my passion for recipes

 

Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients:
rice - 2 cups (1 cup basmathi and 1 cup jeera samba)
carrot - 2 (slice them into thin strips)
green peas - a handful
capsicum - 2 (chop them as squares)
potato - 2 (chop them as squares)
bread - 8 slices (remove the crust and cut them into squares)
pudina (mint leaves) - 1 cup
juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
red chilli powder - 2 tsp
green chillies - 4 (slit them in between)
turmeric powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
onions - 2 (cut them finely into long slices)
tomatoes - 4 (cut them into squares)
water - 4 cups
cardamom - 4
cloves - 4
cinnamon - 1"
marathi moggu - 2
oil to fry

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- in a pressure pan add the peas, potato and carrot and add some water
- steam it for two whistles
- keep it aside
- in a pan add oil and deep fry the bread slices until they turn golden brown and crisp
- keep it aside
- when the oil is hot add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and marathi moggu.
- add the onions and fry until they turn golden brown
- add the tomatoes and the ginger garlic paste
- fry well
- add the pudina leaves and green chillies and fry
- add the capsicum and fry
- add the steam vegetables and fry (do not use the water)
- add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and fry
- add the bread slices and mis well
- keep it aside
- in a cooker add the washed rice and use the vegetables water + remaining water to cook the rice until 3/4 cooked
- remove from fire when they are cooked and mix the rice with the vegetables.
- now keep the pan in slow fire and close it with a lid
- leave it that way for 10 mins
- remove from fire and serve.


Mutton Briyani

Ingredients For Rice:
Long grained rice - 3 cups
onions - 6 (cut them length wise)
cashews  - 15 - 20
cardamom - 2
cloves - 2
cinnamon - 1"
salt - 1 tsp
coconut milk (thick) - 3 cups
ghee - 3 tbsp

Ingredients to marinate:
mutton - 3/4 kg
salt - 1 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
curd - 1 cup

Ingredients for Curry:
green chillies - 10 (slit them into halves)
turmeric - 1 tsp
salt - 2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp
tomatoes - 10 (cut them into 8 slices)
oil to fry
curry leaves - 1 handful
water - 1 cup

Method to make Rice:
- soak rice in water for 1 hr
- in a pan add ghee
- add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
- now add the onions and fry
- add salt and cashew nuts
- add the rice and fry for 5 mins
- add the coconut milk and cook till half done

Method to marinate:
- mix all the ingredients and soak them for 2 hours

Method to make Curry:
- in a pan add oil
- add tomatoes, salt and ginger garlic paste
- fry
- add the turmeric and red chilli powder
- fry
- add curry leaves and fry
- add the green chillies and the marinated mutton
- add the water and cook until done

Method to do the briyani:
- in a big mouth vesssel add a layer of half cooked rice
- then a layer of the thick curry with some mutton slices
- arrange as alternative layers
- place a tava on the stove
- place this vessel on the tava and leave for 15 minutes
- then turn off the gas stove and leave it to stand by for about 10 mins
- mix well from bottom and serve



Prawns Briyani

Ingredients For Rice:
Long grained rice - 3 cups
onions - 6 (cut them length wise)
cashews  - 15 - 20
cardamom - 2
cloves - 2
cinnamon - 1"
salt - 1 tsp
coconut milk (thick) - 3 cups
ghee - 3 tbsp

Ingredients to marinate:
Prawns - 1/2 kg
salt - 1 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
curd - 1 cup

Ingredients for Curry:
green chillies - 10 (slit them into halves)
turmeric - 1 tsp
salt - 2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 3 tsp
tomatoes - 10 (cut them into 8 slices)
oil to fry
curry leaves - 1 handful
water - 1 cup

Method to make Rice:
- soak rice in water for 1 hr
- in a pan add ghee
- add cloves, cardamom and cinnamon.
- now add the onions and fry
- add salt and cashew nuts
- add the rice and fry for 5 mins
- add the coconut milk and cook till half done

Method to marinate:
- mix all the ingredients and soak them for 2 hours

Method to make Curry:
- in a pan add oil
- add tomatoes, salt and ginger garlic paste
- fry
- add the turmeric and red chilli powder
- fry
- add curry leaves and fry
- add the green chillies and the marinated prawns
- add the water and cook until done

Method to do the briyani:
- in a big mouth vesssel add a layer of half cooked rice
- then a layer of the thick curry with some mutton slices
- arrange as alternative layers
- place a tava on the stove
- place this vessel on the tava and leave for 15 minutes
- then turn off the gas stove and leave it to stand by for about 10 mins
- mix well from bottom and serve



Peas Pulao

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
water - 2 cups
green peas - 1 handful
salt to taste
green chillie - 4
bay leaf - 1
cloves - 2
cardamom - 2
onions - 1
oil to fry

Method:
- in a pan add oil
- when the oil is hot add the bay leaf, cloves and cardamom.
- chop the onions finely and add that to the oil
- fry well
- add the green chilies and the peas and fry
- add the rice and salt and fry
- to it add water and steam it for 2 whistles or until done
- serve hot with some spicy gravy.



