Methi Rice

I call this a bachelors recipe. All the ingredients go together in the pressure cooker and its done in no time. With very little chopping,(no onions, no ginger - garlic), this recipe is as simple as veg pulao, maybe even more simpler! This is a  borrowed recipe from a friend who made this for a religious event.
I use Basmati rice for special occasions or during gathering. Casual meals are always with made with sona masoori rice. If using Basmati, for 1 1/2 cup rice add 2 1/2 cup water.
These days there are a variety of pressure cookers - some that just release steam. The pressure cooker that I own that is about 15 years old and still going strong! With the amount of cooking and entertaining that I do, I recently bought one as a stand by. For this recipe ,with the newer pressure cookers, wait until it releases steam, reduce heat and let it cook for 5-8 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup uncooked white rice ( sona masoori)
3 cups water
1 cup assorted vegetables (green beans, green pepper, mushrooms, green peas, broccoli)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
3 whole cloves
2 green cardamom
1 small stick cinnamom
2 green chilies, slit in half
1 tbsp kasoori methi
salt to taste
oil

How it's made:

Wash and soak rice for 30 mins.
Use any combination of vegetables. Most of the time, I prefer going with all green veggies.
In pressure cooker, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon. When it starts changing color, add hing powder, turmeric, green chilies and kasoori methi. Saute for a minute. Add veggies and half tsp salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add drained rice, 3 cups water and salt to taste. Cover with pressure cooker lid and pressure cook upto 3 whistles. Turn heat off.
Wait until all the steam is released and serve hot with boondi raita.

Serves: 3-4

Burrito Bowl

"Chipotle's" Burrito Bowl is a family favorite and I make this quite frequently at home. The recipe process seems to be quite long but if you have all the ingredients ready, the whole dish can be put together in 30 minutes or less. I made this over the weekend and everytime I think about this dish,it reminds me one of the best memories of 2013 (and probably one of the best days of my life).
It was a warm Saturday night and I had this dish ready for dinner. I kept asking my husband who was glued to the television to join at the dinner table and he kept ignoring. All that was left, was to get into an argument with him. While I sat on the couch being annoyed, the door bell rings. He insisted that I answer the door. Being a little frustrated, I peeked through the window. In the dark, I see familiar faces and there stood many of my friends with their family. I open the door thinking "What the heck!" and the cameras start flashing and everyone screaming "Happy Birthday". I don't even remember how I reacted but I couldn't believe my friends and husband pulled a surprise together without me having a clue (which was a big challenge for them)- a party in my own house. Everyone knew that they couldn't get me out of the house for a surprise. Of course, it didn't end there. While I went upstairs for a quick change of clothes, several thoughts kept rushing through my brain.
I have hosted, organized many events at home and I must admit, being clueless was not easy. I hoped my husband catered food from a restaurant (he isn't very knowledgeable about anything to do with kitchen). Walking down the stairs, I hear my friends arranging the kitchen. I walk into the living room and I see my brothers family and my Mom. I think I almost passed out and couldn't take all the excitement and surprises anymore. I was breathless, overwhelmed and of course touched with every ones hard work and effort. All my friends and co-sister cooked several dishes each. It surely was one night to remember with lots of good food, drinks, cake, laughter and most important of all, the company of my close family and friends ( a few dear ones that I missed).
Burrito Bowl went back to the refrigerator and it sat there for a few days until we finished the left overs from the party!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Cilantro Lemon rice (recipe below)
1 cup cooked Chipotle chicken (recipe below)
1/2 cup Salsa (recipe below)
1 cup canned Black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned corn, drained
1/2 cup grated Mexican blend cheese
Sour Cream
lettuce, chopped

How it's made:

In a wide bowl, place 1/2 cup cilantro lemon rice, followed with 1/4 cup chicken, 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 cup corn, few tbsp of salsa, lettuce, cheese and a dollop of sour cream. If you like Guacamole, you can top with a tablespoon of Guacamole. You can find the recipe below. I didn't have avocados at home, hence skipped Guacamole.

