Ven Pongal

Ven pongal is ritually cooked along with the Sakkarai pongal on the Pongal festival. Ven pongal means white pongal. It is an very famous breakfast dish in Tamil Nadu. Ven Pongal which can be prepared in few minutes is highly nutritious. It is served along with the coconut chutney and sambar. This festival enjoy the goodness of  both the pongals.

Ingredients: 3cups rice
                  1cup moong dal
                  1/4cup cashew
                  1/4cup grated dry coconut
                  1/2cup ghee
                  3tbsp grated ginger
                  2tbsp pepper corns
                  1tbsp cumin seeds
                  3tbsp curry leaves
                  1tsp asafoetida
                  salt to taste

Method:1)roast moong dal in 1tbsp ghee till slightly red and keep aside.
             2)pressure cook rice and moong dal in a cooker for 3whistels(water ratio 1:4).
             3)after it gets cooled, smash the rice and moong dal mixture.
             4)for seasoning heat ghee in a pan, add cashew nuts, cumin seeds, pepper corn, curry leaves,
                ginger, asafoetida and fry for 2mins.
             5)add the seasoning to the cooked rice and moong dal mixture, along with it add coconut, salt,
                water if required and cook for 5-10mins.
             6)serve hot.

                  

Sweet Pongal(sakkarai pongal)

Wishing everyone a very happy Makar Sankranti and Thai Pongal.

Makar Sankranti, Thai Pongal is a thanksgiving or harvest festival celebrated in South India at the end harvest season. Pongal means boiling over or spilling over. Pongal, ritually consumed on this day is an combination o fRice and lentil cooked along with the milk, jaggery, nuts and ghee in the new clay pots at sun rise. Here is the recipe for sweet pongal.

Ingredients: 3cups rice
                  1cup moong dal
                  2cups milk
                  2cups powdered jaggery
                  1/2cup cashew and raisin
                  1/4cup grated dry coconut
                  1/4cup banana chopped into small pieces
                  1/2cup ghee
                  1tsp cardamom powder

Method: 1)Roast cashew and raisins in ghee and keep aside.
              2)In a cooker add 1tbsp of ghee, moong dal and roast the moong dal till it turns slightly red.
              3)add rice, water(1:2 proportion) to the cooker and cook for 3whistels.
              4)after it gets cooled smash the rice and moong dal mixture.
              5)add jaggery, milk, coconut, banana, cardamom powder, cashew, raisins, remaining ghee and
                 cook till the ghee separates.
              6)serve hot or chilled.

  

Peas Pulao(matar pulao)

This is another rice recipe originated from North India and loved by all. Its easy to put together if you have green peas at home. Anyway during this season green peas is easily available everywhere. Peas pulao goes very well with Indian curries and vegetables.

Ingredients: 1cup basmati rice
                    1/4cup green peas
                    1 onion sliced
                    3-4 green chillies split into halves
                    3 cloves
                    1' cinnamon
                    2 cardammom
                    1 bay leaf
                    1/4cup coriander leaves finely chopped
                    1-1/2cups water
                    3-4tsp oil
                    salt to taste

Method: 1)heat oil in a pressure cooker, add cloves, cinnamon, cardammom, bay leaf and fry for half a
                 minute. add onions, green chillies and fry them till the onions turn pink. add green peas,
                 basmati rice and fry for 2min.
              2)add water, salt and mix well. close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook it for 3 whistels.
              3)garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Vegetable Biriyani

Who doesn't love biriyani? it is an most loved food ever. biriyani is an aromatic saffron rice layered with a spicy gravy of vegetables. it looks great, tastes great and very healthy too. even though ingredients are many this biriyani is easy to make compared to dum biriyani and will surely be a crowd pleaser at the parties.

Ingredients:

For rice: 1cup basmati rice
              2 cardammom
              1tsp oil
              11/2cups water
              salt to taste

For masala gravy: 3-4 strands of saffron
                             1tsp milk
                             1cup mixed vegetables finely chopped(french beans, potato, green peas, carrot,  
                               capsicum)
                             1 large onion sliced
                             2 green chillies slit
                             2tsp ginger-garlic paste
                             1/2cup tomato puree
                             1/4cup coconut milk
                             1/4cup whisked curd
                             1/4tsp turmeric powder
                             1tsp red chilli powder
                             1/2tsp jeera powder
                             1/2tsp dhania powder
                             1tsp garam masala(or biriyani masala) powder
                             1/4cup mint leaves
                             1/4cup coriander leaves
                             5-6tsp oil or ghee
                             salt to taste
          dry masala: 1 bay leaf
                             1inch cinnamon
                             4 cloves
                             5-6 pepper corn
                             1 star anise
                             1tsp fennel seeds

