Green Moong and Grated carrot Pulao

Ingredients:

Green Moong Dal - 1 cup

Rice - 1 and a half cups

Carrots -2, thickly grated

Onion - 1 medium, thinly sliced

Method:

Wash the green moong dal and rice and soak together for about half an hour. Meanwhile, grate the carrots, and slice the onions finely. In a pressure cooker, heat a bit of ghee and add whole garam masalas. Saute a bit, then add onions [and chillies, as per your preference]. Now add the rice-moong mix and saute together until the rice is brown. Add salt, haldi, a pinch of coriander powder and then add the grated carrots and mix. Add 3 cups of water, or enough to cover the rice mix

Remove the weight of the lid of the cooker, and shut the cooker. Steam in this way for 15 minutes, check to see if it is done, depending on the texture that you prefer. I need it a bit softer for my son, but 15-20 minutes should be fine.

Enjoy !! :)

Kaju Aloo Pulau

 For this delightful combination of Aloo and kaju you first make a garam masala featuring coconut. Then you quickly fry the seasoning, nuts and potato cubes and simmer them with rice. This is one of the tastiest ways to serve rice.

Do try it and let me know!~

Cooking time : 35- 40 minutes

Serves- 4-5

 For the Garam Masala. 

5 black peppercorns

6 whole cloves

2-inch piece of cinnamon stick

1/2 tbsp of coriander seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp sesame seeds

2tbsp fresh or dried coconut. 

For the Rice :

 ! cup of basmati rice or other long grained white rice

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil

1/2 cup  raw cashew halves or bits

1 tsp fresh scrapped ginger root

1-2 tsp of minced hot green chillies

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp of mustard seeds

8-10 curry leaves

1 large onion finely chopped

1 large boiled potato (to be peeled and cut into cubes)

1/2 tsp of turmeric 

1 tsp of salt( as per taste)

2-2 1/2 cups of water

1 tbsp butter or ghee

3 tbsp of fresh or dried shredded coconut for garnishing

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley or coarsely chopped coriander for garnishing. 

To make the Garam Masala :

  

1. Combine the peppercorns, whole cloves, cinnamon stick,coriander seeds and cumins seeds in a small heavy tadka kadai. Place over low heat  and, stirring occasionally, roast for 4-5 minutes or until the cumin seeds darken one or two shades.

2. Remove from heat. Place all the ingredients, including the sesame and coconut in a grinder and reduce them to powder. transfer to a smal cup and set aside. 

To cook the Potato rice. 

1. If basmati rice is used ,clean, wash,soak and drain. 

2. Heat the Ghee or vegetable oil in a heavy pan or cooker, over moderately  low heat until its hot but not smoking. fry the cashew nuts until golder brown and keep aside. 

3. Now raise the heat to moderately high and add the ginger root, green chillies,cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. fry until the mustard seeds turn gray and sputter and pop. Drop in the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds. Immediately add the onion, roast till it turns brown. Now add the potato and stir fry for 5- 7 minutes or until the potato is golden brown.

4. Add the rice,turmeric and salt.  fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the water, Garam masala and cashews. Raise the heat to high and quickly bring to a full boil. 

5. Reduce the heat to very low, cove with a tight fitting lid and gently simmer without stirring for 20 -25 minutes. or until the rice is tender and fluffy and all of the liquid is absorbed.

6. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered,for 5 minutes to allow the fragile grains to firm up. Pour in 1 tbsp of butter or Ghee, fluff with a fork and serve pipping hot, each serving garnished with coconut and coriander. 

