Spinach rice with beetroot raitha

Most of the time I prefer to eat special rice ...This is one kind of rice that's yummy and at the same time pretty healthy too.Beet root raita is a great accompaniment to spinach rice with it's contrasting color and taste with a hint of sweetness. This is going to events monthly mingle -ravishing rice hosted by Nags and brainchild of Meeta
Fic-delectable combinations hosted by Kamalika and started by harini . and
cooing for kids-leafy greens hosted by pavani and started by Sharmi

Ingredients:
1 bunch spinach,
1 medium onion,
3 cups basmati rice,
5 green chillies,
2 tsp ginger garlic paste,
1 inch cinnamon,
5-6 cloves,
3 cardamon,
1 tsp garam masala or biryani masala,
few leaves mint and coriander
1 tsp turmeric,
3 tbs oil,
bay leaves,
salt to taste
Method:

• In a vessel heat 1tbs oil and add cleaned and chopped spinach and cook .
• Once the spinach is cooked grind it into fine paste.
• In a heavy bottomed pan add 2tbs oil and add bay leaf,cinnamon,cloves and cardamon.
• To this add green chillies and sliced onions and saute .
• Add turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
• Grind mint and coriander leaves adding some water and add to pan.
• Then add the spinach paste to the pan and fry till the raw smell is gone.
• Add garam masala powder and washed rice and fry for 1 minute.
• Transfer the contents to rice cooker and add water. (1:1 1/2)rice:water ratio. or you can cook in a pressure cooker or on stove top. If you are cooking on stove top you need to add more water.

Beetroot raitha:

1/2 beet root grated, 1 green chili diced, coriander chopped, 1 cup plain yogurt, salt to taste, 1tsp lemon juice (optional)

Method:

whisk yogurt and add all other ingredients.Goes well with spinach rice or any biryani.

Hot pongal

Hot pongal is traditional south Indian dish usually made for breakfast.It is served as prasadam in temples. I'm not a great fan of pongal but my dear hubby loves it soo much .So I got the recipe from a friend and tried it out and to my surprise it was an instant success.Eventually I'm also developing a taste towards pongal..:)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice ,

1 cup moong dhal,

5 black peppercorns,

for seasoning:

1tsp pepper powder,

1 tsp cumin ,

4-5 green chillies,

few cashew nuts,

1 tsp mustard seeds,

1tsp urad dhal,

curry leaves,

salt to taste,

2tbs oil/ghee,

1tsp ginger finely chopped,

1tsp turmeric powder

method:

• Wash rice and moon dhal ,add the peppercorns and cook them in 6 cups water.(1:3 ratio).
• Mash the cooked rice and dhal mixture ,add salt and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil/ghee and add the cashews and fry a bit.to this add urad dhal,mustard seeds ,cumin seeds in order.
• Then add chopped ginger , green chillies and pepper powder.Add the curry leaves and turmeric powder and pour it in the rice mixture .
• Mix well and serve with ginger chutney or chutney of your choice.

Thai fried rice

Firstly hope you all had an awesome mothers day.....
coming to this recipe ....Thai food is one of the foods I relish most. This is simple ,vegetarian recipe and can be made in no time.
Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice ,

1 bell pepper diced,

2 bunches shallots /green onion diced,

1 carrot diced,

1 can water chestnuts,

2 tbs peanut oil /vegetable oil,

2 garlic pods minced,

2 red chilies,

2 tsp Thai curry paste( I used store bought paste.)

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add carrot,bell pepper and shallots,water chestnuts and stir fry till they are half cooked.
• Add the red chillies and Thai curry paste and fry for 2 mins.
• Add the cooked rice and mix well till the rice makes popping sounds.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Dhum biryaani (dish I can die for)

DhumBiryani is one of the most popular delicacies of Hyderabad.Dhum biryani is made in two ways..kachi biryani and pakki biryani.kachi biryaani is done with raw meat ,rice and spices cooked together .In pakki biryani curry and rice are cooked separately and layered. I guess my recipe comes under second kind.
I like this dhum biryaani for two reasons....first for it's greeeeaaat taste and second my dear dear husband(learnt it from his friend) makes this awesome dish ....just sitting back,relaxing and eating a great tasting dish ...it's a boon and I can say I'm lucky enough..:).my hubby cooks it with utmost care and perfection that all of it is reflected in the taste.. After enjoying it for several times I am shedding my ego to say these words" dear you make dhum biryani better than me....you are the best".......

