VEGETABLE KHICHDI

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice (chawal)
1/2 cup split moong dal
2 green chillies
1 onion chopped 

1/2" ginger chopped

coriander (dhania)
cumin seeds (jeera)
salt and garam masala to taste
1 tbsp +1 tbsp desi ghee for tempering
1/4 tsp degi mirch

1 tsp garam masala
2 cup finely chopped vegetables carrot,french beans,cauliflower,broccoli, peas,capsicum or any other vegetables as per choice and availability.

salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat 1 tbsp desi ghee in a pressure cooker, add jeera and then add finely chopped ginger,green chillies and onions .
2. Stir them all till the onions become light brown in color.
3. Now take rice & dal and wash them together.
4. Add the rice & dal  mixture to the cooked onions masala along with 3 cups of water and salt to taste.
5. After 1 whistle simmer the gas for ten minutes then, switch off the gas.
6. Don't open it till the cooker itself releases the pressure.Then take it out in the serving bowl.
7. In another vessel heat the remaining ghee and add finely chopped vegetables along with some salt and stir till the vegetables become tender.
8. Add degi mirch and garam masala powder and immediately pour this tempering over the khichdi and mix well ,sprinkle chopped corriander leaves over it. 
9. Now the khichadi is ready to be served.
10. Serve the khichadi hot along with curd,papad lemon pickle etc.

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MANCHURIAN FRIED RICE

Ingredients

  12pieces dry veg mancurian balls if small in size or 6 big balls cut into halves
1.5 cup basmati rice or medium to long grained rice

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped 

2 green chilies chopped

1 medium size carrot, finely chopped or shredded

1 small capsicum, finely chopped
8-10 french beans, thinly sliced diagonally or finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped or shredded cabbage (optional)
5-6 button mushrooms, sliced or finely chopped(optional)
1 tsp chili sauce/schezwan sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce or as required for the desired colour
1 tsp vinegar

salt to taste 

black pepper to taste

Method

1. Soak, drain and boil rice in 4 to 5 cups water, till the grains are almost cooked (just tender but not over cooked).
2. Strain the extra water and let the rice cool completely. Keep the rice aside.
3. Chop the veggies and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a wok or a pan. Splutter the green chilies.
5. Add the garlic and onions and stir fry till they are transparent in colour.
6. Now add all the other vegetables and stir fry on a high flame for a minute.
7. Add salt, pepper, ajinomoto and rice.  
8. Add all the sauces and vinegar.
9. Stir fry for 2 minutes.Finely add chopped manchurian balls and stir with light hands.
10. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with cottage cheese in garlic sauce, sweet and saur vegetables or you can have it as it is.  

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METHI PULAO

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 cups, basmati rice
10-15 cashew nuts

1 cup, fresh fenugreek leaves (methi), chopped
7-8 nos, garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large tomato, pureed
1 onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup, thick yoghurt
1/2 tsp, black pepper powder
1-2 green chilies
1 bay leaf
2 inch stick cinnamon
10-12 nos, black peppercorns
½ tsp, garam masala powder
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp, oil
1 tbsp, ghee
Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Clean, wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes.
2. Cook rice with the salt and enough water.
3. When rice is 90% done, drain the water completely, keep the rice aside.
4. In Heavy bottom pan, heat oil and ghee and fry onion slices and drain them out and keep aside for garnishing.
5. Now fry cashew nuts as well and drain them out and keep aside for garnishing.
6. Now add bay leaf, cinnamon stick and peppercorns. Fry for few seconds.
7. Add chopped garlic and cook till golden brown in color. Add ground tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes on high heat.
8. Add chopped fenugreek leaves and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
9. Add yoghurt, stir continuously until combined well.
10. Add green chilies, black pepper powder, garam masala powder, salt and lemon juice, mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.
11. Finally add rice over the masala, cover and simmer (dum) for 15-20 minutes or till done.For this keep the pan on a tava on very low flame or in oven in an oven proof dish at 150* C.
12. Once cooked, very gently give a random mix just once or twice. Do not mix it too much
13. Garnish with fried onions and cashewnuts.
14. Serve hot with raita and chutney of your choice or have it just as it is.

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MEETHE CHAAWAL

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
2 tbsp ghee
2 cloves (laung)
4 cardamoms
a few saffron strands (kesar)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp milk
1 cup sugar
a hand full of blanched and sliced almonds or pistachios or cashew nuts

Method:

1. Add saffron to warm milk and keep aside.
2. Clean, wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
3. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cloves, cardamoms,turmeric powder and rice and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Add  3 cups of water and saffron mixture, let it boil under lid on low flame till all the water is absorbed by the rice.
5. Now add sugar and cook till the water released by sugar is absorbed by rice.
6. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
7. Garnish with the mixed nuts and serve hot.

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CHANA PULAO

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice

1 cup boiled white chick peas

1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) powder

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp degi mirch powder

1/2 tsp amchoor powder

1/2 tsp channa masala

1 onion chopped

1-2 green chilies

1 tbsp coriander leaves

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for ten minutes.
2. Boil the rice and keep them a side.
3. Take oil in a pan and make a tempering by adding asafoetida powder, cumin seeds, red and black pepper powder , amchoor powder and chana masala stir for a while and then add boiled chick peas in it and cook for two minutes.
4. Now add this to the cooked rice and mix well.
5. Add chopped onions,chopped green chilis and chopped coriander leaves as well.
6. Serve hot just like that or along with yogurt. 

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CURD RICE

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups fresh curds (dahi)
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
4 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta) chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped

1" piece ginger grated
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
2. When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, curry leaves and green chilies,grated ginger and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously.
3. Add the asafoetida, and rice and mix well and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring continuously.
4. Add the salt, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 1 minute.
5. Serve hot along with curd and garnish with coriander.

Note:

You can combine rice and curd together and then make a tempering of rest of the ingredients and pour the tempering on  the mixure or cook the mixture in tempering for 1 to two minutes.

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LEMON RICE

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves:4

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice (cooked)
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds(rai)
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
10 leaves curry leaves
1 green chili finely chopped
1" grated ginder
1/2 tsp urad dal soaked for half an hour and drained
1 tbsp chana dal soaked for half an hour and drained
2 tbsp peanuts
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 table spoon lemon juice
1 tsp salt or as per taste

Method:

1. Take oil in kadahi and add mustard seeds.
2. When they start to splatter add peanuts,urad dal,chana dal,hing,curry leaves,ginger,green chilies and  turmeric powder to it stiring continuosly.
3. Now add the cooked rice and salt and mix well.
4. Turn off the flame and add lemon juice and mix well.
5. Serve hot.

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