Tomato Kaju Quick Khichdi

This recipe was concocted on one of those lazy Friday afternoons and since I had only myself to feed, I lazily looked into the fridge to see what ingredients I had and what I could come up with.. 
I hope you enjoy this recipe.. :)

Ingredients :


For the Tomato paste :
3 medium sized Tomatoes- chopped finely
1 medium sized onion - chopped finely
1 small cup of cashew nuts- halved 
1/4th tsp - turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - sugar
1/2 tsp-jeera powder
1 tsp - kitchen king masala
3 tbsp - cooking oil
1 tsp -Mustard seeds
pinch of pepper pwd
1tsp- jeera
a small pinch of chopped ginger
Salt to taste
a few curry leaves
1 tsp - Red chilli Pwd ( this can be adjusted according to your required spice lvl )


For the Rice :
1 cup Sona masoori rice
1/2 cup - moong dal.
1 slit green chilli
1 tsp salt
water to cook the rice and dal ( 1 cup sona masoori rice requires 3 1/2 cups of water) 


Method:


1. In a Kadhai, add the oil, when the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, jeera and stir. 
    when the mustard seeds start popping, add the chopped onion, curry leaves ,ginger and a little pepper powder and stir it in.

2. In the meanwhile combine the rice and dal together ( wash , clean and drain both) add the salt, slit green chilli, water ( about 41/2 glasses) and pressure cook for 3 -4 whistles. Once done, take it off the gas and allow for it to rest for 5 - 10 , till the steam has settled and open the cooker and leave it aside without a lid, so that it is fluffy and not squashy.

3. When the onions are translucent and about to turn golden, add the kaju, fry it till its golder, add the tomatoes and the masala powders ( jeera, Kitchen king,red chilli, turmeric & sugar)

Stir well. 

4. Stir it well, to mix all the ingredients and close it for about 10-15 minutes, so that the  tomatoes cook well and are pulpy. you may add a little water ( 3-4 tsps) in case it gets dry.

5.  Once its cooked ( the mixture must look like a chutney), add the cooked rice and dal. 

6. Stir it in well, so that the rice gets mixed well with the tomato and kaju sauce.

 7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with plain curd and chips. 

Herb Rice

This is definitely the yummiest, tastiest version I've ever ever cooked or eaten! And the best part is that it's so low cal and a very simple recipe too.

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati, washed and soaked for an hour

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

few pieces of whole garam masala

1 cup pudina [mint] leaves, chopped

1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

1 green chilli, chopped [I omitted this, because I have a child at home and he can't handle spicy food of course]

Method:

1. In a wok, heat a tsp of oil with a tsp of butter. Saute the whole garam masalas.

2. Now saute the onions and garlic and optionally, chilli. In a separate wok, melt a small piece of butter and fry the rice well.

3. Add the fried rice to the onion-garlic mix and saute very well till it's all mixed. Add water to cover the rice. Now add salt and a couple of teaspoons of garam masala.

4. The important step : Sprinkle the mint+coriander leaves, and close the wok. Allow the rice to cook al dente.

Serve it with a spicy dal or maybe a cucumber raita, enjoy !! :)

Quick Tomato Rice..

Every morning I have to come up with yummy lunch options for my husband dearest who takes a lunch box to work.. Most of the time its our traditional South Indian food, but sometimes I'd like to serve up something that different and quick. This dish is my favorite for one of those busy mornings.

Ingredients ( serves 4):

- 7 Ripe tomatoes- Finely Chopped

-Chopped green chillies - 2 nos ( or according to taste)

- Cooking oil : 2 tblspn

-Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

-Jeera seeds: 1 Tsp

- Urad dal : 2 tsps

- Dhaniya ( corriander) pwd : 1 tsp*

-Pav bhaji masala pwd : 1 tsp*

- Kitchen king masala : 1 tsp*

- a pinch of sambar pwd *

- Tamarind pulp : 2 tblspn

-Uncooked rice : 1 1/2 glasses

- Chopped Coriander leaves - 4 tblspn

- Salt to taste.

Method :

1. Cook the rice on the stove or pressure cooker and keep aside to cool. 

2.In a kadhai, add oil and then add mustard seeds. When it starts sputtering , add the jeera ,urad dal , green chillies and stir for 3 -4 mins on medium heat, till  the urad dal is slightly golden brown. 

3. Now add the chopped tomatoes, salt, tamarind paste and all the powders *.

4. Stir it all in , add a little water to cook the tomatoes. Close the lid and allow the mixture to cook till the tomatoes are soft ,mushy and pulpy...

5. When the tomatoes are cooked, add in the cooked rice . Check for salt ,spice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve Hot!