Jain Methi-Tomato Pulao - Peanuts give a special crunchy taste ! Basmathi rice - 1 cup Tomato pulp - ½ cup ( blanch, peel & blend) Methi leaves (Washed & cleaned) - 1 cup (or more, by choice) Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp Haldi, salt To temper: Ghee – 1 tbsp Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Urad dhal - 2 tsp Roasted & deskinned peanuts - 3 tbsp Wash & soak rice for 15 mts & drain. Roast in 1 tbsp ghee till, the rice stands in peaks & keep aside. Fry drained methi leaves in 1 tbsp oil till it shrinks well & mix with rice. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure pan & temper as given. Add 1 ½ cups of water + tomato puree. Add salt, chilli powder, dhaniya powder, rice & methi leaves. When the mixture starts boiling vigorously, close the cooker & put the weight. Lower the flame & simmer for 10 mts. Switch off, allow to cool completely & then open/.
Spicy Sprouts Pulao - one tsp oil, only one tsp, please ! This comes out very delicious, with or without onions. I tried the latter way. Basmathi - 1 cup Sprouts (moong or matki) - 1 cup Salt To temper: Oil - 1 tsp Jeera - 1 tsp Bay leaf - 1 Cinnamon - 1 “ Cloves - 4 Cardamom - 4 Greenchilli –ginger paste - 2 tsp Onions - 2 tbsp, chopped Red chilli powder - 1 tsp dhaniya-jeera powder - 2 tsp Haldi Hot water - 2 cups Soak rice for 10 mts & drain well. In a pressure pan, heat 1 tsp oil & temer in the given order. Finally add the rice & fry lightly. Then add sprouts, hot water & salt. When the mixture starts boiling, close the cooker & keep the weight. Immediately lower the gas & switch off after 10 mts. Cool, open & serve with a raitha.
Sambar Saadam - made with left over rice and dhal ! This can be made with fresh rice and dhal as well. Cooked rice - 2 cups Cooked tur dhal - ½ cup Fry in ½ tsp oil & powder: Red chillies - 2, 3 Pepper - ½ tsp Tur dhal - 1 tsp Gram dhal - 1 tsp Dhania - 2 tsp Methi seeds - ½ tsp Coconut - 2 tbsp Cloves - 2 Jathipathri ( mace) - a small piece Khus khus - 1 tsp To temper: Oil + ghee - 3 tsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Curry leaves - few Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp Salt Boiled vegetables - 1 cup (fresh or frozen) Mix, cooked rice & dhal, boiled vegetables, prepared powder, salt, tamarind paste With 1 cup or more of water to get the desired consistency. Keep this in a vessel inside a pressurecooker & cook for one whistle. Cool, open & lightly mash to get a soft consistency. Temper & garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with raitha & karuvadam.
Tomato Pulao - different from Saadams & Rice ! Basmathi Rice - 1 cup Tomato juice - 1 cup (1 big tomato blended with water) Coconut milk - 1 cup ( 2 tbsp fresh coconut + ¾ cup warm water, blended & strained) Ghee + oil - 3 tbsp Onion - 1 big, chopped Green chillies - 3, slit into 2 Cashews - 5,6 Cinnamon - 1 “ Cloves - 2 Cardamom - 2 Salt Soak rice for 20 – 30 mts & strain. Heat 1 tbsp ghee & fry rice till it stands in peaks. Set aside. In a pressure pan, heat the remaining ghee & temper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom & cashews. Next sauté onions & green chillies till onions turn light brown. Add tomato juice, coconut milk & salt. Add rice, when the mixture begins to boil. When the mixture is boiling vigorously, close the cooker & keep the weight. Simmer & cook for 10 mts. Switch off, cool well & open. Serve with any raitha.
Re: Mushroom Biryani - An ideal Party Dish, being everybody’s Favourite ! Hi mam, I would like to know about mushroom biriyani, finally u have asked to bake, since i dont hav oven, i cant bake,what should i do?Pls. help. Thankyou,take care,bye. nithya
Dear NP, Keep it in a vessel with a tight fitting lid. Place this over an old tava on the gas & lower the flame after the first 5 mts. Let it be on the tava for 10-15 mts. Then switch off. It will have the same effect. Love, Chithra.
Stir-fry Peanut Rice - Peanut lovers, don’t miss this out! We love the taste of peanuts – boiled or roasted ! For this recipe, you can use left over rice; it becomes a jiffy dish ! Cooked grainy rice - 1 cup To roast in 2-3 drops of oil: Red chillies - 2 Urad dhal - 1 tbsp Grated coconut - 2 tbsp ( can substitute copra) And powder, adding finally Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp Salt After adding groundnuts, do not powder for too long – peanuts will start leaving oil. The powder must be coarse. To temper: Oil - 1 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Curry leaves - few Heat oil & temper. Add cooled rice, powder and little salt, if necessary. Saute for 2 mts & remove. Serve with chips or papad or karuvadam.
Peas Pulao - Low cholestrol recipe. Basmat rice - 1 cup Boiled peas (with little salt) - 1 cup Chopped onions - ½ cup Chopped garlic - 2 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (or more) Chopped mint leaves - 2 tbsp Chopped green chillies - 2-3 Oil - 2 tsp Salt Wask & soak rice for 30 mts & drain well. Keep 2 cups of hot water ready. In a pressure pan, heat oil. Add onions & sauté for 2-3 mts. Next add garlic & fry for a mte. Add rice & fry till it stands in peaks. Add water & salt. When it comes to a roll boil, close & put the weight. Simmer & cook for 10 mts. Cool, open & add peas & both greens. Gently toss & close the cooker again with weight. Open & serve after 15 mts.
Samba Stirfry Saadam - Can you spare five minutes, please? This is a jiffy rice, but is very tasty. Cold, grainy, cooked rice - 1 cup Coarsely powder: Pepper - 1 level tsp Jeera - 1 level tsp Dry ginger (sukku) - ½ “ Salt - to taste Oil & ghee - 1 tbsp Cashews - 1 tbsp Curry leaves - few Heat 2 tsp of the oil-ghee mixture in a kadai. Add the powder, fry for few secs & add the rice. Mix well & remove from the flame. Garnish with sachews & curry leaves fried in the remaining 1 tsp oil-ghee mixture. This tastes best, plain itself or with chips & raitha.
Dear Chitra Ma'am, I made coconut rice for guests(read veteran cooks) this weekend and added some sugar as per your suggestion..Guess what?! coconut rice tasted divine.:drool I have tasted this version of C.rice before and asked for the secret ingredient, but the person told me that he did nothing special. Everything is just the same....RantEverytime I made it, I thought I don't have the "Kai Pakuvam"... A big Bowto you for sharing tips and tricks in a selfless manner.:clap Thanks -Bee