Venthaya Pongal - full of the “methi-goodness” factor! Raw rice ( thin variety) - 1 cup Methi seeds - 1 tbsp Pepper 1 tsp & Jeera 1 tsp coarsely powdered Curry leaves Grated coconut - 2 tbsp Salt Ghee - 1 tbsp Oil - 1 tbsp To coconut add ½ cup warm water & extract milk. Wash rice & methi seeds. Add salt & 2 cups water. Pressurise like venpongal. Cool, open & add coconut milk. Mix very well & lightly mash. Temper pepper- jeera powder & curry leaves in a mixture of ghee & oil. Chopped cashews can also be added while tempering. This goes with any chutney or sambar.
Tomato–Cheese Pulao - this is an Italian Dish!! Basmathi - 1 cup (soak for 30 mts & drain) Onion - 1, chopped very fine Carrot & beans, chopped - 3 tbsp, each Tomato puree - ¾ cup (blanched & pureed) Sugar - to taste Grated cheese - 100gms ( I used Cheddar) Ghee + oil - 2 tbsp Salt I lightly steamed the vegetables instead of cooking with rice – it is your choice. Heat oil+ghee in a pressure cooker & sauté the onions. Next add rice, vegetables, tomato puree & 1 ¼ cup water. When it starts boil, keep the lid with the weight, simmer & cook for 7-8 mtes. Cool, open, add half the cheese and close again. Simmer for 2-3 mts more. Cool , open & add the remaining cheese.
Jiffy Lapsi Bisibela - makes a full meal!! This recipe is based on Instant Sambar Powder Lapsi (wheat rava) - 1 cup (pre-roasted) Oil - 2 tsp Carrot, beans, peas, cabbage cut into cubes - 1 cup Sambar powder - 3 tbsp Little salt Tomatoes - 3, chopped Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (optional) To temper: Oil + ghee - 1 tbsp Red chillies - 2,3 Mustard seeds - 1 tsp In a pressurepan, heat oil & roast lapsi. Next add vegetables, tomatoes & sauté. Add 3 cups of hot water +sambar powder + little salt. If adding tamarind paste, add now. When the mixture starts boiling, close the pan & keep the weight. Simmer & cook for 10 mts. Cool, open & temper. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with any raitha.
Hyderabadi Khichdi - I learnt this from a TV programme!! This should be made grainy & not mushy. Basmathi - 1 cup (250 gms) – wash, soak for 10 mts & drain Tur dhal - ¼ cup ( soak for 30 mts in hot water) Cinnamon - 2 “ Cardamom & cloves - 4, each Onions - 2, sliced thin & long Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp Green chillies - 3,4 – slit long Salt, haldi Oil - 2 tbsp In a pressure pan, first add the drained tur dhal & 2 cups of water. Let it start boiling & simmer, covered. In a kadai, heat oil & add spices. When they splutter, add onions & green chillies. Saute till onions turn glossy & add Ginger-garlic paste . Next add rice & haldi. Fry for 3-4 mts & add all ingredients to the boiling dhal in the pan. Add salt & close with weight, when vigorous boiling starts. Simmer & cook for 10 mts. Switch off, cool & open. Add 2 tsp ghee for a nice flavour. Serve with any spicy gravy.
Palak-Coriander- Khichdi - as tasty as colourful! Use split moong dhal with green skin. Khichdi dhal - 1 cup Basmathi - ½ cup Water - 6 cups Grind to a paste: Raw chopped palak - 2 cups Chopped coriander - 1 cup Green chillies - 2, 3 To temper: Oil & ghee - 2 tbsp Chopped garlic - 1 tbsp (optional) Mix dhal & rice & soak for 30 mts. Drain, add water, little salt & pressure cook in a vessel, inside pressure cooker for 10 mts on sim after the first whistle comes. Cool & open. Heat oil, temper & sauté the green paste till raw smell goes. Add to khichdi, mix & serve. Serve with khadi or curds. Here it is served with Omum Morkuzambu.
Milk White Pulao - serve with a spicy colourful sabji! This is an ideal dish for a children's party. Basmathi - 1 cup Milk - 2 cups Carrot+beans+peas - 1 cup (cubed and boiled with salt) Oil +ghee - 2 tbsp Chopped onion - ½-1 cup Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp (or to taste) To temper: Oil + ghee - 2-3 tbsp Cinnamon - 1” Salt Cook rice in milk till grainy but soft. Heat oil+ghee & add cinnamon. When it sizzles, add onion & sauté till glossy. Now add vegetables (well-drained), cooked rice & enough salt. Mix gently till uniformly blended. Serve hot with any spicy sabji.
Amla Rice (nellikai saadam) - super o super! his is a stirfry rice as well. Cooked rice - 2 cups (grainy) Amlas (gooseberries) - 8 (deseed & cut into segments) Fry in 2-3 drops of oil: Red chillies - 3,4 (more to taste) Methi seeds - 1 level tsp Hing - ¼ tsp And grind with: Deseeded amlas Grated coconut - ½ cup Musard Seeds - ½ tsp (optional) salt, haldi To temper: Oil - 2 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1 tsp Curry leaves - few Spread the cooked rice on a plate & mix the ground paste well with it. Temper as given & pour over. Toss well & garnish with 2 tbsp freshly grated coconut & coriander leaves. Serve with raitha or kootu.
Chutney Rice - meal by itself ! This can be made grainy or soft,as per one’s preference. Goes well with anyroast curry, chips or raitha. Cooked rice - 1 cup Roast in ½ tsp oil: Red chillies - 3-4 (or to taste) Urad dhal & gram dhal - 1 tbsp each Hing - ½ tsp And grind with: Coconut - ½ cup Chopped coriander leaves - ½ -1 cup Tamarind paste - 1 tsp Salt Cool the rice, add the cooked paste & mix uniformly. Add 2 tsp hot ghee for a nice flavor.
Coconut Milk Rice - call it Pulao, as well! I used Basmathi – but you can use any thin variety because it is the coconutmilk flavour which is important. Rice - 1 cup Freshly grated coconut - ¾ cup ( add 1 ½ - 2 cups warm water & liquidize to get 2 cups of milk) Oil +ghhee - 2 tbsp Cinnamon - 1’ Cloves - 4-5 Cardamom - 4,5 Cashews - 7,8 (lightly roast dry) Big onion - 1, sliced thin To garnish; Lemon slices & chopped coriander Wash & soak the rice for 15 mts & drain. In a pressure pan, heat oil & ghee & add spices & next onion slices. (Remove some to garnish.) Next add rice & sauté for a few mts. Then add coconut milk, salt &cashews. When the mixture boils, close, keep the weight & simmer the flame. Switch off after 10 mts. Cool, open & garnish with reserved, sauted onions, coriander leaves & lemon wedges. Serve with any hot & spicy sabji. Add peas or tiny carrot cubes optionally.
Mixed Nuts Pulao - ideal for non-spicy people! Basmathi - 1 cup Bay leaf - 1 Peppercorns - ½ tsp Chopped onion - 1 cup Green chillies-ginger-garlic minced - 1 tbsp (or more to taste) Tutti frutti - 2 tbsp Chopped cashes & almonds +raisins - ½ cup Salt Coconut milk - 1 ½-2 cups (from ½ cup coconut) Oil + ghee - 2 tbsp Cook basmathi grainy with little salt & coconut milk. Heat oil+ghee & first roast the nuts & raisins & remove. Add the minced ingredients, lightly fry & add onions. When onions turn glossy, switch off. Add rice, salt & mix. Garnish with roasted nuts just before serving. Serve with a spicy kurma.