Coriander Rice

Any greens are good for health. When it comes to coriander I get delighted cos of its exotic fragrance. Whether its chutney, rasam, dosa or the rice, coriander leaves makes it extra special. It really makes this rice an awesome dish. The addition of chana dal and urad dal for this rice gives a nice flavor for it. You can  try this wenever you have it a little extra coriander on your refridgerator.

 

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Green peas - 1/4 cup
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Chana dal / kadala paruppu - 1 tsp
Urad dal / uzhunnu parippu - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a generouns pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Roasted cashewnuts - a handful
Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

To grind
Fresh coriander leaves - 1 cup
Chopped onions - 1, medium
Green chillies - 2 adjust to spice level

Procedure

1. Soak the basmati rice in some water for 20 mins and cook in sufficient water until the rice is cooked well, yet firm. I usually use Rice :water ratio as 1:1 1/2

2. Grind the ingredients for the coriander paste with little water.

3. Heat oil for tempering and roast the chana dal and urad dal until golden brown. Add the curry leaves and hing and mix well.

4. Now add the ground coriander paste and blend well adding enough salt. Throw in the green peas and let it simmer for 2-3 mins.

5. Switch off fire and mix in the rice while the paste is still hot.

6. Garnish with roasted cashewnuts and chopped coriander leaves.

7. Serve hot with your favorite sidedish/raita.
 

 

Veg Pulav with coconut milk

This is an easy to make veg pulav.  Addition of coconut milk gives it a nice taste and it serves a great recipe for parties and potlucks. I learned it from a friend and have tried it successfully so many times. I actually bake this recipe which really makes the rice elongated and absorb the flavor perfectly. But keep in mind you have to allot 1 hr for baking. This can also be tried in the traditional rice/pressure cooker method. This will be very mild and kids will love it too. This dish goes very well with any gravy veg/non-veg.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice -2 cups, soak in water for 1/2 hr
Onions- 1 big size, thinly sliced
Tomatoes - 1
Mixed veggies (carrots,beans, peas) - 2 cups
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
green chilli - 2
Whole garam Masala
Oil/ butter - 2 tbsp
Salt
Coconut milk - 1 1/2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Chopped Mint leaves, Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Procedure
Pre-heat oven to 400F and grease a oven-safe container with oil and keep ready
Heat oil/butter in a pan and add the whole garam Masala
Add sliced onions and saute them well for 2 mins. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 more min
Then add green chilli, tomatoes and veggies and saute for few more minutes. Drain the water from the soaked rice and add it along with salt.
Now turn off the flame and add the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix well

Convection-oven method:
Transfer this to oven-safe container and add the coconut milk and water and mix well. Cover this with aluminium foil and seal the edges and let it bake for 1 hr in 400 F. After 1 hr tun off the oven and take it out safely and mix well. Sprinkle little water on top if needed and close it again with aluminium foil and keep it back in the oven until ready to serve.

Rice/pressure cooker method:
Transfer the mixed contents to the rice cooker and add the coconut milk and water. Cook until done.
For Pressure cooker, cook this on low flame for 5 mins and increase the flame for 3 whisltes.
Serve with your favorite Rita/gravy

Vegetable Biriyani

After marriage I had tried Vegetable biriyani so many times. But failure every time. I don't know how such an easy recipe which my mom will make so tasty cud be a flop. But slowly I observed many people cooking and corrected and now I could say its somewat to my mom's level. There are so many things which could get the nice aroma and taste. Starting from ingredients, the amount of sauting, cooking time etc., If we miss few things the taste definitely varies. So experience is the best teacher.