Ingredients:

5 leg quarters halved or 10 medium drumsticks,

4 cups basmati rice,

6 cups water.

For marination:

2 tsp ginger garlic paste,

1/2 cup yogurt,

1tsp red chili powder,

1 tsp turmeric powder,

1 1/4 tsp salt,

For biryaani:

1 medium onion,

4 green chillies,

1tsp ginger garlic paste,

5-6 cloves,

3 star anise,

2 -3 jaapatri/mace,

bay leaves few,

1" cinnamon stick,

2-4 cardamon,

1/2 bunch mint,

Biryaani masala powder( I use shan biryaani masala 1pk for 5 cups rice),

2-3 tbs oil

method:

marinate chicken pieces with salt,red chili powder,turmeric,ginger garlic paste and yogurt.

• wash and cook rice in rice cooker adding water in 1:1 1/2 (rice:water) ratio.Cook till the rice is 3/4 th cooked.
  
• In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and add bay leaves,cinnamon,star anise,jaapatri/mace,cloves,cardamon,green chillies and onions in order.Saute them till the onions sweat.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 min.



• Add chicken pieces and mint. mix well and cook keeping the lid closed.
• Once the chicken is cooked thoroughly add garam masala and cook for 2 mins in simmer.


• Now take the cooked chicken pieces in a plate leaving 2-3 pieces in pan.
• Add the rice like a layer covering the pieces.Again add chicken and rice layers.
• keep the lid closed tightly and cook on a very low flame for 5 mins.Once the rice is well done mix thoroughly and put the lid on and cook for about 2-3 mins.

Note: Shan biryani masala has salt in it .If the masala you are using has no salt you can add acordingly during marination. Ajust spices according to your spice level.

Traditionally once the layering is done the lid is sealed with dough so that the air don't escape ...so keep a tight fitting lid once you are done with layering.

Tomato mutter pulav

Pretty fancy name for a simple dish.I used to call it tomato rice but got attracted to the fancy name when I heard it at a gathering.I think the dish deserves it.Tomato mutter pulav very easy and tasty recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice,

4 medium tomatoes diced,

4 green chillies,

1 medium onion diced,

1 cup peas,

few leaves of mint (optional),

2tbs oil,

3 bay leaves,

1 inch cinnamon stick,

5 -10cloves,

3-5 cardamon,

2 tsp ginger garlic paste,

1 tsp garam masala.

Method:

• In a heavy bottomed pan add 2 tbs of oil and heat .
• Add bay leaf,cinnamon,cardamon,cloves ,green chillies and onions respectively and stir fry till the onions become translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
• Add peas and chopped tomatoes and cook 2-3 mins with lid on.
• Once the tomatoes are cooked add salt to taste,mint and garam masala powder.
• Add the washed basmati rice to it and fry for about a minute.
• Add water(11/2 cups of water for each cup of rice) and cook with lid on.Alternatively you can transfer the contents to a rice cooker and add water and cook till the rice is done.
• serve hot with raitha or gravy curry.It's yummy even by itself.

Note: If you cooking on stove top add little bit more water .

carrot rice

carrot rice is a very delicious,nutritive recipe with right balance of flavors .This is such a quick recipe that you will get addicted to making this dish more often than you think.With its yummy taste you can persuade even pickiest eaters to get their daily dosage (or may be part of ..)of nutrients.

Ingredients:

21/2 cups basmati rice (rice cooker cups),

2 medium carrots grated,

1/2 cup peas,

1tbs ginger garlic paste,

1 tsp garam masala,

1tsp red chili powder,

1/2 tsp turmeric powder,2 -3 green chillies,

2tbs oil,

few coriander leaves chopped,

salt to taste.

For seasoning:

1tsp urad dhal,

1tsp mustard seeds,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

1 strand curry leaves.

recipe:

• Cook basmati rice in rice cooker using 11/2 cups water for every cup of rice.(if you are cooking on stove you might need little more water .so adjust accordingly).
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and do the seasoning by adding urad dhal,mustard seeds,cumin seeds and curry leaves in order.
• Add turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste to the seasoning and fry.
• Add peas and saute for about a minute.
• Add the grated carrot and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add salt ,red chili powder and garam masala and fry for a minute.
• Add the cooked rice and coriander leaves and mix well.
• serve hot.

