Bhaths, Pulaos, Rices & Saadams!

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.