Beetroot Pachadi

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 2 (peeled and grated)
Green chilli - 1 (finely chopped)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Yogurt - 1 cup (or according to taste)
Salt (to taste)

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Oil

To Grind:
Coconut (grated) - 1/3 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Green chilli - 1
Mustard seeds - 1 pinch

Method:
1. Heat oil and add the tempering ingredients. When the seeds splutter, add onions and green chillies. Saute till translucent.
2. Add grated beet root and little water. Cook the beets till it becomes soft. Meanwhile grind the given ingredients with little water into a smooth paste.
3. Add this paste to the beets and saute till it becomes dry. Remove from heat and keep aside.
4. Beat the yogurt and add it to the beets and add salt also. Mix well.
5. Serve as side dish for rice.

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Pineapple Pachadi

Ingredients:
Ripe pineapple - 2 cups (chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Salt (to taste)
Coconut - 1/2 cup (grated)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp. (crushed)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Yogurt - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

For seasoning:
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Whole red chillies - 3
Curry leaves - few

Method:
Add pineapple pieces (I used the canned ones), salt, green chillies and required water in pan. Cook till pineapple becomes tender.
Meanwhile in another pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add red chillies and curry leaves. Keep aside.
Grind coconut and cumin seeds into a paste by adding little water. Add this paste, turmeric powder and crushed mustard seeds to the tender pineapple (At this stage, the pineapple should not be totally dry and it should have at least a little water such as 2 tbsp. in the pan). Simmer and bring it to a boil. Stir gently in between. Remove from heat. Pour yogurt and the seasoning over the pineapple and mix well. Serve as a side dish for rice.

Sent off to Yasmeen's "Health Nut Challenge 7: Tropical Temptations" event.

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Our Favorite Meal (Vegetable Biryani, Potato Kurma, Raita & Curd Rice/Bagalabath)

Before blogging I used to make this dish in long weekends or whenever there is a guest in our house. My husband chops vegetables only for biryani and raita. This time, I did all the work to make our favorite meal very meticulously . And during the chopping part, my daughter suggested that instead of dipping the onions in water (to avoid the burning of eyes), she told me to wear sunglasses. I thought she was just joking but she insisted on doing so. To please her, I reluctantly wore my sunglasses, and surprisingly, it worked! It’s weird, huh!




Vegetable biryani

Ingredients:
Basmati rice or (seeraga samba rice) - 2 cups
Onions (medium) - 4 (thinly sliced)
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic (big) - 3 cloves (grated)
Green chilies - 2 (medium-sized)
Tomatoes (medium & ripe) - 4 (chopped finely)
Mint leaves - 1 small bunch (chopped)
Beans - 1 cup (chopped 1 into inch pieces)
Green peas - 1 cup (fresh)
Carrots (medium) - 2 (chopped into 1 inch pieces)
Red chili powder - 1 tsp.
Curd - 2 tbsp.
Ghee
Salt
Cashew nuts - 10
Coriander leaves (chopped) - 3 tbsp.
Oil

Dry spices:
Cinnamon (1 inch) - 2
Cloves - 2
Fennel seeds - ½ tsp.
Bay leaves - 2
Cumin seeds -½ tsp.
Cardamom - 2
Mace - 2 pieces
Kalpasi - 1 piece
Rose petals - 2(dry)

Color rice (optional):
Basmati rice - ¼ cup
Saffron color - a few pinches

Method:
Soak the rice for 20 minutes.
Pound the spices coarsely except bay leaves in mortar with pestle.
Grind the ginger and green chilies without any water.
Heat oil in a thick, deep non-stick pan which has a lid.
Add the coarse spices along with bay leaves.
Add the onions and sauté till light brown color.
Add the garlic, ginger, chili and sauté till the raw smell fades away.
Now add the chopped mint leaves and sauté till it wilts.
Add the tomatoes and sauté till it turns mushy by adding a little salt.
Now add the carrots, beans and peas and fry for a minute.
Add the red chili powder and mix well.
Add the yogurt.
Add the soaked rice by draining the water.
Add a few drops of ghee and gently mix.
Add 3 ¼ cup of water and add required salt.
Cover it with a lid and let it cook.
After 5 minutes, remove the lid and cover it with a double-folded thick aluminum foil and place the lid on the top of it.
Cook for 15 minutes in simmer mode.
Switch off the stove. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Fry the cashew nuts till they turn golden color in ghee.
Now spread the biryani on a huuuuuuge, big plate
(Color rice (optional):
Cook the rice separately by adding food color and 2 drops of oil.)
Sprinkle a few drops of ghee, cashew nuts, color rice and coriander leaves.
Gently mix them without breaking the rice.
Enjoy with raita and kurma.