I am reposting this for cfk-rice event hosted by Trupti and brainchild of Sharmi

Bisibela bath / sambar rice

When I first heard of bisibelabath or sambar rice I just thought why take pain making this recipe ??why not just eat rice and sambar mixed????. But later when i tasted it in SV temple in Maryland it's that moment I really decided to try out this recipe. From then on it has been one of our favourite Friday dinner recipes.I think it's an intelligently formulated recipe with has rich supply of carbs,protein,vitamins and minerals. I usually do this using the mtr bisibelabath paste from Indian stores (lazy me.. semi home made :) ) but I managed to get the recipe for masala from my friend.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice uncooked,

3/4 cup toor dhal,

4 cups water,

1 cup vegetables ( bottle guard, carrots,peas,beans ..any thing you can use in sambar except drumsticks),

1 medium onions cut into 1" pieces,

1-2 tomatoes diced,

1/2 tsp turmeric,

salt to taste

for seasoning:

5-10 cashew nuts,

3 red chillies,

1/2 tsp urad dhal,

1/2 tsp mustard seeds,

1/2 tsp cumin seeds,
curry leaves few,

1tbs oil.

for the masala paste:

1tsp bengal gram ,

tbs coriander,

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds,

1/2 tsp cumin seeds,

3 red chillies,

1 tsp black pepper,

1/2 tsp khus khus,

2 tbs coconut grated,

recipe:

• Roast all the ingredients for masala paste one by one and grind to make a fine paste.
• Cook toor dhal and rice in a pressure cooker adding 4 cups of water.
• Cook the vegetables separately.
• Add the cooked vegetables to the cooked rice and dhal.
• Add turmeric powder ,salt and the grind masala paste to it.Add little water at this step if needed.
• Simmer and cook for about 5 mins stirring occasionally.
• In a small pan do the seasoning adding the cashew nuts,urad dhal ,cumin seeds,mustard seeds,red chillies ,curry leaf and hing respectively.
• Add the seasoning to the rice mixture.
• Serve hot with papad or raitha.

Note: you can substitute the grind masala paste with bisibelabath paste ( i use MTR)available in market. you can do the seasoning with ghee or you can add few teaspoons of ghee while cooking to make it more tastier

Kheema fried rice

In my last trip to India i came across a variety of recipes like kheema biryani , ulavacharu biryani , Apollo fish and so on....Amazed by the creative culinary minds I decided to come up with a new recipie..(ha..ha not really ..you know "necessity...." i have to come up with a quick recipe to satisfy my kid's starving tummy)I got this inspiration from kheema biryaani...

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked rice,

1/2 inch cinnamon stick,

4 cloves,

2 cardamon,

1tbs ginger garlic,

1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey(kheema),

1tsp garam masala( coriander seeds+cloves+cinnamon grounded),

2-3 green chillies,

1 medium onion diced,

1/2 bell pepper diced,

1/2 tsp red chili powder(optional),

2-3 tbs oil

recipe:

• Heat oil in heavy bottomed pan.
• Add cinnamon stick,cloves,cardamon and green chillies.
• Add onion and fry for few minutes.Add ginger garlic to it and fry.
• Add bell pepper and cook for a while.Add the washed ground chicken to it.
• Add salt to taste and fry till the ground chicken is fully cooked.
• Add red chili powder and garam masala to it.
• Add the cooked rice and mix well. serve hot.

Tamarind rice /pulihora

Tamarind rice /pulihora is an authentic south Indian recipe. It is usually made as prasadam during festivals and espicially in temples. I thought it would make a good post especially during this time of pongal.

ingredients:

tamarind about lemon size(de seeded),

2-6 green chillies.

2 cups rice,

1tsp fenugreek seeds,

peanuts (handful),

2tbs channa dal,

2 tsp urad dal,

2tsp mustard seeds,

curry leaf,

4-5 red chillies,

1tsp turmeric,

asofoetida,

2-3 tbs oil

recipe:

• Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice by throwing away pulp.Heat a tablespoon oil in a pan and add the tamarind juice to it.cook it until the juice thickens to paste and the raw smell is gone and add the green chillies and cook for few minutes.
• cook rice in rice cooker adding 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice.(1:2)
• Take cooked rice in a vessel , heat 1tbs oil cool it and add to rice.Add turmeric and mix .
• Add the tamarind paste,salt to rice and mix well.
• In a separate pan heat oil add do the seasoning adding fenugreek seeds, chenna dal,ground nuts ,urad dal,redchillies,curryleaf,asofoetida in order.
• Add the seasoning to rice and mix well.