Now, here goes the recipe.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Sliced Onions - 1, sliced

Tomatoes - 1, chopped

Mix vegetables - 1 cup (I used carrots, beans, potatos and green peas)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Yogurt - 1 tbsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Salt

Whole garam masala (Cloves -3, cardamom stick - 1/2, Cardamom/Elachi-1, bay leaves -1)

Butter /Oil - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves, chopped - 1 tbsp

Mint leaves, chopped - 1 tsp

Procedure:

Heat Oil in a pan and add the whole garam masala

To this add the Onions first. Let the onions cook to tender and turn light brown. Do this on low flame as it will not burn the onions. Next to this add the ginger garlic paste. Adding this next to onions gives good time for onions to get fried. If we add ginger garlic first then it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan and the onions may not be sautee well

Now add the tomatoes and keep cooking well till it gets mashed

Next is to add the mixed veggies. Now we can add the salt, turmeric and chilly powder but hold adding coriander and mint leaves

Once all the vegetables are mixed well, turn of the flame. Now add the yogurt, lemon juice and chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix well. The reason for adding at the end is hold the aroma of the leaves wen the rice is getting cooked. Also turning off the flame, helps the yogurt to get mixed well. Now add the clean and dranied basmati rice

Add 1 and 3/4 cup of water and put it the pressure cooker. (Alternatively you can use rice cooker)

After 1 whislte reduce the flame to very low for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, increase the flame and allow for 2 more whisltes. Turn of the flame and open after pressure is released.

Awesome Vegetable Biriyani is ready.

Quick tips:

Addition of lemon juice, yogurt and mint leaves gives a nice aroma and great taste.

Saute the onions and vegetables for the perfect time and add enough oil. A little extra oil means extra taste.

If using pressure cooker, instead of cooking the rice directly in the pressure cooker, use a separate bowl that will fit in your cooker. Fill the cooker base with 1 cup water and keep the bowl with the rice and the measured amount of water inside. Cooking procedure and time will be the same as usual. This way you can avoid rice burning at the bottom.

Mango Rice

Last time when I had been to the supermarket, I picked up a mango. I wanted to actually make "mango thokku" but then  I got reminded of this simple yet tasty dish. I was also running out of dishes for our lunch box as well, so tried this recipe. It came out quite well (as expected) though the mango was not quite tangy. I think I can add this in our menu of variety rice for a change.

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 2 cups
Raw mango - 1 medium size
Green chilli - 1 finely chopped
Red chilli - 1 or 2
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chana dhal - 2 tsp
Urid Dhal - t tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Hing - 1 pinch
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Oil

Procedure:

Peel the mango and grate it.
Cook the rice separetly with salt added. This makes it easier when preparing this kind of rice dishes.
Allow the rice to cool.
Add around 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Once it is heated, add mustard seeds and jeera and allow it to splutter.
Add hing, urid dhal, chana dhal and cashew nuts and fry till they are slightly brown.
Following this add curry leaves, green chilly, red chilli and grated ginger and fry for few more minutes.
Now add the grated mango and turmeric powder and cook for 5-6 minutes till it reduces in volume.
Finally add salt, chopped coriander leaves and remove from flame.
Mix this with rice, adjust salt if required.

Mango rice is ready to eat. This makes easy and tasty food especially for lunch boxes as it tastes tangy and better after a couple of hours.

Mushroom pulao

My mother used to make this pulao and I used to love this. I think its almost the same recipe but I bet I can't compare mine to that taste..Hmm.. miss that :-(
Anyway here is the recipe..
Ingredients:

Mushroom	12-15 Nos.
Onion	1 No.
Tomato	1 No.
Mint leaves	1 handful
Coriander leaves	1 handful
Ginger garlic paste	1 tsp
Red Chilli powder	1 tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	1/4 tsp
Salt	As required
Water	2 ½ cups
Milk	½ cup
Basmati Rice	2 cups
Oil	1 tbsp
Ghee	1 tsp
To Season:
Whole Garam masala	4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf
Fennel seeds	1 tsp
Jeera	1 tsp

