Tava Pulao

This is a street food of Mumbai. It is made with pav bahaji masala powder, select vegetables and long rice. As the name suggests, it is made in a tava or big iron griddle that is used to make pav bhajis. Loads of butter and pav bhaji masala powder are the key ingredients that bring flavour to this rice.

However, I have substituted the butter with oil. I have used the one pot method to make this recipe instead of tava or griddle. 

 

Ingredients:

Cubed potatoes - 1/2 cup 

Cubed carrots - 1/2 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Chopped beans - 1/4 cup

Tomatoes puree - 2 cup

Chopped capsicum - 1/4 cup

Chopped onion - 1 cup

Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Pav bhaji masala powder - 3 tsp

Chilli powder -1 tsp

Pepper powder -1/2 tsp

Asafoetida -1/4 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

Long rice - 2 cups

Oil and Salt - as required

Method:

Wash the rice once and soak it in four cups of water.Keep aside.

In a non stick cooker, heat few teaspoons of oil. Add the chopped onions. Stir fry till it turns translucent. Add the garlic and ginger paste. Stir cook for few seconds till the raw smell goes away. Then, add the asfoetida powder, chilli powder and pepper powder. Stir for few seconds. Then, stir in the turmeric powder and pav bhaji masala powder. Add the tomato puree, sugar and salt. Cook for few seconds. Next, add the vegetables except the capsicum and coriander leaves. Stir for few seconds. Then, add the soaked rice along with the water. When the water begins to boil, close the cooker and put the weight. Cook for just two whistles. Allow the pressure to come down. Garnish with capsicum and coriander leaves.

Serve with sliced raw onion and lemon wedges.

Eggplant rice (Vangi bath)

There are various methods of making vangi bath. Eggplant can be cooked in tamarind water or deep fried in oil before combining it with rice and other spices. Some people prefer to add onion and grated coconut to this rice. Sometimes sambhar powder is also added to give it a different flavour. However, I make this rice with puliyodarai paste and puliyodarai powder that I stock in good quantity. Hence, I prepare this rice, when I am short of time. It can be packed in lunch boxes for school going children as an alternative/supplement to curd rice.


Ingredients:
Cooked white rice - 2cups
Bottle eggplant -1
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Puliyodarai paste -2tsps
Puliyodarai powder -4tsps
Salt and oil -As required

For garnishing
Roasted peanuts -1/4cup

                                     Eggplant before rice is added
Method:
Grind the peanuts coarsely. Keep it aside. Cube the eggplant. Dilute the puliyodarai paste with one cup of water. Add the eggplant pieces and turmeric powder. Cook till it is soft. Then, add the puliyodarai powder, little oil and salt. Cook for few seconds. Next, stir in the rice till it is well blended. Garnish with peanut powder. Serve it with any pachadi of you choice.

Note: Adding sesame oil gives a distinct flavour to this rice. Adjust the puliyodarai paste and puliyodarai powder such that the end product is well balanced. 

Cashew nut rice

This rice is a hit among kids as it is not spicy like other variety rice. Besides, they love the fried cashew nuts that dot the rice. 

Ingredients:
Long rice -1cup
Chopped cashew nuts -1/2cup
Chopped onions -1cup
Black pepper corns -1tsp
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Clarified butter -4tblsps
Oil and Salt - as required

Method:
Toast the pepper corns and cumin seeds lightly. Cool and pulverize it. Keep it aside. Wash and soak the rice in one cup of water for 20 minutes. Cook it along with the water in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Remove the rice from the cooker after the pressure has released. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes. In the meantime, fry the chopped cashew nuts in little clarified butter to a golden brown colour. Empty it over the rice set aside to cool. In the same pan, fry the chopped onions till it turns translucent. Then, add the cooked rice and powdered spices. Add more clarified butter and stir fry for few seconds till it is blended well.  Serve it alone or along with any chutney of your choice.

Nei choru (Ghee rice)

Nei choru literally means ghee rice in Malayalam language. This mildly spiced rice is a traditional dish from the regions of Malabar in Kerala. Nei choru can be conveniently packed as lunch for school going kids. It is easy to make and tastes divine. Some restaurants serve this rice as cashew nut pulao.
It can be eaten along with any gravy or alone with some curd based dip (raita).

