• 

This is a classic comfort food,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 yellow Moong Dal (skinless).

1/2 cup Rice.

2 tbsp Green Peas.

1/2 tbsp Oil.

1 tbsp Ghee.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

1/4 tsp Asafoetida.

1/2 tsp Jeera.

1 tsp Lemon juice.

A pinch of Chilli Powder to sprinkle on top.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Mix rice and dal together,wash and soak for 1/2 hours,drain and keep aside along with green peas.

• 

In a thick bottomed pressure pan,heat oil,add jeera and asafoetida,now add drained rice, moong dal and green peas,add salt and haldi powder,mix well.

• 

Add 3 cups of boiling hot water,mix well.

• 

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.Sprinkle a pinch of Chilli Powder on top.Mix well.

Serve hot with  Curd,pickle and papad.

Tip:Instead of green peas other vegetables like carrots or French beans can also be used.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera

• 

Buttered Herbed rice is one of the easiest rice dish to make. It is mildly seasoned with herbs and tossed in butter.

Goes well with any continental gravy or sauce,also can be used in plating sizzlers.

Here I have used white basmati rice,same recipe can also be made using brown basmati rice.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked Basmati Rice.

2 tbsp fresh Parsley leaves, finely chopped

1/2 Red Chilli Flakes.

1 tbsp Butter.

Salt to taste.

Method:
Heat a pan,add butter once it melts add flakes and chopped parsle toss them well for about a minute.

• 

Now add the cooked rice and salt, mix well to combine. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes.

• 

Once done, turn off the heat and remove in a serving dish serve with any sauce or gravy.

• 

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

• 

This rice has brown color and the colour comes from the caramelization of sugar and onions. This is the distinct feature of this rice dish.

This rice has mild sweet taste due to the presence of sugar and onion, Whole garam masala adds the aroma.

Traditionally this rice is served with dhansak,but I love to have it on its own with salad and pickle.

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice.

1 inch Cinnamon.

2 to 3 Cloves.

3 Green Cardamoms.

3 Black Peppercorns.

2 tbsp Cashewnuts broken into pieces.

2 Onion, thinly sliced.

1 Green Chilli slit into half.

1 tsp Sugar.

1 tbsp Ghee.

2 cup boiling Water.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Soak the basmati rice in enough water for 30 mins. After 30 mins, drain the rice and keep aside.
Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pot. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and black pepper. Fry till they get fragrant.Add green chilli,sliced onions and Cashew nut pieces,stir and fry the onions till they get translucent and are softened.

Now add sugar and stir. Continue frying the onions till they caramelize and get browned.
keep on stirring in between to ensure even browning.

When the onions have got browned,
add the rice and gently stir,add salt and mix well.

Pour 2 cups of boiling hot water,let the mixture come to boil.

Cover tightly and let the rice cook till done and all the water is absorbed.
Don’t stir in between as we don’t want to break the rice grains. Cover and cook the rice for 2-3 minutes more.

Remove in a serving bowl and serve parsi brown rice with veg dhansak or parsi dal.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

This is a simple and quick rice recipe. Lemongrass stem is a common ingredient used in Thai cooking. It is a fragrant stem and infuses a lovely lemony aroma in the food.

This rice goes very well with Thai Currys or sauteed vegetables.

Other day I came across this nice article with pictures on How to chop and prepare lemon grass stem for cookingBy Darlene Schmidt….will be helpful.

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice

Handful of lemongrass stalks.

2 cups Water.

1 tsp Sesame Oil.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Clean wash and soak the rice in water for 30 mins,drain the rice and keep aside. Rinse and chop lemongrass stem.

In a pressure cooker add the rice and lemongrass stalks,add water, salt and sesame oil.
Pressure cook for 3 whistles on high flame.

When the pressure settles on its own, remove the lid. Remove and discard the lemongrass stalks before serving. Serve the aromatic lemongrass rice hot with Thai curry.

Tip:Same can be made in microwave too,cook on high for 17 minutes.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

 

 

This is a quick and simple recipe for prawn pulao with coconut milk and flavored with mild spices.

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati rice.(soaked for 20 minutes)

1 cup Water.

1 cup Thick Coconut Milk.

15 Prawns, cleaned,peeled and deveined.

1 tsp Cumin seeds.

2 Bay leaves.

6 Whole Black Pepper Corns.

6 Cloves.

3 Cinnamon Sticks.

1 tsp Turmeric powder.

1 tsp Red chilli powder.

2 tbsp. Oil

1 tbsp crushed Ginger, garlic and green chilli.

½ cup Onion, sliced.

¼ cup Tomato, chopped

¼ cup Coriander leaves

¼ cup Barista(fried Onion).

Method:

Clean,peel and devein prawns,apply little salt and turmeric powder and keep aside.

In a pan heat oil and add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks.

Add onion.Saute well until the onions are golden brown in colour.

Add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chilli,saute well.

Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and stir until the raw smell of the ginger-garlic goes away.