Procedure:
Cut the mushrooms in quarters or into 6 pieces if the mushroom is big.
Heat oil and ghee in pressure cooker or in any thick bottomed vessel.
Add whole garam masala, fennel seeds and jeera.
Add the sliced onions, saute for a while. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few more minutes.
Now add the chopped tomatoes and mint leaves. Let it cook for sometime.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder.
Add the chopped mushrooms, the mushrooms will start leaving water. Cook till all the water is absorbed.
Now add the washed rice, and mix it well with the masala. The rice tastes better if its gets slightly fried.
Pour the water and milk, usually for basmati rice for 1 cup, 1 and half cup water should be enough. Add water depending on the rice variety you use. Milk is optional, I feel it enhances the taste for this pulao.
Add salt, chopped coriander leaves. You can adjust for salt and spice now. (May be you can add red chilli powder/garam masala powder if required).
You can optionally add 1 tsp lemon juice.
Once the water starts boiling, bring it into simmer and close with the lid (No weight).

The rice should be ready in 10-12 minutes.
Once done serve it with curd raita.

This also makes great for lunch box.

Schezwan vegetable noodles

I am always a fan of schezwan foods. And when I came across the recipe, I was quite excited to try this. Bcos I never thought we can get the taste of Schezwan Vegetable noodles at home. It turned out fabulous and my hubby's comments were spectacular too. You can try the same ingredients with rice for Schezwan Fried rice too.

Ingredients:

Cooked noodles - 2 cups (cook noodles as per the instructions)
Mix vegetables (carrot, peas, beans, cabbage, peppers) - cut them as long thin slices
Spring onions - 1/2 cup
Salt
Oil - 2 tbsp

Schezwan Sauce
Red chilies - 5 (soak for 2 hrs)
Garlic cloves - 4
Soy sauce - 2 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp



Procedure:

1. Wash the cooked noodles and make sure they are separate. mix oil if needed

2. Grind the ingredients under sauce to a paste

3. Heat oil in a pan and add mix veggies and fry them well. Once they r half cooked add the sauce, salt and blackpepper(if needed).

4. Mix well then add the noodles and saute well.

5. Finally add spring onions and leave some for garnishing while serving

6. Enjoy ur schezwan noodles

Rajma Chawal/Kidney Beans Rice

As the name says this takes "Red Kidney Beans" as the main ingredient. But unlike other rice/pulav varieties, this is served in a different way. A side dish of kidney beans is prepared with spices and then enjoyed with rice. The kidney beans gravy prepared also makes a perfect combination for Rotis and it tastes even more great the next day, if you have leftovers.

Ingredients

Rajma (Red kidney beans) - 1 cup (soak overnight)
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery - little
Oil- 2 tsp

To grind
Tomatoes -1
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 4 pods


Proceudre:

Rajma

Keep the Rajma in Pressure cooker with 1 cup water and little salt. Cook for 1 whistle on high and reduce the flame and cook for 5 more whistles. It should be cooked soft.

Gravy

Heat oil in a pan and add the cloves and cinnamon

Add onions and fry till transparent.Then add grinded tomato puree and saute.

Add the chilly and coriander powder and mix well. To thia add the cooked Rajma with all water and check salt.

Let it cook for 4-5 mts till the gravy thickens. Add the jaggery and cook for 1 min and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with plain white rice or Jeera rice.

Bisibelabath

Bisibelabath is basically a sambhar rice, wherein here the rice is cooked with dal all vegetables together. This gives the nice aroma and flavor of the rice. I consider this as a whole meal as it has carbohydrates, proteins and all veggies together with a fantastic taste. This rice has to be served hot with its unbeatable combination - papads (appalams).