Cilantro Lemon Rice:

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice
2 cups water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup cilantro (coriander leaves), chopped
salt to taste

How it's made:

Wash rice. In a sauce pan with a tight fitting lid, add rice, water, lemon juice, cilantro and salt to taste. Bring to boil and simmer to low heat. Cover with tight fitting lid and cook for 15-18 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, fluff with fork and set aside.

Chipotle Chicken:

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste
oil

How it's made:

Cut into into 1"cubes. Marinate chicken with chipotle chili powder, cumin and salt. Set aside for an hour. In a pan, heat oil and saute the chicken until well done. Set aside until ready to use.

Salsa:

Ingredients:

1 medium red onion
1 medium tomato
1 jalapeno, whole
1/4 cup cilantro (coriander leaves)
salt to taste
pepper powder

How it's made:

Roughly chop all the above ingredients. Place in food processor and pulse it a few times. Remove and set aside until ready to use. You can de-seed jalapeno to reduce the spice level.

Guacamole:

Ingredients:

1 avocado
2 tsp chopped red onion
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp lemon juice

How it's made:

Scoop the flesh out of avocado and mash it with a fork. Add onion, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix well and set aside.

Serves: 3-4

Lemon Rice

This is a recipe for bulk cooking and yields approximately 4-5 half size aluminum foil trays. For smaller portion, you can find the recipe here.

Ingredients:

10 cups uncooked basmati rice
10 tsp black mustard seeds
5 tsp hing (asafoetida)
15 green chilies
30-50 curry leaves
10 tsp grated ginger
10 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
15 tbsp chana dal (yellow split peas)
15 tbsp cashewnut bits
10-15 dried red chilies (I use Byadgi)
5 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
5 lemons
oil
salt to taste
2 cups coriander leaves, chopped fine

How it's made:

Cook rice with salt. (I cooked 2 cups at a time to make sure rice is evenly cooked. Rice cooker can be used to cook rice. I like to boil rice and drain out excess water - similar to cooking pasta). Cool and refrigerate overnight.
In a wok, heat oil. Add 2 tsp mustard seeds. When it splutters, add a tsp of hing, 3 green chilies, 6-10 curry leaves and about 2 tsp of grated ginger. Saute for a minute. Add 2 tsp of urad dal, 3 tbsp of chana dal, 3 tbsp of cashewnuts, 2-3 dried red chilies, a tsp of haldi and salt if needed. Fry until chana dal and cashewnut turn light golden. Add 1/5th of rice, juice of 1/2 a lemon and coriander leaves. Stir well. Cover and let it heat through. Adjust seasoning.
Repeat the same process 4 more times.

Serves: approximately 50 people

White Rice

This is a recipe for bulk cooking and serves approximately 50-60 people.

Ingredients:

10 cups uncooked white rice
water

How it's made:

Wash 2 cups of rice under running water. Boil 2 quarts of water in a large pot. When water boils, add rice. Boil, turn heat off, cover with lid and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Check to see if rice is done. Drain and set aside.
Repeat process once again 4 more times.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp channa dal (Bengal Gram dal)
1 tsp urad dal (Split gram dal)
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp hing (asofetida)
1 green chilli, slit
2 dried red chillies (Byadgi)
a sprig of curry leaves
1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
2-3 tbsp cashewnut pieces (or peanuts)
4-5 tbsp of lemon juice
salt to taste
oil
coriander leaves

How it's made:

In a "kadai" or non stick pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When it splutters add channa dal, urad dal, ginger, hing, green chilli, red chilli, curry leaves, and cashewnut pieces. Fry until the color of seasoning turns light brown. Add haldi and salt. Stir for a few seconds. Add cooked rice and lemon juice. Combine seasoning and rice well. Adjust salt and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves: 3

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked white rice (preferably left over from previous day)

1/2 cup vegetables (combination of carrots, peas and green pepper)

1/4 spring onions (I used both green and white portion)

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2"ginger, grated

1/2 cup chicken cubes

1 egg

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

2 tsp canola oil

How it's made:

Cut Carrots, green pepper and green onions finely.

