Bhaths, Pulaos, Rices & Saadams!

Pineapple Rice - for the 'sweet-toothed'!

This can be made as a stir-fry rice.

Cooked rice - 1 cup

Chopped green chillies - 2 or to taste

Boiled peas - 1/4 cup

Sweet pineapple cubes - 3-4 tbsp

Raisins - 1 tbsp

Soya sace - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Ghee + oil - 1 tbsp

Heat oil+ghee, add peas, green chillies, pineapple cubes,saute lightly & add rice & salt.

Mix well. Serve with any HOT SPICY sabji.

Add soya sauce & raisins fried in 1 tsp ghee.

 

Kofta Briyani - a festive dish!

For bread koftas;

Combine the following ingredients:

Bread slices - 4

Finely chopped onions - 2 tbsp

Finely chopped green chillies - 2 tsp

Fresh curds - 1 tbsp

Cooking soda - a pinch

Salt

Divide the mixture into 15 balls & deep-fry till golden.

Rice:

Cook 1 cup of basmathi with little salt, 1 bayeaf, 2” cinnamon & 3 pcs each of cloves & cardamom – each grain of rice must be separate.

Gravy:

Heat 3 tbsp oil & add in order:

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1”

Onions - ½ cup sliced, sauté till glossy

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tap

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp

Haldi

Tomaoes - 4,sliced, sauté well

Fresh curds - ½ cup

Simmer for 5 mtes.

To garnish;

Whisk together:

Fresh curds - 4 tbsp

Chopped coriander + mint leaves - 2 tbsp, each

To proceed:

In a baking dish, spread gravy.

Arrange koftas.

Spread rice.

Top with curds mixture

Cover with a lid (or clingfilm) & bake at 200 deg F for 15-20 mts.

In the absence of baking oven, use a heavy bottom pan, cover & cook on a very low flame.

 

Black Urad Saadam - can a delicious and healthy recipe be so simple???

This dish is full of protein!

Rice (thin variety) - 1 cup

Broken black urad - ½ cup

Grated coconut - 1 cup

Salt

Mix washed rice, dhal, coconut & salt.

Add4 cups of water & when it starts boiling, close & keep the weight.

Do not wait for whistle, but simmer & cook for 10mtes.

Goes with any spicy side-dish.

If you prefer it soft, add ½ cup more of water.

Optionally, instead of adding coconut, you can take milk with it & use. Coconut milk gives a delicious flavour.

 

Vella Sadam - very easy to cook!!

Cooked rice - 1 cup (preferably soft)

Powdered jaggery - 3/4 - 1 cup

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cashews - few

freshly grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Mix jaggery with little water & boil.

Strain & boil to make a syrup.

Add cooled rice & cook till it thickens.

Add coconut & cadamom powder.

Remove & garnish with cashews roasted in ghee.

This is traditionally made for Kanu & 'Pathinettam perukku'.

 

Double Corn Pulao - uses Sweet Corn & Baby Corn!!

This is a very tasty, attractive & simple recipe. Goes with any spicy side dish.

Basmathi - 1 cup

Boiled corn & baby corn (cut 2” long) pieces - ½ cup or more of each

Oil + ghrr - 3 tbsp

Cinnamon - 1”

Cardamom & cloves - 3 each

onion - 1, finely chopped

Ginger-garlic paste - 2 t5sp

Green Chillies - 3,4 finely chopped

Tomatoes -- 2 big, chopped

Curds - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 ¾ cups

Soak rice for 15 mtes & drain.

In a pressure pan heat oil+ghee & sauté in the order given.

Finally add curd & simmer till the tomatoes cook soft.

Add rice, vegetables, salt & water.

When the mixture starts boiling, close, keep the weight & switch the flame to Low.

Cook for 10 mtes & switch off.

 

Garlic Stirfry Rice - unusual combination!!

Cooked, grainy rice - 1 cup

Sliced garlic - 1 ttbsp

Cut curd chillies - 2, 3

Cashews - 5, 6

Salt

Oil + ghee - 4 tsp

Heat oil+ghee & fry the garlic on low fire till light brown.

Add curd cillies & fry to desired colour.

Finally or separately fry cashews to golden colour & add.

Mix all the above to rice with salt & blend well.

 

Continental Rice - a real winner!

Cooked grainy rice - 1 cup

Grated onions - 1 tbsp

Shredded cabbage - 3 tbsp

Thinly sliced capsicum - 2 tbsp

Grated cheese - 2 tbsp

Pepper powder (fresh) - ½ - 1 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Salt

Heat the butter in a pan & sauté the onions till glossy.

Add cabbage & capsicum & cook for 2-3 mtes.

Add rice, pepper & salt & mix well.

Sprinkle cheese & serve hot.

 

Spicy Mushroom Rice - an easy stirfry rice.


Cooked rice - 1 cup

Heat 2 tbsp oil & add

Chopped garlic - 2 tbsp & fry till almost red.

Add

Jeera - ½ tsp

Freshly made pepper powder - 1 tsp

Next add:

Chopped mushroom - 1 cup

Water - 2 tbsp.

Simmer covered foe a fewmts.

Add rice & salt.

Mix lightly & cook covered for few mtes for flavours to be absorbed.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

 

Macaroni Bahala Bhath - a chilled delight.

Select a small variety of pasta.
Cook macaroni as you cook pasta in plenty of water with 2 tsp oil & a pinch of salt. Drain, refresh & spread on a plate with oily hands to keep them separated.
Then proceed as for
Bahalabath

Plain with only tempering of mustard seeds & red chillies


No tempering - mango & cucumber pieces added



Tempering with red chillies, mustard seeds & gram dhal

 

Paruppu Arisi Sappadu - A Kongu Nadu dish.

This is one meal in a dish and can be served with curds. I am giving 2 combos for rice+dhal as well as for tempering – jain & non-jain.


First:


Rice - 1 cup


Dry mochai, green moong & karamani - 1 tsp each (soaked overnight)


Tur dhal - 1/3 cup


Second:


Rice - 1 cup


Tur dhal - ½ cup


Water - 3 ½ - 4 cups


Salt, haldi


To temper: First:


Oil - 2 tbsp


Bay leaves - 2


Cloves & cardamom - 4 each


Onions, chopped - ½ cup (small onions ideally suited)


Curry leaves


Second tempering;


oil - 2 tbsp


Mustard seeds - 1 tsp


Gram dhal - 2 tsp


Tomatoes - 2, chopped


Green chillies - 4-5


Hing, curry leaves.


With these, adding chopped onions & garlic is optional.


For both the methods, use a pressure pan or cooker. After tempering, add the rice and dhal(s), haldi, salt & 4 cups of hot water.


When water begins to boil vigorously, close the cooker, keep the weight, simmer the stove & cook for 15 mtes.


Serve hot, topped with ghee.