Ingredients:
Samba jeera rice -2cups
Cardamom -3
Cloves 2
Bay leaf -1
Chopped onion -1cup
Pepper powder -2tsps
Cumin powder -1tsp
Cashew nuts -1/2cup
Clarified butter -4tblsps
Sugar -1/2tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash the rice and cook it in a pressure cooker along with cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and salt in 3 cups of water. Remove from cooker and cool it for 10 minutes. (This will prevent the rice from sticking to each other). In a wide pan fry the cashew nuts in little clarified butter. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan fry the chopped onions along with the sugar. When the onions turn brown, add the rice, pepper powder and cumin powder. Stir fry for few seconds till it is blended well. Garnish with cashew nuts. Serve it with lady's finger pachadi.

Vegetable Dum Briyani

Vegetable dum briyani is a delicacy of the Mughlai cuisine, where semi cooked rice is sandwiched between spicy vegetable gravy and cooked in dum or baked to perfection. Dum cooking involves cooking half cooked rice in a wide mouth pan over a bed of hot coal. The lid of the pan is sealed with paste made of wheat flour, so that the steam does not escape. It helps in even cooking besides retaining   the rich flavours of the spices and vegetables.   

Ingredients:
For the rice:
Basmati rice (long rice) -2cups
Cinnamon stick - 1 small piece
Cloves - 3
Cardamom -2

Method:
Cook the rice along with cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom in 2 cups of water. When it is 75% cooked, take away from the flame. (Rice need not be soaked in water). Keep it aside.

For the gravy:
Carrots -2
Green peas -1/2cup
Beans -few
Cottage cheese -50gm
Garlic paste -1tsp
Ginger paste -1tsp
Garam masala powder -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Chopped onion -1cup
Chopped green chillies -1tsp
Chopped coriander leaves -2tsps
Chopped mint leaves -1tsp
Curd -1/2cup
Salt and oil -as required

Method:
Cut the carrots and beans length wise. Cube the cottage cheese. In a frying pan, stir fry the onions and chillies in little oil. When it turns translucent add the two pastes. Stir fry for few seconds then add the two powders, vegetables and salt. Add half cup water. Close and cook till done. Next add the cottage cheese pieces and curd. Continue cooking for few more seconds.
Keep it aside.

For garnishing:
Cashew nuts -1/4 cup
Finely sliced onions -1/2cup
Clarified butter - 2tsps
Sugar -1/2tsp
Coriander leaves -1/2tsp

                    After adding the garnishing

Method:
Chop and fry the cashew nuts in little clarified butter. Remove from the pan. In the same pan fry the onions along with the sugar till it turns dark brown in color. Keep it aside.

To prepare the biryani:
In an oven proof dish spread one part of the gravy. Sprinkle little coriander and mint leaves. Then spread one part of the rice. Top it with another layer of the gravy. Sprinkle mint and coriander leaves. Spread the other part of the rice. Cover and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with fried cashew nuts, browned onion and coriander leaves. Serve hot with onion capsicum pachadi.

 

Coriander leaves rice

Coriander and its leaves are widely used in Indian cooking. Coriander, which is also known as Chinese parsley and Cilantro, offers a lot of health benefits.
A 100g of coriander leaves provide just 23 calories but it is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fibre, which helps to bring down the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL).
Here is a tasty and flavourful recipe made with coriander leaves and rice, with a dash of lemon and green chillies.
 

                                        Coriander leaves
Ingredients:
Cooked white rice -3cups
Fresh lemon juice-3tsps
Green chillies - 4
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Black gram -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves - I bunch
Chilli flakes – 1/2tsp
Roasted peanuts – 3tsps
Oil and salt - as required

Method:
Cut the coriander leaves and grind it coarsely along with green chillies. Keep it aside. In a frying pan heat mustard seeds with one teaspoon of oil and allow it to crackle. When it stops crackling add the black gram and fry it to a brown colour. Then take the pan away from heat and add the ground paste turmeric powder and curry leaves. Sauté while it is still hot. Then add the cooked rice, lemon juice and salt. Mix well. Garnish with chilli flakes and peanuts.

Baked rice

This rice, which is loaded with spinach, baby corn and colourful capsicums is a meal in itself. Cooked long rice is drenched in white sauce and placed between a layer of blanched spinanch and baby corn and capsicums in different colours. Then it is drizzled with a layer of grated cheese and baked to perfection.