Ingredients

Rice - 1.5 cups
Toor dal - 1 cup
Tamarind juice - 1 cup (slightly thinned/watery)
Thinly sliced Onions - 1
Chopped Tomatoes - 1
Green chilly - 2
Mixed Vegetables - 1/2 cup
(Chopped carrots, Beans, Potatoes, Green Peas, Drumsticks)
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Orad dal - 2 tsp
Hing powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

To roast and grind

Red chilly - 3
Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
coconut powder - 2 tbsp


Procedure:

Pressure cook the toor dal with 2 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric powder

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add mustard seeds

After it splutters, add orad dal, hing powder, onions, greenchillies and curry leaves one by one

After the onions turns transparent, add the chopped tomatoes and veggies and saute them. Later add the washed rice and saute little further

To this add the tamarind juice, salt and grounded powder. After it starts boiling add the cooked dal and 3 cups of water (we can add more water than the regular 1:2 ratio as this rice tends to thicken because fo the dal)

Transfer this to a pressure cooker and cook well till the rice is done

This rice needs to be mushy and semi-solid consistency and that gives the awesome taste. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

Coconut milk rice

As I am in the search of simple rice varieties, I explored this one. Thanks to the readily available coconut milk, this can be prepared in notime with the simple ingredients in ur pantry shelves. This is a mild rice, anything hot goes very well with this. I served it with potato fry.


Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2 cups
Coconut milk - 1 cup
water - 2 1/4 cups
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 2
Raisins - 2 tsp
cashews - 10
Ghee - 1 tsp
green chilly - 1
salt


Procedure:

1. Heat ghee in a pan and add the whole spices

2. To this add the raisins, cashews and green chilly

3. once the cashews slighly changes color, add the washed rice and salt and toss the rice with ghee and other ingredients

4. Transfer this to the rice cooker and add coconut milk and water

5. After its done garnish with coriander leaves and its ready to serve

Ginger Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Fresh Ginger - 1 long pieces
Butter - 1 tbsp
Whole cardamom - 1 (crush little)
Cashew Nuts - 10 Nos
Raisins - 10
Saffron colour - little (mix in little milk)
salt


Procedure:

1. Boil chopped ginger and crushed cardamom in a pot with 2 cups of water. Allow it to reduce to half of its quantity. Strain it and keep the water.

2. Heat butter in a pan and fry cashews and raisins

3. To this add sliced onions till they turn golden brown.

4. Add the washed rice and mix well.

5. To this add salt, saffron colored milk and ginger juice (1 cup). Add 3/4th cup of water (Rice: water -- 1: 1 3/4)

6.Cook in rice cooker or pressure cooker (2-3 whistles).

7. Mix well and serve hot with raita or any gravy.

Capsicum rice

A simple form of fried rice having simple ingrediens that can be made even with leftover rice. Roast and grind the masala ahead and u can make this rice in notime.

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup (cook ahead and cool down)
Capsicum - 1 (cut as thin long slices)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
Roasted Peanuts - 2 tsp
Cahews - 2 tsp
Salt
Oil - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves

To roast and grind:
cumin - 2 tsp
coriander seeds - 2 tsp
red chillies - 2
orid dal - 1 tsp
chana dal - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal, peanuts and cashewnuts one after another
2. Add sliced capsicum and sautee for 2 mins until cooked. Add salt to this
3. Now add cooked rice and grounded masala powder and mix well on low flame
4. Turn off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves
5. Serve hot with Potato curry

Coconut rice

This is another traditional south Indian variety rice. This is mild rice and goes well with spicy potato fry. As any other variety rice.


Ingredients:

Cooked rice – 2 cups
Shredded coconut – ½ cup
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Chana Dal – 3 tsp
Groundnuts – 20
Red chilly – 2
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil – 1 tbsp


Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds

2. After they splutter add chana dal ad groundnuts and roast them till light brown

3. Then fry the red chillies in the oil and add curry leaves

4. To this add the coconut powder and add salt and fry till the coconut leaves nice smell (don’t let it brown)

5. Turn off flame and add cooled rice and mix well.

6. Serve with Potato curry.

Puliyodarai

Puliyodarai is a traditional south Indian rice. This is offered as prashadam in many temples and the taste is really tempting. Also this stays good for longer time and will be great to take for outdoor trips. The paste can be prepared ahead and can be stored refrigerated for even a month or two.