Add the chopped tomatoes and prawns, stir fry on high flame for 2 minutes.

Then add the soaked rice and stir gently.

Add hot water to this and boil on high flame,add coconut milk.

Once the water on the surface dries up, lower the flame and cover with a lid and cook for 8 minutes.

Remove in serving bowl and Garnish with coriander leaves and barista,serve hot.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

 

Thus is mildly flavored rice made with fresh grated coconut. It is also known as thengai sadam. 

In south India, coconut rice is a favorite and is made during festivals as offering.

Can be made with freshly grated coconut or  frozen coconut.

Few years back when I was working Coconut rice was one of my favorite item in the tiffin box for lunch.

This rice can be served as it is or with any curry.I personally love to have it with green chilli pickle and some papads or appalams.

Ingredients:

1 cup Cooked Rice.(steamed)

1 tbsp Coconut Oil.

1 tspn Mustard seeds.

½ tbsp Urad Dal.

½ tbsp Chana Dal.

2 Dry Red Chilies.

2 Green Chilies Slit.

1/8 tsp Aasafoetida.

12 Curry Leaves.

1/2 cup freshly Grated Coconut.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Soak 1/2 tbsp urad dal and 1/2 tbsp chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes. Later drain the water very well and keep the dals aside.

If there are lumps in the cooked rice,break the lumps and keep the rice aside.

In a pan heat coconut oil,crackle mustard seeds.Add the chana dal and urad dal. Stir and saute for about a minute or till the dals turn golden.

Add red chilies,curry leaves,slit green chilies and asafoetida.
Stir and saute till the red chilies change color.

Next add grated coconut. Stir very well.
Saute the coconut for a minute now add the steamed rice and salt.
Stir the rice well and switch off the flame.

TIP-Coconut rice can be served topped with dalop of ghee or some coriander leaves.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

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

Add 3 cups of boiling hotwater,mixwell.

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

Dalimbi bhaat also known as valachi khichdi is a Maharashtrian dish made in every household.

Its basically Pulav made with kadve vaal(Bitter field Beans) and rice flavored with goda masala(Kala masala).

Usually served with koshimbir,lonche and Papad.

Ingredients :

2 cups Rice.

3 cups Hot water.

2 cups kadve vaal.

1 cup thick Coconut milk.

1cup Onion finely chopped.

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste.

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

2 tbsp Gheee.

2 Tamal patra.(Bay leaves)

1/2 tsp Jeera.

1/8 tsp Hing.

1 tsp Chilli Powder.

3 tsp Goda Masala.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

Salt to taste.

For Garnish :

1/4 cup freshly grated Coconut

2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Coriander leaves.

Method:

Kadve Vaal are easily avaialble in market.

Wash and Soak Vaal overnight in 2 cups of water,next day drain water and keep for sprouting.

Deskin them.

Soaked,sprouted and  deskinned Vaal are also available in market.

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

Chop potatoes and keep aside soaked in water.

Heat ghee in a thick bottom vessel, add tamal patra,Jeera and hing,stir fry 30 secs.Add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste,saute for 2 minute.

Add vaal and potatoes,saute well cover and cook for 2 minutes.

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

Reduce heat,Add rice and salt ,mix well.

Add coconut milk and  3 cups of hot water and bring to a boil.

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 with pickle,raita and papad.

Happy Cooking !

Sameera.

Just back from a short and refreshing trip to Delhi.Delhi can also be called as our food capital…it has so much variety of food to offer a traveler…Momos,Ram ladoos, Chats,Parathas,Tandoori, Mughlai……the list is endless .

So after this gastronomical experience wanted to make something simple but tasty….so tried my hands on this vegetable oats and mung dal khichdi..

It’s almost same as our humble dal rice khichdi,here rice is replaced with oats…and the recipe needs some extra water to get the right consistency .

I love my khichdi’s consistency to be semi solid,if you want you can lessen the quantity of water and make it more like pulav,also tempering can be added.

So here goes the recipe…

Ingredients:

1/2  cup Oats.

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

1 cup mixed vegetables cubed(Carrots,Potatoes,Beans,Green peas.)

1 Onion chopped .

1 Medium sized Tomato chopped.

1 tbsp Ginger and Garlic finely chopped.

2 Green chillies finely chopped.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder.

1 tbsp Ghee.

Salt to taste.

1 tbsp chopper Corriander leaves.

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a cooker or pressure pan,add chopped ginger and garlic,saute for a minute and add green chillies and onion.once onion turns translucent add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add haldi powder and chilli powder, fry for a while, add 2 tbsp of water and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Add chopped vegetables,drained dal and oats,add salt.Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.

Add 4 cups of boiling water,mix well and cook on high for 3 whistles and on low for another 2 whistles.

Open the cooker after the pressure is realised,mash well with back of the spoon.

Remove in a serving bowl.

Sprinkle some red chilli powder and garnish with chopped Corriander leaves.

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

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

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 Tamal patra.(Bay leaves)

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.