Ingredients:

Blanched and chopped spinanch - 1/2 cup
Blanched and chopped baby corn - 1/2 cup
Cooked long rice- 3cups
Chopped mixed capsicums - 2cups (red, green & yellow)
Chili flakes - 1tsp
Black pepper powder - 1tsp
Tomato sauce - 2tsps
Grated cheese - 1cup
All purpose flour - 2tsps
Cold milk  -2cups
Olive oil - 2tsps
Salt to taste

Method:
Smear little salt to the capsicum and baby corn . Keep it aside.
Dry toast the flour till it changes colour. Remove from heat and add the milk. Cook on low flame stirring continuously till it thickens. Cool for a while. Then, add half the cheese, salt, pepper powder and tomato sauce. Keep this sauce aside.

                                         before baking
 
Grease an oven proof dish. Arrange the blanched spinach and baby corn in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the chilli flakes over it. Top it with cooked rice. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the rice. Then arrange the capsicums over it. Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over it.  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes.  

Coconut milk rice

This is coconut rice with a difference. It is a simple dish that has the sweet aroma of coconut milk and tempering of curry leaves and black gram. It tastes heavenly when eaten alone or with some stir fried vegetable. I make this on summer days as it is cooling.

Ingredients:

White rice - 2 cups
Coconut milk - 2cups
Cardamom powder - 1tsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Black gram - 1tsp
Red chilly - 1(broken into 2)
Coconut oil -2tsps
Salt to taste

Method:

Add the coconut milk, cardamom powder, salt and two cups water to the rice. Cook in a pressure cooker till done. Temper mustard seeds, black gram, red chilly and curry leaves in coconut oil and garnish the rice.

Baked soup rice

 Baked soup rice is made with soup powder and grated mozzarella cheese. This creation of mine is quick to make as it bypasses the need for white sauce.

Ingredients:
Cooked long rice - 4cups
Knorr Vegetable soup powder- 1 packet
Grated mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup
Blanched vegetables - 1/2 cup
Milk -1/2 cup (optional)

Method:
Prepare soup using milk and water as per the procedure mentioned in the packet. Mix the blanched vegetables along with the soup and cooked rice. Allow it to cool completely. Then in a baking dish spread the rice evenly. 
Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 10 to 15 minutes.

Lemon rice

In Sanskrit language, “Chitra” means different or distinguished and "annam” means rice. However, Chitraannam is usually referred to lemon rice.  This rice is easy to make, but its taste depends on the type of rice used and the freshness of the lemon. Of course it also depends on the flavours arising from the tempering of mustard along with curry leaves and coriander. 

Ingredients:

Cooked white rice -2cups

Fresh lemon juice-3tsps

Chopped green chillies -3

Mustard seeds -1tsp

Black gram -1tsp

Turmeric powder -1/2tsp

Curry leaves - few

Chopped coriander leaves -2tsps

Oil and salt - as required

Method:

Spread the cooked rice on a plate. In a frying pan heat mustard seeds with one teaspoon of oil and allow it to crackle. When it stops crackling add the black gram and fry it to a brown colour. Then take the pan away from heat and add the green chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves, and coriander leaves. Sauté while it is still hot. Then mix it with the rice along with lemon juice, salt and little oil.

Puliyodarai

Puliyodarai is also called tamarind rice and is an offering to gods in every perumal temples. Iyengar puliyodarai is considered to be the authentic puliyodarai. The temple style of preparing this rice is slightly different from the one that is prepared at home.

Ingredients:
Cooked white rice - 2 cups
Puliyodarai paste - 2tsps
Puliyodarai powder - 3tsps
Sesame oil -4tbls
Roasted peanuts - 3tbls (optional)


For puliyodarai paste:

Tamarind pulp -1/2 cup
Brown sugar -3 tlbs
Asafoetida -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Green chillies -3 to 4
Red chillies -2(broken into two)
Mustard seeds - 2tsps
Black gram -2tsps
Curry leaves - few
Salt and oil -as required

Method:
Heat the mustard seeds with little oil in a frying pan. When it crackles add the black gram and fry till it turns brown. Then add the asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, red chillies and curry leaves. Stir for few seconds. Then add the tamarind pulp, brown sugar and salt. Bring it to a boil and allow it to thicken. 