Method: 1)soak saffron in milk and keep aside
              2)clean and soak basmati rice in water for 10min, add salt, cardammom, oil and pressure cook
                 it  in a cooker for 2 whistels. allow it to cool.
              3)heat oil in a pan, add all the dry masalas and after the aroma comes, add onions, ginger-
                 garlic paste and fry till they turn pink. add vegetables and fry them for 2min. add tomato
                 puree, coconut milk, whisked curd, green chillies and fry for a minute. now add red chilli
                 powder, jeera powder, dhania powder, garam masala powder, salt and cook till all the
                 vegetables are soft.
              4)add saffron dissolved in milk to the gravy, close the lid and keep it coverd for 2min.
              5)add rice, mint leaves, coriander leaves to the gravy and mix well light handedly so that rice
                 grains doesnt break.
              6)serve hot with onion and tomato raita.

Tomato rice

Tomato rice is a very simple, quick and easy rice variety to make with a blend of cooked rice, tomatoes and Indian spices. Tomato rice a very popular dish, especially in the south India. The combination of ripe juicy tomatoes along with aromatic spices is a delicious and tasty treat. There are many versions of this dish but this particular recipe happens to be a personal favorite. Tomato rice is just perfect as a complete meal or light meal or brunch, served alongside with raita and papad.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
5-6 tomatoes sliced
1 onion sliced
2 green chillies sliced
3tsp ginger-garlic paste
1potato sliced
1/2cup green peas 
2tsp garam masala powder
2tsp red chilli powder
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1" cinnamon
3-4 cloves 
2 cardammom
1 bayleaf
2tsp oil 
2tsp ghee
salt to taste

Method:

 1)clean the rice and keep aside.
 2)heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, add cloves, cinnamon, cardammom, bay   
     leaf, onions and fry for a minute. add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and fry a 
    minute. add tomatoes, cook them till they are soft. add potato, green peas, garam
    masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and fry for 2min. now add 2cups
    of water, rice, salt mix well and pressure cook it for 3 whistels.
 3)serve hot with onion raita.

Bisibele bath

Bisi bele bath is a rice-based dish with its origins in the state of karnataka.The name bisi bele bath is a Kannada phrase, which literally means "Hot Lentil brown Rice". In Kannada, Bisi means hot, bele means lentils and bath means a dish made of rice.It’s a one pot meal in which you get your protein, carbs and veggies cooked to perfection in our favourite Indian spices. Cucumber raita on the side is a nice compliment to this classic dish of Karnataka.here i have used freshly grounded spices which tastes great or else the masala powder used for the dish is available off the shelf in all the grocery stores.

Ingredients: 1cup rice
                    1cup toor dal
                    1cup mixed vegetables(beans,carrot,potato,green peas) finely chopped
                    1onion finely chopped
                    1tomato finely chopped
                    1/2cup tamarind pulp
                    1/4cup jaggery crushed
                    5tsp masala powder
                    1/4cup cashew
                    1/2tsp turmeric powder
                    3tsp curry leaves
                    1tsp mustard seeds
                    1/4tsp asafoetida
                    5-6tsp oil
                    8cups of water(1:4 proportion)
                    salt to taste

masala powder: 1tsp urad dal
                          1tsp channa dal
                          1tsp cumin seeds
                          1tsp coriander seeds
                          1/4tsp methi seeds
                          1/2tsp black pepper
                          1/2tsp poppy seeds
                          8-10 red chillies
                          1/4cup dry coconut grated
                          1' cinnamon
                          4 cloves
                          1 star anise(chakra phool/chakra moggu)
                          2 capers(kachra/marathi moggu)

Method:

masala powder: dry roast all the ingredients and grind them together to form a fine powder

bisibele bath: 1)shallow fry cashews and keep aside.
                      2)heat oil in a cooker, add mustard seeds, asafoetida and when the mustard seeds splutter
                         add curry leaves and fry for a minute, add onions and fry till they turn pink, add
                         tomatoes and cook till they are soft. now add vegetables,turmeric powder,tamarind              
                         pulp, jaggery and cook for a minute. add rice, dal, masala powder and fry for a minute.
                         now add water, salt and pressure cook it for 5-6 whistles(rice must be over cooked)
                      3)check the consistency, add water if required. add cashews and mix well.
                      4)serve hot with boondi and raita.