves. If you cannot get banana leaf, do not worry, you can just just steam them in greased bowls.

Clockwise L-R: Ground rice, Spice paste, Steamed pathrode, Pathrode to be steamed

Once they are cooked and cooled, crumble them and stir fry with a tempering of mustard and curry leaves. And don't forget to garnish with desiccated fresh coconut.

Menthe Pathrode | Methi Pathrode

A traditional Mangalore snack made by steaming rice and fenugreek/methi leaves together with a spice paste

Recipe Type:  Snacks / Appetizer
Cuisine:          South Indian / Mangalorean
Prep Time:     8 Hours (Includes soaking of rice)
Cook time:     90 minutes
Yield:              3-4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup White Rice
1/2 cup Red Rice
2 cups chopped or 1 bunch Methi
2-3 Tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Tamarind paste
3-4 dry Red Chillies (I used 3 red chillies and added 1/2 tsp of chilli powder)
1/2 tsp Jaggery (You can use sugar instead)
1/2 Tbsp Urad dal
2-3 cloves Garlic
4 Tbsp dessicated Coconut
2-3 Tbsp Water
3 tsp Oil
8-10 Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Salt

Method:

• Soak rice overnight.
• Drain out all the water and grind it. It should not be fine, it should remain coarse. It will attain a sticky consistency.
• Dry roast the urad dal and coriander seeds until they are slightly brown.
• Add 1 tsp of oil and fry the red chillies until they are crisp.
• Allow them to cool and then grind into a powder along with the coriander seeds and urad dal.
• Add the coconut, jaggery, garlic and tamarind and grind into a paste along with 1-2 tbsp of water.
• Add this masala to the rice and mix well. Preferably just mix in the mixer.
• Add salt.
• Add the chopped methi leaves and mix well.
• You now need to steam this.
• If using a cooker or an idli steamer, allow it to heat up and produce steam before placing the pathrode in it.
• It is better to steam it wrapped in banana leaves, but if you don't have it steam in bowls. Grease the bowls before you spoon in the pathrode.
• Steam on medium flame for 18-20 mins until it is cooked. Depending on the size of the parcels or the bowl, you may need more or less time. If using banana leaf, the change in colour is a good indication that it is cooked.
• Allow it to cool and then crumble it using your fingers.
• Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds once the oil is hot.
• After they splutter, add the curry leaves and pour this tempering into the crumbled pathrode.
• Add dessicated fresh coconut and mix well.
• Serve hot as a snack/ appetizer.

Read more ...

Fried Rice with Ginger Garlic Sauce

This fried rice is so tasty, I cannot believe I never tried it before. Sigh.

When I went veggie shopping this weekend, I was extremely disappointed to see that my regular vegetable vendor has closed shop. Nothing excites me as fresh veggies, and he kept really fresh veggies. I’m still in denial. I’m sure it was a one off thing, may be a birthday or something (I’m sooo hoping it’s a onetime thing). So grudgingly I had to find a few new places to shop. To brighten my day, I picked some all colored peppers aka red, yellow and green capsicum. I even picked up zucchini and broccoli in the first shop. The next shop had more of my weekly local vegetables. I picked up some French beans and carrots. I add French beans and carrots to so many dishes – dalia, uppit, sambar, mix veg sabzi etc.

Ok, so I bought all these vegetables, but I just realized today, that I’m out of town the whole of next week and hubby dearest is not going to bother about my precious exotic vegetables lying in the fridge and by the time I come back they will be all shriveled. I had to cook them today, when they are still fresh and smiling

And I did have some wonderful fragrant Basmati rice with me. So I decided to make fried rice. Only this time, I’ve added a twist. This is my own recipe and I simply love it. Henceforth, this is how I will always make fried rice.

.

So grab your sharpest knife and get to work. It’s quite a bit of chopping, I accept. I julienned the peppers, French beans and carrots. I broke the broccoli into small florets. I cut the zucchini into thin semicircle slices

The recipe below makes yummy fried rice for 2.

