Dahi Lapsi - a diet dish but no compromise in taste!! This is very creamy & delicious. Lapsi - 1/3 cup Mixture of low-fat milk + water - 1 cup Salt Low-fat curds - 1 cup or as necessary To decorate: Seedless pomegranate & coriander leaves Cook lapsi tillsoft in milk+water mixture. Cool thoroughly & add salt & curds. Decorate as shown & serve chilled.
Beetroot Pulao - easy to make. Basmathi rice - 1 cup (soak for 10 mtes & drain) Grated beetroot - 1 cup Grind together to a paste: Red chillies - 3,4 Dhaniya - 1 tbsp Jeera - 1 tsp Ginger - 1” Garlic - 3,4 pcs (optional) Coconut - 2 tbsp To temper: Oil - 3 tbsp Shahjeera - ¼ tsp Chopped onions - 2 tbsp In a pressure pan, heat oil & temper as given. Next add paste & fry till raw smell is gone. Now add rice, sauté for a few mtes. Add grated beetroot, salt & just 2 cups of water. When the mixture starts boilng vigorously, lower the flame, close with lid, keep the weight & cook on low flame for 10 mtes. Cool, open & serve with any raitha.
Milaku Podi (Pepper) saadam - jiffiest jiffy! Cooked rice - 1 cup (grainy) To temper: Oil + ghee - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 2 tsp Chopped cashews - 2 tbsp Curry leaves - few Pepper powder - 2-3 tsp ( to taste, but must be freshly ground) Salt Heat oil+ghee & temper in the given order. Switch off when pepper powder gets very slightly roasted. Add salt & rice. Mix thoroughly.
Rajasthani Ram Khichdi - yet another one pot meal! I saw this on a TV programme. This is best eaten with curds & papad. So, you can make it as spicy/ fiery as you like!! Rice - ½ cup (basmati not a must) Lightly roasted moong dhal - ½ cup Mixed vegetabls - 1 cup ( diced carrots, gobi, peas, bean, potatoes etc) Salt To temper: Ghee + oil - 3 tbsp Cloves - 4,5 Bayleaves - 2 Pepper - 1 tsp Chopped onions - ½ cup Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (or to taste) Garam masala powder - 1 tsp Salt, haldi In a pressure pan, temper as given. Add rice, dhal, vegetables, haldi & salt. Add 3-4 cups of water. This depends on the quality of rice. When vigorous boiling starts, simmer,close with the lid, keep the weight & cook for 15 mtes. Cool, open & serve hot with a dollop of ghee.
Bengali Khichdi - yet another one-pot wonder!! Rice - ¾ cup (not necessarily Basmathi) Masoor dhal - ¾ cup Mixed, diced vegetables - 1-2 cups (carrot, beans, peas & potatoes) Onions - 2, chopped Green chilli-ginger-garlic minced - 2 tbsp Bay leaf - 1 Lightly crush together: Cinnamon - 2 “ Cloves & cardamom - 4-5 each Water - 5 cups In a pressurepan, heat oil + ghee - 3 tbsp Add: Bayleaf crushed spices Onions Green chilli-ginger-garlic minced Vegetables Washed rice+dhal Water Salt When water starts boiling vigorously, cover, keep the weight, simmer & cook for 10-12mtes. Cool, open & top with ghee. Goes best with kadhi & papad.
Mexican Green Rice - lovely colour, lovelier taste!! Cooked basmati rice - 2 cups (grainy) For green paste: Mince in FP or grind coarsely ( do not grind to a paste) Coriander leaves - 1 cup Green Capsicum - 1, roasted, peeled & seeds removed Green chilli - 1-2 Garlic - 10 Onion - 1 To this optionally add a few drops of green colour. Green Creamy Sauce: Heat Butter - 1 tbsp Add ¾ tbsp maida & sauté. Add capsicum paste - 1 cup (boil chopped capsicum & liquidize) Milk - 2-3 tbsp, just enough to get the right white sauce consistency, but with a mixture of capsicum paste & just enough milk. Salt & pepper Heat 2 tbsp olive oil + butter Add green paste & saute. Add the cooked rice & salt along with Oregano - 1 tsp Lime juice - 1 tbsp Lastly add green creamy sauce. Mix thoroughly & serve.
Easy Dry Fruit Kashmiri Pulao - rich & mildly sweet! Serve with a spicy vegetable side dish. In a saucepan ,sauté; Ghee - 2 tbsp Bayleaf - 1 Cinnamon - 2 no:1” pieces Cardamom & cloves - 3, each (open the elaichi & add whole) Shahjeera - ¼ tsp Rice soaked for 15 mtes - 1 cup Fry well & add Milk - ½ cup Water - 1 ½ cups Saffron - ¼ tsp soaked in warm water Cream - 1 tbsp\ Salt Cover & cook on medium heat ill ¾ done. Add: Sugar - 1 tbsp Raisins & almonds (roasted in oven) - 2 tbsp each Deep fried onion thin slices - 2 tbsp Cover & cook till dry. Decorate with silver varq(if you can get the veg ones!)
Mango-Ginger Stir-fry Bhath - differently delicious!! Cooked rice - 1` cup (grainy texture is preferable) Peeled & grated mago-ginger - 1 cup In a pan, using 1 tsp oil, saute: Green chilli & red chilli - 1, each Urad dhal - 2 tsp Hing - a pinch Grated coconut - 2 tbsp Curry leaves - a few Lastly add mango-ginger & switch off the stove. Grind the above with salt & minimum water. Add this paste to the rice with 2 tsp oil. Temper 1 tsp mustard seeds & 1 red chilli in 1 tsp oil & add. Mix thoroughly & garnish with curry leaves & mango-ginger juliennes.
Oriental Rice - interesting fusion! Cooked basmathi rice - 1 cup (grainy) Mix to a sauce: the spice level is individual choice. Soya sauce - 2 tsp + pepper powder - ½ tsp + chilli powder – ½ tsp + dhaniya powder – ½ tsp + jeera powder – ½ tsp + sugar – 1 tsp In a wok, heat Oil - 2 tbsp Add Chopped small onions - 2 tbsp Chopped garlic - 2 tsp When garlic browns, add Chopped green chillies - to taste Cashews - 7,8 Grated carrot - 2 tbsp Boiled peas - 2 tbsp Finally add the cold, grainy rice, little salt &mix well. Then add: Pineapple pieces - 2 tbsp Raisins - 2 tbsp The sauce made above. Blend all ingredients well & switch off. Garnish with chopped spring onions – both white & green parts.
Go-Green Khichdi - goodness of dhals+vegetables. Mix, wash & soak together for 10 mtes, the following: Basmathi rice, khichdi dhal, yellow moong dhal - each 1/3 cup Cleaned & chopped methi leaves - upto 2 cups Chopped beans & peas - each, 1 cup Green chilli-ginger paste - 4 tsp Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (optional) Heat 3 tbsp oil + ghee. Temper with 1 tsp mustard seeds & ½ tsp hing. Add methi leaves & sauté till they shrink & emit flavor. Add green chilli-ginger paste & red chilli powder. Add beans, peas,drained dhals & 2 ½ cups of water (or a little more if you prefer it soft) Add salt & a pinch of haldi. When the mixture starts boiling, simmer, close the cooker, keep the weight & cook for 10 mtes. Cool, open & garnish with coriander & crry leaves. Add a dollop of ghee & serve with curds.