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Sautéing: 10 minutes
Normal cooking: 5 minutes
Dhumming: 15 minutes

Note:
Adjust the spices and chilies according to taste.
Adding few drops of lemon juice and color rice is optional.
Remove bay leaves before serving.
I never add fried onions for this biryani.

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Potato Kurma (v2.0)

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 2
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 2 cloves
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Melon seeds - ¼ cup
Grated coconut - ¼ cup
Green chilies - 2 (slit)
Red chili powder - ¾ tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Fennel seeds - ½ tsp.
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp.
Bay leaves - 1
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Salt
Oil
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)

Method:
Cut the potatoes into halves and steam-cook them. Peel the skin and chop them.
Soak the melon seeds in warm water for 15-20 minutes.
Pound the fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, ginger and garlic in mortar with pestle.
Heat oil, add the spices and fry.
Add onions, green chilies & tomatoes one by one and fry.
Reduce the heat and add the chilies, coriander & turmeric powder.
Grind the melon seeds without discarding water.
Add the ground melon seeds and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the potatoes and mix gently.
Add required water and bring it to a boil.
Grind the coconut gratings with water and add them to this mixture.
Let it cook for 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the coriander leaves.
Serve with biryani or parathas.

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Onion and Tomato Raita

Add thinly sliced onions, chopped & deseeded tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves, deseeded green chilies and salt to the beaten curd.
Mix well & enjoy with biryani.

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Curd Rice or Bagalabath

Cook the raw rice into a mushy state.
Add milk, yogurt, grated ginger, grated mango, chopped coriander leaves and salt to the rice.
Temper in oil with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, bengal gram, urad dal, broken dry red chiliesand curry leaves.
Add to the rice and mix well.


Sent off to Shama's "Family's Favorite Food Event 2010" and potato kurma to SriLekha's "EFM-Parathas & Gravies/Curries" event.

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Mint Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 2-3 (medium-size)
Ginger (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Garlic (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Cashewnut pieces - 15
Peanuts - 10
Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1
Salt to taste
Oil


Method:
Dry roast the peanuts and remove the skin.
Cook the rice and let it cool.
Grind mint and coriander leaves & green chilies.
Heat the oil in a pan.
To the oil, add cumin seeds, cloves & cinnamon.
When the cumin seeds start jumping, add the peanuts and cashews & roast them.
Add the grated ginger and garlic and fry till you get rid of the raw smell.
Now, add the green mixture & required salt.
Saute again till you get rid of the smell.
Add the rice and mix it (should blend well).
Rice is ready to serve.
Gobble it up with raita.

This recipe and pudina puri goes to the JFI- mint event and SWC-cooking with greens (only rice).

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Yogurt Parfait & Pineapple Dessert

Yogurt parfait

How to concoct parfait:
Ingredients-Plain yogurt (or flavored yogurt), slices of pineapple, slice of strawberries, spoons of granola.
Method-At the bottom of the glass, include spoons of yogurt, then slices of strawberry, yogurt, and slices of pineapple, yogurt, strawberry, yogurt, pineapple and finally sprinkle granolas. You can also add your relished fruits. Source: Happy Home Baking

Pineapple dessert

This recipe was acquainted by my friend. This is a straightforward dessert, not even 5 minutes to prepare this.
Take 1 cup of condensed milk, 1 cup of pineapple chunks (canned -without juice), and 1 cup cool whip.
Mix all the ingredients and chill. Enhance with preferred nuts and serve.

I'm sending off the parfait, dessert, raita, pineapple kesari and neer mor to the 15-minute cooking event.

Sent off to the 15-Minute event.

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Pachhadi

Ingredients:

Curd - 1/2 cup

Onion - 1/4 ( chopped)

Tomato- 1/2

Coriander leaves - 1 teaspoon

Water - 2 tablespoon

Salt

Method:

In a bowl beat the curd with 2 tablespoons of water and salt.

Scoop out the seeds from tomato and chop.

Add chopped onions, tomato pieces, coriander leaves to the curd and mix.

Sent Off to the 15-minute event.

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