Ghee Rice (2)

Ingredients:
basmathi rice - 1 cup
rice - 1 cup
salt to taste
ghee for frying
water - 4 cups
cahews - 2 tbsp
cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves - 2 (each)
mint leaves - 1 cup
onions - 2

Method:
- wash and soak rice for two hours
- add ghee in a pan
- fry the cashew nuts till they turn golden in colour
- keep it aside
- add a little ghee and fry the soaked rice till they are crisp
- keep it aside
- chop the onions finely
- then add a little of ghee
- add the spices
- fry the onions till they become transparent
- add the mint leaves and fry
- fry till they are well cooked and gives an aroma
- add these to the rice
- add the cashews to the rice
- add salt and water and cook until done
- serve this rice with a spicy gravy.

Thanks to:
Empire hotel. They provide awesome ghee rice. After tasting it there I just searched for this recipe and found that it came out too well.


Ghee Rice (1)

This is the way I prepare the Ghee rice. This could be served with a good spicy curry. Nothing can be best like this when it comes to a simple food.

Ingredients:
basmati rice - 1 cup
Normal rice - 1cup
salt to taste
Ghee for frying
water - 4 cups
peas - a handful
carrot - 2
potato - 2
beans - a handful
cashews - 2 tbsp
corriander leaves - 2 tbsp
mint leaves - a handful
cardamom - 2
cinnamom - 1" stick
cloves - 2
bay leaf - 1

Method:
- wash and soak rice in water for 2 hrs
- in a pan add ghee and add the soaked rice until they become crisp
- keep it aside
- in the same pan add a little ghee fry cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf.
- Fry the cashews till they turn golden brown.
- add these to the rice.
- add ghee to the pan
- to it add the vegetables and fry
- then add the mint leaves and fry till the mint leaves are fried and gives out a good aroma.
- now add all these to the rice
- add the corriander to the rice and add water
-  cook then done.


Coconut Milk rice

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
thick coconut milk - 2 cups
cinnamon - 1"
cardamom - 2
cloves - 2
grated ginger - 1 tsp
oil - 1 tsp
salt to taste

Method:
- in a pressure pan add oil
- when the oil is hot add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
- to that add rice, salt and milk
- add grated ginger and cook until done
- serve with some spicy curry


Vangi Bath

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 2 cups
green long brinjals - 4
MTR Vangi bath masala - 5 - 6 tsp
tamarind - size of a lemon
salt to taste
onions - 2
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
channa dal - 2 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 10 - 12
dried red chillie - 6 - 7
oil to fry


Method:
- cut the brinjals into one inch peices.
- cut onions into cubes
- make a thick paste using tamarind and water
- in a kadai add oil, add mustard seeds when the oil is hot
- then add red chillies, urad dal and channa masala
- fry
- then add the curry leaves and add that to the rice
- in the same kadai add a little oil and fry onions and brinjals.
- fy until its cooked
- when the brinjals are cooked add the tamarind water and add the masala powder
- allow it to boil and wait till it forms a paste
- add salt to the rice and mix rice with this brinjal mixture.
- serve




Coconut Rice

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 1 cup
grated coconut - 1/4 cup
green chillies - 5 - 6
salt to taste
curry leaves - 10 - 12
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
channa dal - 1 tsp
coconut oil - 1 tsp

Method:
- In a kadai add oil
- add mustard seeds and urad dal once the oil is hot
- add channa dal
- add curry leaves
- add green chillies
- and the grated coconut
- fry for few minutes until you get the aroma of coconut
- add that to the rice and serve



Curd Rice

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 1 cup
curd - 1 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
green chillies -  3
oil - 2 tsp
salt to taste
channa dal - 1 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 10 leaves
ginger grated - 1 tsp

Method:
- To the rice add curd, milk and salt.
- mix well and the consistancy should be semi liquid.
- in a kadai add oil
- when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, urad dal and channna dal and fry.
- now add the curry leaves and green chillies.
- when its fried now add the ginger gratings and mix well.
- add that to the rice.
- serve with pickle or some spicy vegetable.