In 1/2 tsp canola oil, saute chicken with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry until well cooked and set aside.

In the same pan, add remaining canola oil. Once hot, add ginger and garlic. Fry for 30 seconds. Add veggies and spring onions. Saute' for a minute. Push veggies aside to the side of the pan. Crack one egg onto center of pan and cook until scrambled. Combine egg with veggies. Add cooked chicken, white rice, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well until well until heated evenly. Drizzle sesame oil and give a quick stir. Serve hot. 

Serves: 4-5

Note: Add very little salt to rice since soy sauce is high in sodium.

Amma's Chicken/Mutton Biryani

This was a "Sunday Special" when we were little. It took Amma (my Mother) almost the whole Sunday morning to cook this very elaborate recipe but I must say, it was the best. Made with freshly ground spices, Amma made it with chicken and very occasionally with mutton. Everytime we appreciated the Biryani, she would always joke around saying, "Recipes with lot of work are always very delicious" and I find it very true especially with this one.

Step 1:


Chicken:
2-3 lb chicken, bone in, cut into medium size pieces
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup yogurt
2-3 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Marinate chicken with the above ingredients and refrigerate overnight.



Step 2:

Rice:
3 cups uncooked basmati rice
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 green cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf
salt

Wash basmati rice and let it soak for an hour. Boil water in a large pot. Add salt and the above ingredients along with rice. Cook rice until three fourth done. Drain and spread on a large baking sheet. Set aside. (Rice can be cooked in a rice cooker).


Step 3:

Fried Onion:
1 large onion, sliced
oil/ghee (clarified butter)

In oil/ghee, fry onion until golden brown and set aside.


Gravy:
3 onions, sliced
10-15 green chillies (adjust as per preference)
3"ginger
1 small pod garlic
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp fennel (saunf) seeds
6 cloves
4 green cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp pepper corns
1 bay leaf
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp  turmeric powder
1 small bunch coriander leaves
1/2 tsp saffron soaked in 1/4 cup milk
1 cup yogurt
3 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cashewnut, ground to a paste
1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
salt to taste
Ghee(clarified butter)/oil


How it's made:
Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies and set aside.
In a coffee grinder or regular blender powder coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel together. Set aside.
In a teaspoon of oil roast cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, pepper corns  and powder together.
Heat oil/ghee in a large open skillet. Add onions, bay leaf and fry until light brown. Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste. Fry for a few minutes. Add chopped coriander leaves, mint and tomatoes. Add 1/2 tsp salt and fry until mixture is soft.

Add coriander-cumin-fennel powder, roasted spice powder, chilli powder, turmeric, marinated chicken and 1 cup yogurt. Cover and let it cook until chicken is almost done. If chicken is well cooked and you have a lot of gravy, remove chicken pieces onto a plate and reduce gravy on high heat. Transfer chicken back to pan, add cashewnut paste. (It helps in thickening the gravy).

To assemble:
In a baking dish, spread a few ladle full of chicken, followed with rice and fried onions. Continue layering finishing with rice and onions on top. Spoon saffron milk.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 deg F for 20 minutes. Serve hot with raita.

Serves: 8

Tofu Fried Rice

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup tofu, cut into cubes ( I use firm tofu)
2 tsp oil
1 tsp sasam (black mustard seeds)
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin)
3 green chillies, slit (increase or decrease as per taste)
1 sprig curry leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
salt to taste

How it's made:

To prepare tofu.....Hold tofu cubes between palm & try to squeeze out as much water as possible. Set aside.
In a non stick pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves & green chillies. Cover until mustard stops popping. Add peppers & tofu. Saute for a few mins. Let the peppers remain crunchy. Add rice, salt & pepper powder. Mix well. Cover & let stand on low flame for the rice to heat evenly. Adjust salt & serve hot.

