Tondli Bhat (Ivy Gourd Rice )

Sep22

Tondli Bhat is a variation of masale bhat, which is one of my personal favourite dish from Maharashtrian cuisine.In my childhood days masale bhat was served during weddings along with jalebi and mixed vegetable bhajiyas.

This is a one pot meal, more like pulav.The special spice which gives this rice the authentic taste is special blend of spices known as GODA MASALA, which is easily available in market.

Ingredients :

2 cups Rice.

4 cups Hot water.

1 cup Tondli (cut into 4 pieces lengthwise)

1 medium Potato (deskinned and chopped into big pieces )- Optional

1/4 cup Green Peas-Optional.

2 tbsp Gheee.

2 Tamales para.

1/2 tsp Rai.

1/2 tsp Jeera.

1/8 tsp Hing.

1 tsp Chilli Powder.

1 and 1/2 tsp Goda Masala.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

2 tbsp Vatan (Ref Glossary)

2 tbsp chopped Tomato or 2 tbsp Curds.

Salt to taste.

For Garnish :

1/4 cup freshly grated Coconut

2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Coriander leaves.

Method:

Wash and soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Chop tondli and potatoes and keep aside soaked in water.

Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel, add rai,Jeera and hing,stir fry 30 secs.If using tomatoes,add chopped tomatoes saute for a minute.

Add chopped tondli,peas and potatoes.cover and cook for 2 minutes.

Add red chili powder,haldi powder and goda masala,mix well.

Reduce heat,Add rice and salt ,mix.

Add 4 cups of hot water and bring to a boil.Add Vatan,if using curd instead of tomatoes, add now and mix well.

Reduce flame ,cover and cook till rice is done.

Remove in a serving bowl. Garnish with freshly grated coconut and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.

Vegetable Manchurian Fried Rice

Mar27

This is a one meal chinese dish.Easy and fast to make and yummy to taste.

For The Vegetable Balls:

3 cups finely chopped vegetables(cabbage,carrots,cauli flower)

3 to 4 clove of garlic

2 invh piece of Ginger.

2 tbsp cornflour

Salt and Black pepper powder to taste.

1 tsp Soya sauce.

oil for deep-frying

For The Sauce

1 tbsp Garlic (finely chopped)

2 tsp finely chopped Ginger.

2 tbsp chopped Spring onion greens.

1 tbsp chopped Capsicum.

1 cup Vegetable stock or water.

1 tbsp Soy sauce

1 tbsp Cornflour mixed with 1 cup of Water.

1 pinch of Sugar

2 tsp Oil.

Salt to taste

1 tbsp chopped Spring onion greens for garnishing.

For the Rice:

1 cup Long grain Rice.

2 tbsp Capsicum chopped in small cubes.

2 tbsp spring onion chopped finely.

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

1 tbsp Soya sauce.

Salt and Pepper powder to taste.

Method :

For the vegetable balls:

In a food processor,chop together all the vegetables, ginger & garlic.

Remove in bowl,add cornflour,soya sauce,salt and pepper mix well.

Sprinkle little water if required.

Shape spoonfuls of the mixture into small balls. If you find it difficult to form balls, sprinkle a little water to bind the mixture.

Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.

For the sauce :

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan on a high flame. Add the garlic and ginger ,stir fry over a high flame for a few seconds.

Add chopped spring onions green and capsicum stir fry for a minute.

Add the stock, soya sauce, cornflour paste, sugar and salt and simmer for a few minutes.

Once the sauce thickens,add fried balls,simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove ina bowl and keep aside.

For the Rice :

Wash & soak rice for half an hour in 2cups of water.

Drain and keep aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan,add rice and cook till 3/4 th done with 1 1/2 cup boiling water.

Once cooked,remove in a plate and spread with help of fork to avoid lumping.

Heat oil in a big wok/pan.

Add ginger garlic paste,stir for 2 minutes,add spring oninons and chopped Capsicum, stir on high flame for 2 mins.

Add soya sauce.Mix well.

Add cooked rice,salt and pepper.Mix well.

Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove in a serving bowl, make a well in betwen,add prepared manchurian gravy, garnish with chopped spring onion greens and serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!

Sameera.

Saboot Moong Khichdi (Sprouted Green gram khichdi)

May26

20160727_203651-1

This classic comfort food is easy to make as well as very healthy option for lunch or dinner. Best accompaniments to serve with this is Curd,pickle and papad.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sprouted whole Moong

1/2 cup Rice (washed,soaked for 1/2 hours and drained)

1/2 tbsp Oil.

1 tbsp Ghee.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

1/4 tsp Asafoetida.

1 tsp Lemon juice.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Mix sprouted moong and rice together,keep aside.

20160727_200802 In a thick bottomed pressure pan,heat oil,add asafoetida,now add drained rice and sprouted moong,add salt and haldi powder,mix well.