Mango Rice

Ingredients:
Raw Mango - 2
Cooked rice - 2 cups
oil to fry
salt to taste

To grind:
2 tsp corriander seeds
10 dried red chillie
channa dal - 2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

To garnish:
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 10
dried red chillie - 5 - 6

Method:
- keep the cooked rice aside
- peel the skin and grate the mango.
- add that to the rice
- add salt to the rice
- dry fry corriander seeds, red chillies, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds seperately.
- grind it into a fine powder and add that to the rice
- in a kadai add oil
- add mustard seeds and urad dal
- add curry leaves and red chillie
- add that to the rice
- mix well and serve.

Thanks goes to:
 Nalini Aunty. She has a big mango tree. So once in 4 - 5 days she makes this rice when its a mango season and also gives me some. Awesome taste!!!!!!!




Bisi Bele Bath

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 2 cups
Tuvar dal - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 2
garlic - 1 pod
turmeric - 1 tsp
onion - 2
oil to fry
salt to taste
Dry coconut powder - 4 tbsp

To grind:
8 tbsp coriander seeds
10 dry red chillis
1 tsp pepper corns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp chana dal
8 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1" cinnamon stick
10 curry leaves

To garnish:
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 10 - 12
corriander leaves - 10 - 12
dried red chilli - 2

Method:
- keep the cooked rice aside
- dry fry corriander seeds, red chillies, pepper, fenugreed seeds, chanad al, cloves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cinnamon stick, curry leaves seperately.
- grind them into a fine powder.
- keep them aside.
- now boil dal, tomatoes and garlic.
- leave it for 3 -4 whistles and make a fine paste out of that.
- in a kadai add oil.
- add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, dried red chillie.
- Now cut onions into cubes
- add onions to the kadai and fry.
- when its transparent add the dal mixture and salt.
- when it comes to boil add the ground powder and dried coconut powder.
- remove from fire.
- add the rice to this and mix well.
- garnish with corriander leaves.
- serve hot with papad


Thanks goes to:
Nalini Aunty. She was my land lord in my Chennai  home. Most of my cooking was taught by her. She is an awesome cook. She serves this rice with boondi and potato spicy masala. I just still forget the taste!!!




Tomato Rice

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
red chilies - 4
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
channa dal - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp
cashew nuts - 1 tsp
Grated ginger - 1/4 tsp
Chopped green chillies - 1
Onion - 1 fnely chopped
Hing - 1 pinch
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
curry leaves - 10
Cooked rice - 1 cup

Method:
- keep the cooked rice aside.
- add oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cuin seeds, red chillies, channa dal and urad dal and fry until the channa dal changes colour.
- add the cashew nuts and tehn add  the grated ginger and chopped green chillies.
- saute for few minutes
- add salt to taste.
- add the onions and fry till golden brown
- add the curry leaves and fry
- add the tomatoes and fry till they are smashed.
- add turmeric powder, hing and red chilli powder and fry till they are done.
- add cooked rice to this and then serve.



Curry leaves Rice

Ingredients:
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup
tamarind paste - 1 tsp
coconut - 2 tbsp
red chillie - 4
Green chillie - 2
salt to taste
oil
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:
- Keep the cooked rice aside
- Grind green chillie, curry leaves, tamarind and coconut into a fine pasre
- Grind the red chillie seperately in a coarse powder
- In a pan add oil and add mustard seeds and urad dal and wait until its golden brown in colour.
- add the red chilli powder and fry.
- Add the ground paste and fry until it forms a paste.
- Add the rice to the paste and mix well.
- Serve hot.


Jeera Rice

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 1 cup
green chillies - 3
jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 tsp
Corriander leaves - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
grated ginger - 1/4 tsp
Onions - 1
Oil for frying

Method:
- Leave the rice aside for it to cool.
- Chop the onions finely.
- Chop teh green chillies finely
- add oil in the kadai and fry the jeera seeds and the onions.
- when the onions are transparent, add salt to taste.
- add green chillies and fry
- Now add teh grated ginger and fry.
- Now remove from fire and add the corriander and curry leaves.
- Mix this to the rice and serve hot with some spicy curry.


Ellu sadam
(Til or Sesame Rice)

Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 1 cup
Ellu podi - 4 - 5 tbsp (refer for the recipe under powders page)
Gingelly oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
- add the podi and the oil to the cooked rice.
- mix well and serve hot.


Thanks goes to:
 This recipe was taught to me by my aunty (Nalini aunty). She was my landlord in when we were in Chennai. She is my first guru to teach me cooking when I was 12 yrs old. Thanks to her. Without her I would never be in this positing. She encouraged me inc ooking and taught me the tips and how to do everything in the right manner.