Serves : 4-5

Note: Vegetables like cabbage, carrots, green beans, green peas can be substituted instead of peppers. I go by the vegetables left in my refrigerator.

Whole Green Mung Rice

I had sprouted green mung hoping to make a raw salad but with the cold weather, I changed my mind. Although I'm not a big fan of rice, pipping hot food feels good with the cold weather. I had a few sprigs of curry leaves that were wilting away in the refrigerator and had to use them before they dried up and hence this recipe was created.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked white rice ( I use sona masoori)
1 cup sprouted whole green mung
1 3/4 cup water
3 sprig curry leaves
3 green chillies
1"ginger
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
handful chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1/2 grated carrot (optional)
oil


How it's made:

Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Grind curry leaves, green chillies & ginger to a fine paste with a tsp or two of water. Set aside.
In a heavy bottom pan (I used pressure cooker pan), heat oil. Add onions & fry until translucent. Add ground masala & fry for about 5 minutes. Add rice, water, mung, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, lemon juice, coriander leaves & grated carrot. Boil. Adjust salt & pressure cook for 3 whistles or 10 minutes on medium high flame.

Serves: 2-3

Note: Basmati rice can be substiuted for sona masoori.
          Rice cooker can be used instead of pressure cooker. 

Khichdi (Rice with Split Green Gram)

After feeding ourselves with left overs from Thanksgiving weekend, a simple Khichdi dinner was a very comforting meal. To add to it, the bone chilling cold weather in our state made the dish very inviting.
This dish is popular in every Indian state in their own traditional way. Some add vegetables, seafood & different variety of spices. I like this version since it's quick, easy & flavorful.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup split moong dal (split green gram)
1/2 tsp sasam (black mustard seeds)
1/4 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
2 green chillies, slit in half
4-5 curry leaves
1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
1/2 tsp black pepper corns
1 tsp oil
1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
salt to taste

How it's made:

Wash, soak rice & dal together for about 15 mins. In a heavy bottom pan (I used pressure cooker pan), heat oil & ghee togteher. Add mustard & jeera. Once it splutters, add green chilli, curry leaves, pepper corns & hing. Fry for a minute. Add 2 1/2 cups water. Boil. Add washed rice, dal & salt to taste.  Stir well. Pressure cook to 3 whistles or 10 mins on medium high flame.

Serve hot with papad or pickle.

Serves: 4

Chicken Biryani (Quick and Easy)

Every Friday evenings my family likes something fancy. Before leaving for work, I stood in front of the refrigerator wondering what to make with a tray of chicken that I had purchased the previous day. I didn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen after a long day at work and thought of making something like a one pot meal which would make everyone happy which resulted with this recipe.

When I first tried making Biryani over a decade ago, it was a never ending process and it made me feel I was in the kitchen forever. I found this unplanned recipe very simple and good for any first timers.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, washed & soaked for atleast 10 mins

3 lbs cut up chicken (with bone)

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup coriander leaves (cilantro),chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves

4 green chillies, slit in half

6 cloves

4 green cardamom
1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp pepper corns

1 medium onion, chopped roughly

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2"ginger, chopped

1 tsp saunf (fennel seeds)
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds) + 1 tsp

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp haldi powder (turmeric)

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp jeera powder (cumin)

saffron, a pinch

3 tbsp oil

salt
2-3 tbsp milk

food coloring (red/orange)

How it's made:

Marinate chicken for 6 hrs with all the above ingredients except rice, milk and food coloring. In a heavy bottom deep pan, cook marinated chicken until 3/4th done. Do not add water.

While the chicken is cooking, in a separate pot, boil 4 quarts water with a tsp of oil, salt & 1 tsp jeera. {You can add whole garam masala (cloves, pepper corns, cinnamon  cardamom) which is optional}. Add rice & cook until 3/4 done. Drain and set aside.