Fried Rice with Ginger Garlic Sauce

Vegetable Fried Rice tossed with a ginger garlic sauce

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Indian Chinese
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:              2 Servings

Ingredients:

½ each Red, yellow, green Capsicum / Pepper
½ Zucchini
10-12 small florets Broccoli
1 Carrot
10-12 French beans
1 Onion
8-10 cloves Garlic (Garlic cloves in India are very small, 3 of them may make 1 garlic clove abroad)
1.5” piece Ginger
1-2 Green Chillies
1 cup Basmati rice
4 tsp Soy sauce
2 tsp Sesame oil/ Olive oil
2 tsp Rice vinegar or any white vinegar
½ tsp Sugar
1 Maggi magic cube or ½ tsp Ajinomoto (Optional)
6 tsp Oil
Salt
Water

Method:

• Wash thoroughly and soak the rice for half hour. Drain the water and cook it with 1.5 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles or until done. Alternatively, follow the instructions for cooking the rice mentioned on the packet.
• Once the rice is cooked, fluff it and keep aside.
• In a blender/ mixer, grind together the garlic, ginger, green chillies, soy sauce, olive/sesame oil, vinegar, magic cube and sugar. It doesn't have to be a fine sauce, it can be coarse.
• Julienne the capsicums, French beans and carrots. Slice the zucchini into semicircles. Break/cut the broccoli into small florets and slice the onion.
• We will cook each of these vegetables separately as they have different cooking times.
• Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok/kadhai. Add the French beans and carrot and fry until they are cooked but still crunchy.
• Remove them and keep aside.
• Add 1 tsp of oil into the kadhai and now add the peppers. Saute them until they are partially cooked, we want them crunchy.
• Remove them and keep along with the beans.
• Add 1 tsp of oil and now add the broccoli and zucchini and cook until they are done.
• Remove and keep with other veggies.
• Heat the remaining oil in the kadhai and add the onions. Once the onions are cooked, add all the other vegetables and the sauce.
• Add the rice and mix well.
• Add salt if required.

Read more ...

Beetroot Pulao with mixed Vegetables

It's been over a month since my last post. I can attribute it to nothing but heat, laziness and of course, my travels. With so many recipes in the backlog, I must be more diligent but sometimes laziness just rules :) Anyway, better late than never.

You can love it, you can hate it, but ignoring the bright vibrant magenta vegetable is very difficult. I hate the way it colours almost everything it touches from my chopping board to my hands. But its earthy sweetness lets me forget this. I generally just stick to the simple beetroot palya or sambhar. But this time thought of doing something different. I assumed a beetroot pulao would end up being red and sweet. I was wrong on both accounts. The colour is actually due to turmeric and spices rather than the beetroot and the taste was very earthy rather than sweet. I added other vegetables because I had them. You can add any vegetable you like or skip them altogether. This is one simple one-pot meal I've made multiple times...

Beetroot Pulao with mixed Vegetables

Pilaf / Pulao made with beetroot and other mixed vegetables.
Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

3/4 cup peeled and cubed Beetroot
3-4 Babycorn
1 small Capsicum
1 Onion
1/4 cup Green Peas
50gms Paneer (cut into small cubes)
1/2" piece or 1 tsp paste of Ginger
2-3 cloves or 1 tsp paste of Garlic
3/4 cup Rice (uncooked)
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2-3 dry Red Chillies (as per taste)
1 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1/2" piece Cinnamon
1-2 Clove
1 Cardamom
A pinch Nutmeg
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Milk
3 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Maggi magic cube (veg)
Salt


Method:

• Wash the rice 2-3 times. Soak the rice in the 1 cup of water and keep aside.
• Dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, cardamom, nutmeg and red chillies until slightly brown.
• Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
• Grind into a fine powder. You can store this powder in an airtight box for 1-2 months.
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker.
• Add chopped onions and fry until translucent
• Crush the ginger and garlic into a paste and fry along with the onions until fragrant.
• Add the pulao powder and mix well
• Add all the vegetables and mic well. Stir fry for around 30-60 secs.
• Add the rice along with the water.
• Add the milk.
• Add the turmeric powder, maggi cube and salt.
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles.
• As soon as you can open the cooker, fluff the rice with a fork to prevent it from forming a sticky mess.
• Serve hot with some cool raita.

Note:

1) If you are in a hurry, you can replace the pulao powder with 1/2 tsp or more of garam masala or store bought biryani or pulao masala
2) The vegetables used here are optional. You can replace it with anything available and still have a wonderful pulao. By anything available, I mean any of the traditional vegetables used for pulao/biryani and not vegetables like brinjal/eggplant, okra which may mush up on cooking.
3) Maggi's magic cube is a taste enhancer. You can replace it with a pinch of ajinomoto or skip it all together. It is better to skip this if you plan on giving this to kids.

Read more ...