Corriander Rice
(Kothamalli sadham)

Ingredients:

Corriander leaves - 1 bunch
onion -2
tomatoes - 2
green chillies - 4
Cooked rice- 1 cup
oil for frying
salt to taste
grated coconut - 1 tbsp
hing - 2 pinches
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:
- keep the cooked rice seperately.
- add oil in the pan and fry corriander leaves, coconut and green chillies.
- Let it cool.
- grind that into a fine paste.
- chop the onions finely
- chop the tomatoes finely
- add oil in a kadai
- when the oil is hot add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing .
- add the onions and tomatoes and fry till they are smashed well.
- add salt to taste.
- add the turmeric powder and mix well
- fry till the raw smell goes off.
- Now add the paste and fry till it forms a thick paste.
- Now add the paste to the rice and then mix well.
- Serve with onion raita

Note:
- adding fried cashews or peanuts is optional.


Spinach Rice
(pasali keerai sadam)

Ingredients:
Spinach - 1 bunch
onion -2
tomatoes - 2
green chillies - 4
Cooked rice- 1 cup
oil for frying
cashew - 1 tsp
salt to taste
grated coconut - 1 tbsp
hing - 2 pinches
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:
- keep the cooked rice seperately.
- take a dry pan and fry spinach leaves, coconut and green chillies.
- Let it cool.
- grind that into a fine paste along with cashews
- chop the onions finely
- chop the tomatoes finely
- add oil in a kadai
- when the oil is hot add mustard seeds, urad dal, hing .
- add the onions and tomatoes and fry till they are smashed well.
- add salt to taste.
- add the turmeric powder and mix well
- fry till the raw smell goes off.
- Now add the paste and fry till it forms a thick paste.
- Now add the paste to the rice and then mix well.
- Serve with onion raita


Lime Rice
(Lemon rice)


Ingredients:
Cooked rice - 1 cup
lemon - 2
salt to taste
gingelly oil - 4 tbsp
dried red chillie - 4
channa dal - 1 tbsp
peanuts - 1 tbsp
cashew - 1 tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
hing - 2 pinches
grated ginger - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 10 - 12
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urad dal - 1 tsp

Method:
- mix 1 tsp of gingelly oil and juice of lemon in the cooked rice and keep it aside.
- take a pan and add the remaining oil. Fry cashews and peanuts seperately until they turn golden brown and add that to the rice.
- add the red chillies, mustard seeds and urada dal. Wait until it splutters and then add curry leaves, ginger, hing and turmeric powder.
- Fry and then add the channa dal and fry tilll it turns golden brown.
- Add this to the rice and mix well.

Note:
- to get more juice from the lemon, add the lemon to the hot water for some time before extracting the juice.
- this rice can be stored one full day. It could be served hot or cold.
- serve this rice with some spicy varuval. The best ones are potato varuval, karunakelangu varuval, valakkai varuval, seppan kelangu varuval etc.


Vegetable Pulao using Microwave oven

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
salt - 1 tsp
Carrot - 1
cauliflower -1/4 cup
potato - 1
capsicum - 1
peas - 1/4 cup
cardamom - 2
cloves - 2
cinnamon - 1/2"
bay leaf - 1/2"
saunf - 1/2 tsp

Method:
- wash rice and soak rice in water for 30 mins.
- mix all vegetables with soaked rice and microwave for 5 mins in high and 15 mins on low power.
- remove from oven after 10 mins of standing time
- mix ghee, cardamom, saunf,cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf to the cooked rice and mix well
- microwave for 3 mins.
- remove from the oven after the standing time of 5 mins.
- Serve hot


Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:
Rice- 2 cups
Tamarind Extract - 4 tbsp
Coriander Seeds- 2tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 10 seeds
Sesame Seeds- 2tsp
black pepper - 1 tsp
Dried Red chilly- 7 - 10
Turmeric - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt - As per Taste

Seasoning:
Oil - 5 - 6 tsp
mustard seeds - 1tsp
dried red chillie  - 5 - 6
curry leaves - 10 - 12
Peanuts - 2tsp
cashew nuts (broken - optional) - 2tsp
channa dal - 2 tsp


Method:

Boil the rice and keep it aside till it becomes cool.

Dry fry corriander seeds, fenugreek seesd, sesame seeds, black pepper, red chillies, mustard seeds seperately in a kadai.
Grind that into a coarse powder.

Mix this powder with the boiled rice

In little oil, fry peanuts/cashew nuts, Channadhal. Fry till they are golden brown. Add them to the rice.

Now in the same oil, season the mustard, curry leaves, red chilies, add hing, turmeric, tamarind extract, salt and let it boil until it becomes a thick paste

Then add the paste to the boiled rice and mix well.

This could be served hot with any fried items such as chips, murukku or even with pickle. But I love to cook this with either green plaintain fry, karunakelangu fry or Potato Fry.

This recipe was taught to me by my Vasantha periyamma. She is known in the family for her tamarind rice and potato fry. I became a great lover of this recipe after eating it from her. This is the same way how the tamarind rice are prepared in the temples as well.