Note: Half cup of tamarind pulp can be extracted from one lemon sized tamarind.

For Puliyodarai powder:
Split chickpea -1tsp
Coriander seeds - 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds -2tsps
Sesame seeds -2tsps
Aniseed -1/2tsp
Red chillies -4to5

Toast everything separately without using oil. Cool and pulverise in a blender to a smooth powder.


To make puliyodarai:

Spread the cooked rice in a plate. Add the puliyodarai paste, puliyodarai powder and the sesame oil. Mix everything thoroughly. Garnish with peanuts.

Ven pongal

 Ven pongal, which is an offering to the gods in temples, also makes for an excellent breakfast. Ven pongal is made with mild spices like ginger and pepper corns and generous amount of clarified butter. As it is devoid of garlic and onion it is usually prepared during festival days and other auspicious occasions.

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1cup
Yellow split green gram -1/4cup
Cashew nuts -3tsps
Clarified butter -1/2cup
Black pepper corns -1tsp
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Asafoetida powder -1/4tsp
Crushed ginger -1tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Fry the cashew nuts with little clarified butter till brown. Keep it aside.
Dry roast the rice till it emits a nice aroma. Pressure cook it along with green gram till soft. Remove from the cooker. Add salt and mash it well while it is still hot.
Next, heat the balance clarified butter in a frying pan and fry the cumin seeds, black pepper, ginger, asafoetida powder and curry leaves. Mix it with the mashed rice. Garnish with fried cashew nuts.  
Note: One cup of roasted rice and a quarter cup of green gram can be cooked in three cups of water in a pressure cooker.

 

Sakarai pongal

There are many types of pongal like Ven pongal, Melagu pongal and pulli pongal. But Sakarai pongal is a sweet pongal, which is also an offering to the diety in many temples. Tamilians prepare this pongal during the thai pongal festival, which  extends from January 13-16 of the Gregorian calendar. This harvest festival coincides with Makara Sankranthi celebrated throughout India.

Ingredients:

1. Raw rice - 1cup
2. Yellow split green gram -1/4cup
3. Crushed jaggery -1cup
4. Raisins -2tsps
5. Cashew -2tsps
6. Clarified butter -1/cup
7. Cardamom powder -1tsp

Method:
Fry the cashew and raisins separately with little clarified butter. Keep it aside.
Dry roast the rice till it emits a nice aroma. Pressure cook it along with green gram till soft.
In a heavy bottomed pan heat the jaggery with few teaspoons of water. When it starts to dilute add the cooked rice, green gram and the clarified butter. Keep stirring it till it thickens to the consistency of jam. Remove from heat and add the cardamom powder. Garnish with fried cashew and raisins.

Note: One cup of roasted rice and a quarter cup of green gram can be cooked in three cups of water in a pressure cooker.

 

Quick rice fix

Want to make something different and light for dinner. Then try this quick rice fix, which tastes like vegetable pulao.

This rice can be prepared with any rice, but using long rice or basmati rice gives it extra flavour and taste.

Ingredients:
Cooked basmati rice -2cups
Garam masala powder -2tsps
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Blanched vegetables -1cup
(Blanched vegetables can include, green peas, carrot and cauliflower)
Onion -2
Capsicum -1/2(finely chopped)
Cashew -1/4 cup
Oil and salt -as required

Method:
Chop one onion finely and another one length wise. Fry the latter till it turns brown. Fry the cashew nuts also. Keep it aside. In a frying pan, fry the finely chopped onions for few minutes. Then add the garam masala powder, turmeric powder and salt. Fry for few seconds. Next add the cooked rice, blanched vegetables and capsicum. Sauté everything. Garnish with browned onions and cashew nuts.

Serve it with green chutney and grilled cottage cheese.

Busy bele bath

Busy busy bath comes handy when you want to cook something that is tasty and wholesome on a busy day. This is my version of Bisi bele bath, which is famous in Karnataka.

This mixed rice tastes like sambhar rice as it contains lentils and coconut and some spices common to sambhar. However, the key ingredient for busy busy bath is long pepper .