Warm 2-3 tbsp milk, add food coloring & set aside.

To the 3/4th cooked chicken,(which should have about 1/2-1 cup liquid left behind) add rice and spread evenly. Do not mix with chicken. Pour colored milk on rice. Cover dish with tight fitting lid. Cook on high heat for 2-3 mins. Lower heat to simmer for 15 mins. Mix chicken & rice just before serving.

Serve with raita.

Serves: 6

Fish Biryani

Fish Biryani was a favorite when I was growing up. Amma cooked this occasionally on a Sunday morning since her recipe was very elaborate. She made it with Pomfret (also known as "Manji" in Konkani) and it's the best Fish Biryani I've ever tasted. Now that everyone prefers boneless fish, I make it with Tilapia. My recipe isn't as elaborate as Amma's but I like recipes that are simple and easy to cook. Amma made all fresh spices from scratch but I am a big fan of "Shan" masala and use it quite frequently in my cooking. I will try to cook and post Amma's recipe on a lazy Sunday!

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless tilapia (about 3-4 fillets)
2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked for 20 mins
2 medium onion, chopped fine
2 tbsp ginger, chopped fine
2 tbsp garlic, chopped fine
2-3 green chillies, chopped fine
1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
2-3 tbsp yogurt
1 packet Shan Fish Biryani masala
Oil
Salt to taste

How it's made:

Boil 4 quarts of water in a large pot, add salt and basmati rice. Cook rice until 3/4 cooked. Drain water and set rice aside. (Rice can be cooked in rice cooker also).
In a wide heavy bottom pan, heat oil. Fry onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. When light brown, add shan fish biryani masala, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Fry for a minute. Add yogurt. Mix well. Add fish cut into cubes. Stir well once, cover and let it cook for 10 mins. Add the cooked rice on top of fish curry & cover dish with a tight fitting lid and let it cook on simmer for 10-15 mins.

While serving, scoop from top to bottom with rice and fish since fish tends to break very easily. Serve hot with raita.

Serves: 6

Bisi Bele Bhath

Bisi Bele Bhath is a complete meal by itself.  I sometimes make the spice paste & store it in the freezer in order to cut down on cooking time.

Ingredients:

2 cups white raw rice
1 cup toor dal
1/4 cups carrots, diced into cubes
1/4 beans, cut into 1"pieces
1/4 cup green peas
1/4 cup cauliflower
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1 tsp haldi (turmeric) powder
6 cloves
1"cinnamon stick
1 tsp pepper corn
1/2 methi (fenugreek) seeds
6-8 dried red chillies
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 tbsp urad dal (black gram)
1 tbsp chana dal (bengal gram)
marble size tamarind
Seasoning:
2 tbsp oil/ghee
2 tsp black mustard seeds
6 green chillies, slit
cashew-nuts, handful
1 tbsp chana dal ( Bengal gram)
Curry leaves, 1 sprig

How it's made:

Wash tur dal & rice separately. Pressure cook until dal is well cooked. In a heavy bottom pot, add haldi & 6 cups of water to the rice. Let it boil, turn off heat. Add carrots, green beans, peas & cauliflower. Cover and set aside.
In the meantime, dry roast one ingredient at a time- coriander, jeera, cloves, cinnamon, pepper corns, methi, red chillies, coconut, urad dal and chana dal. Grind all ingredients to a fine paste along with tamarind.
To the rice & vegetable, add cooked dal & ground spice paste. Add salt to taste. Cook on medium high heat until all the ingredients are well blended together. ( maybe 10 mins). Keep stirring to avoid dal sticking to the bottom of pan.
In an iron griddle ( or non stick pan), add oil/ghee. When it heats, add mustard. Once it splutters, add green chillies, cashew-nuts, chana dal & curry leaves. Pour the seasoning on rice-dal mixture. Serve hot.
You can eat it just by itself or serve it with boondhi for a little crunch.

Serves: 10 people