20160727_201135 Add 3 cups of boiling hot water,mix well.

20160727_201232

cover and cook on high for 2 whistles,slower the flame and cook further till 3 more whistles.

Once the steam is released,open the lid add ghee and lime juice.

Mix well.

20160727_203520

Serve hot with Curd,pickle and papad.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera

Karandi Bhat (Prawns Pulao)

Mar12

Karandi is a small version of Prawns,u get it fresh as well as dried.This recipe is made with fresh one.It is very small in size,so to clean you only need to remove the outter shell,I usually get it cleaned from fish seller,as it is very time consuming to remove the shell.

Ingredients :

1 cup Cleanedand washed Karandi.

1/2 cup Onions finely chopped.

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste.

1 tbsp Malvani masala.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

3 Kokum.

1 1/2 cup Basmati Rice.washed,soaked for half an hour and drained.

2 Tamal Patra.

3 tbsp Oil.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Wash deshelled karandi in water,drain and keep aside.

Add salt,haldi powder and malwani masala,mix well and keep aside.

In a thick bottom pan,heat 1 tbsp Oil,add onion and saute till pinkish brown in colour.Add ginger garlic paste,stir and cook for a minute.

Add marinated karandi,mix well cover and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Don’t add water,as karandi will leave its own water.

Cook till karandi is cooked.Remove the lid and cook till dry.

Keep aside.

In another pan,heat oil,add tamal patra,washed,soaked and drained rice & salt.

Mix well,add 3 cups boiling hot water.

Cover and let cook.

Once the rice is half done,add cooked karandi,mix well ,cover and cook till rice is completely cooked.

Serve hot garnished with grated coconut and chopped corriander leaves.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.

Lemon Rice

Jan15

An easy to make lunch-box option, lemon rice is a favourite dish in southern india!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice

2 1/2 cups cooked Rice

1 small Onion sliced

1 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

1/2 tsp Urad dal (split black lentils)

1 tsp Chana dal (split bengal gram)

5 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)

2 whole dry kashmiri red chillies/Green chillies , broken into pieces

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

salt to taste

Method:
Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan and add the mustard seeds.

When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, chana dal, and curry leaves and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add red chillies/green chiilies and sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.

Add onions and saute till golden brown in colour.

Add the turmeric powder and rice, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.

Add the lemon juice and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Serve hot.

Happy Cookin!!!

Sameera.

Masala Khichdi (Rice and Moong dal)

Dec20

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Rice cooked.

1/2 cup Split green gram skinless (bina chilkewali moong dal)

1 packet Maggi Bhoona Masala(with onion & garlic)

1/4 tsp Haldi powder

1/2 tsp Red chilli powder

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

6 cloves Garlic

2 Green chillies

2 Red Chillies (dried)

6 Curry leaves

1 tbsp Ghee

1 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash and chop the green chilies. Wash and soak the dal for half an hour .Cook in cooker till 3 to 4 whistles.Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan,addcumin seeds,chopped green chillies and maggi bhuna masala,mix well.Add haldi powder and chilli powder. Fry for a while, put in the cooked dal,mix well and let cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add salt and cooked rice,add little warm water if required to get semi liquid consistency.

When the water starts bubbling, lower the heat and simmer till rice and dal are mixed well.Make a tempering of ghee,red chilli garlic and curry leaves,add to the cooked khichdi,mix well.

Remove in a serving plate and serve hot with pickle and papad.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Chole Biryani

Dec19

This dish is an innovative blend of rice and Kabuli chana.When served with a bowl of raita, this can be a really healthy and satisfying dish.

Ingredients:

2 cup cooked biryani rice

3 tbsp chopped corriander (dhania)

2 tbsp chopped mint leaves (phudina)

1/4 tsp saffron (kesar) strands dissolved in 1/4 cup mlilk

1 tsp oil for greasing

For The Kabuli Chana Gravy

1 cup kabuli chana (white chick peas)

1 packet Maggi bhuna masala(with onion and garlic)

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp Chole masala

1/2 tsp Haldi powder

1 cup Dahi

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:
For the kabuli chana gravy

Soak the kabuli chana overnight

Boil with a little water for 6 whistles the next day. Drain.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add bhuna masala and fry for a while.

Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder,chole masala and 2 teaspoons of water and fry for 1 minute.

Add the dahi and stir for a while.

Add the cooked kabuli chana and salt and mix well. Keep aside.

To make Biryani:
To the cooked biryani rice, add the coriander, mint, and saffron milk. Keep aside.

Grease a large baking dish. Make 5 layers by spreading 1/3of the rice, then spreading ½ the kabuli chana gravy, next spreading 1/3of the rice and finally the remaining kabuli chana gravy and another layer of rice.

Cover with an aluminium foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°c for 20 minutes.