Ingredients:
Cooked rice -3cups
Shallots -1/2 cup
Split chick pea -3tbls
Tamarind paste -1tsp
Sugar -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2tsp
Mixed vegetable -1/2 cup
Grated coconut -4tbls
Mustard seeds -1tsp
Curry leaves -few
Salt and oil - as required
Spice powder -3tbls


Ingredients for spice powder:
Coriander seeds -2tsps
Cumin seeds -1tsp
Cardamom -3
Cloves -2
Long pepper -1tsp
Red chillies -6

Dry toast all the ingredients for spice powder and grind it to a fine powder.

Method to make busy bath:

Heat the mustard seeds and oil in a frying pan. When the mustard crackles, add the shallots, coconut and curry leaves. Fry till the coconut turns brown. Keep it aside.

Cook the split chick pea and the vegetables in a cup of water along with turmeric powder and salt. Add the tamarind paste, sugar, the spice powder and one more cup of water. Boil for few minutes, and then add the cooked rice.
Stir well and garnish with fried coconut mix.

Carrot and apple rice

I have prepared this rice with carrot and apple. However, other vegetables and fruits like green peas, cauliflower, pineapple and mango can also be used to make this rice. 

Ingredients:
Cooked long/basmati rice -2cups
Apple -1/2(cubed)
Grated carrot - 1/2cup
Onion -1(chopped finely)
Cashew nuts -50gms
Raisins -50gms
Black pepper powder -1/4tsp
Chilli flakes -1/4tsp
Sugar -1/2tsp
Oil and salt as required

Method:
Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins. Remove and keep it aside. In the same frying pan, fry the apple pieces with some salt and oil. Remove and keep it aside. Similarly fry the carrot pieces and keep it aside.

In the same pan fry the onions along with sugar. When it turns brown add all the powders, vegetables, salt and rice. Sauté till everything is blended well. Cover and cook for few seconds. Garnish with cashew nuts and raisins.

Jeera (Cumin) Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice- 2 cups
• Cumin seeds- 2 tsps
• Cardamom- 2
• Cloves- 2
• Black pepper Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Onion- 2(chopped length wise)
• Curry leaves - Few
• Salt and Oil as required.
• Water - 3 Cups

Method :
In a frying pan, fry the cumin seeds, cardamom, and cloves in little oil. Add the onions and curry leaves. Stir fry for  few minutes. Then add the pepper powder, rice and water. Close and cook stirring occasionally. Alternatively, transfer the contents to another vessel and steam in the cooker for two whistles. This tastes well with green gram curry or green gram spinach gravy.

Tomato rice

Ingredients:

• Cooked raw rice- 3 cups
• Tomato- 2 (pureed in a blender)
• Sambhar powder- 1 to 2tsp.
• Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
• Onion-1(chopped finely)
• Mustard seeds-1tsp
• Curry leaves- few
• Chopped coriander leaves-1tsp
• sugar-1tsp
• Salt, water and oil as required.

Method:

Heat a frying pan and crackle the mustards seeds with one teaspoon of oil. Then add the onions and curry leaves. Fry till the onions turn brown. Next add the turmeric powder and sambhar powder in quick succession. Fry for few seconds. (Take care not to burn the mixture). Then add the tomato puree, salt, sugar and little water. Saute till tomatoes are cooked. Add the cooked rice and cook till everything is blended well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Veg fried rice

 This is an easy to make fried rice, with minimum ingredients. Additional items like fried  cottage cheese or grated cheese can be added to make the same recipe rich and more tasty.

Ingredients:

1.Cooked basmati rice- 3 cups 
2.Green peas- 1/2 cup (blanched or frozen)
3.Grated carrots- 1/2 cup
4.Chopped spring onion greens- 1/2 cup
5.Capsicum- 1/2 (cut into small bits)
6.Onion 1 (cut into small pieces)
7.Chopped garlic-1 tsp
8.Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
9.Oregano- 1 tsp
10.Chilli flakes- 1/2 tsp
11.Oil as required.
12.Salt to taste.

Method:

1.Heat some oil in a non stick kadai/wok and fry the onions for few seconds, then stir in the garlic. Saute for another few seconds.
2.Add the carrots and stir fry  till cooked.
3.Then add all the other ingredients. Stir cook till everything is blended well.  
4.Check for salt a serve with any dip of your choice.