Ingredients:

Cooked rice – 3 cups
Tamarind juice – 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Chana Dal – 3 tsp
Groundnuts – 20
Red chilly – 3
Turmeric powder - little
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil – 3 tbsp

For dry grinding:
Red chilly – 4
Coriander seeds (dhania) – 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds (Vendhayam) – 1 tsp


Procedure:

1. Dry roast the ingredients mentioned for dry grinding and grind them to a powder

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds

3. After they splutter add chana dal ad groundnuts and roast them till light brown

4. Then fry the red chillies in the oil and add curry leaves

5. To this add the tamarind juice and add salt and turmeric powder and let it boil

6. Once it starts to thicken add the grounded powder and let it boil for some more time. Stop flame after it starts leaving oil and the mix gets thickened

7. Add the above paste to the cooled rice and mix well.

8. Serve with Potato curry or even potato chips.

Veg Fried Rice

Fried rice is quick to make with just a handful of vegetables. This will serve great for lunch box.




Ingredients:

Cooked rice – 2 cups
Carrot – 1
Beans – 10 nos
Green peas – ¼ cup
Green Capsicum – ¼ cup chopped
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Tomato sauce – 2 tbsp
Soya sauce – 1 tsp
Salt
Black Pepper – 2 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp

Procedure:

• Thinly chop all the vegetables lengthwise

• Heat pan and add oil

• Add ginger garlic paste and all vegetables one after other sautéing each for a while. Sautee on medium flame till the vegetables are cooked

• Add salt and pepper and add tomato and soya sauce

• Now add the cooked rice and mix well. Remove from flame

• Garish with coriander leaves and serve hot

Mint Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati rice – 1 cup
Mint leaves – 1 cup
Onion – 1 (long sliced)
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Green chilly – 2
Clove – 3
Cinnamon stick – 1
Oil

Procedure
• Cook the basmati rice until half done
• In a pan, saute mint leaves, ginger garlic and green chillies. Gring this as a paste with very minimal water
• Heat Oil and add clove and cinnamon
• Add the onions and sauté until transparent
• Add the grinded paste, salt and the rice.
• Sprinkle little water and keep it covered on low flame for 10 mts.
• If needed add water and cook for a little more time until rice is fluffy.

Chicken Briyani / சிக்கன் பிரியாணி

This method of chicken briyani uses convection oven. This takes a long time for cooking (takes ah hour) but it tastes good because of the slow cooking process.

Ingredients:
Chicken – 300 gms
Basmati Rice – 2 cups
Onion – 3 (long sliced)
Tomato – 4
Ginger Garlic paste – 3tbsp
Green chilies - 2
Chilli powder – 4 tsp
Yogurt – 1 tbsp
Mint leaves
Coriander leaves
Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp
Whole garam masala (Bay leaves – 1, Cinnamon -1, Cardamom – 1 stick, Clove – 7)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt

Procedure:
• Cut chicken into slightly bigger pieces and clean them
• Marinate the chicken with Chilli powder, 1tbsp ginger garlic paste, salt and yogurt. Keep it marinated for 1-2 hrs
• Wash and soak rice in water for ½ hr
• Preheat oven to 400 F
• Heat oil in a pan
• Add whole garam masala, ginger garlic paste, green chilly, onion and tomatoes one after another sautéing each for a awhile
• Add marinated chicken to it and sauté for a awhile
• Add mint and coriander leaves and then add drained rice
• Saute for a while and turn of heat
• Take a oven proof pan and spray oil all thru the sides
• Pour the chicken rice mix into the pan and add water ( 3 cups of water for 4 cups of pre-soaked rice. There may be some water in the rice mix itself. So u may have to add 2 ¼ cups of water).
• Mix thoroughly and cover with a aluminium foil
• Keep it the oven for 50 – 60 mts.
• After 60 mts remove the foil and mix the rice.
• Garnish with coriander leaves

If u feel the process is very time consuming, u can cook chicken separately on stove top. Half cook the rice and then mix both and keep it in oven for 15 mts.