Sambar Rice

A traditional way of making Sambar rice in pressure cooker in these modern times.

Ingredients:
Rice (ponni) - 1 cup
Tuvar/arhar dal - 1/2 cup
Mixed vegetables:
Drumstick - 1
Brinjals (small) - 2
Beans - 5 to 6
Capsicum (small) - 1
Potato - 1
Carrot - 1
Sambar powder - 2 tbsp. (or as per taste)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Tamarind - a small piece
Oil

To temper:
Mustard seeds, whole black gram (husked), cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida powder and curry leaves, oil.

Method:

This cup (aazhaakku) is used for measuring rice, dal and water.

Soak the tuvar dal in 1 cup of water for an hour. Cover and keep aside.

Soak the tamarind in little water and soak for an hour. Cover and keep aside.

Tuvar dal soaked after 1 hour.

Chop the vegetables and keep them ready.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the onions and saute till they become translucent.

Add the vegetables and saute till they become soft.

Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add sambar powder and turmeric powder.

Mix the powders with vegetables.

Wash the rice and add.

Add the soaked dal along with its water.

Crush the tamarind soaked in water. Discard the pulp.

Pour this tamarind water to the vegetable rice dal mixture.

Mix well.

Pour 3 cups of water.

Cover and cook in medium low flame.

I pressure cooked up to 4-5 whistles. Set it aside. When the pressure is released, remove the weight (should be easy to remove and no steam should appear while removing).

For the tempering, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black gram and fenugreek seeds.

When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add curry leaves and sprinkle asafoetida powder.

Saute the curry leaves and remove from flame.

Add the tempering to the cooked sambar rice.

Add the coriander leaves.

Add salt.

Mix gently.

We consumed the rice with appalams, coriander-mint thuvaiyal, and yam roast (which I made it later)

Serve hot with appalam or with any of your favourite side dish.

 

Note:

 

Add water according to the quality of rice and dal and the desired 'mushiness'.

It is recommended to add salt after cooking the rice to get the desired 'mushiness'. Because salt makes it tough to cook the rice when added in the initial stages of cooking.

For those who want to be done with it quickly, add masoor dal instead of tuvar dal. But if you still want to stick to using tuvar dal, soak it in hot water for 20-30 minutes.

 

Tamarind paste can also be used instead of tamarind.

 

While serving, you can add a spoon of ghee.

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Methi Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Garlic - 1.5 tsp. (grated)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Potato (big) - 1
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Salt (to taste)
Cinnamom stick -1
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 4
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil

Method:
Peel and dice the potatoes. Drop the diced potatoes in water. Keep aside.
Wash the basmati rice and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed vessel.
Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and fennel seeds and allow them to sizzle.
Add the sliced onions and saute till translucent. Saute the ginger and garlic till raw smell fades away.
Then include the fenugreek leaves, diced potatoes (discard water) & coriander leaves and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Now add the tomatoes, salt and saute till they are half-mushy.
Add red chilli & turmeric powders and mix well in low flame for 2 minutes.
Add the rice and saute.
Pour the coconut milk and 3 cups of water. Mix. Cook in medium flame.
When the water begins to boil, cover the vessel with a lid.
When the water gets absorbed, remove the lid & cover the vessel with aluminium foil.
Again place the lid on the aluminium foil.
Let the rice cook completely in low flame. Remove from heat.
Serve warm with any raita.

Sent off to "Back to Roots" event.

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Kofta Pulao/Pulav

My kids were very very bored. This weekend I planned to make Malai Kofta to cheer them up. I suddenly changed my mind. There were some fenugreek leaves left in the refigerator.  After quick thinking, I prepared this kofta pulao.

Kofta Pulao/Pulav with Paneer Makhani (You can see the paneer drowned in the gravy)

Ingredients:
For Kofta:
Potatoes - 3 (boiled)
Paneer/Cottage cheese- 1/2 cup
Fenugreek leaves -1/2 cup
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder (Kashmiri) - 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Cornflour/cornstarch - 1 to 1.5 tbsp.

Method:
Pat dry the paneer and grate. Grate or mash the potatoes without any lumps.
Pat dry the fenugreek leaves and chop.
In a bowl mix paneer, potatoes, fenugreek leaves, red chilli powder, cumin powder, corn flour and salt.
Prepare equal-sized balls.
Preheat the oven at 180°C.
Sprinkle a little oil on each ball. Bake them till they become golden brown (Turn the koftas on all sides in between carefully).
Once they are done, remove and keep aside.

For pulav/pulao:
Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1.5 cups
Onions - 2 (sliced thinly)
Ginger-garlic (minced) - 1 tsp.
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Green cardamom - 4
Cloves - 3
Roasted and powdered cumin - 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder (Kashmiri) - 1/2 tsp.
Mushrooms - 10 (sliced)
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Curd - 2 tbsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Wash rice till the water runs clear. Soak the rice in 3 cups of water. Cover and keep aside.
Heat oil and add green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, sliced onions and green chillies.
Saute onions till translucent. Add ginger-garlic and saute till the raw smell goes away.
Add mushrooms and saute.
Add the powders and curd and saute.
Add the rice along with water and salt as required. Cover with a lid and cook.
When the water is absorbed, remove the lid. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and then place the lid.
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Remove from heat. Mix the baked koftas with pulav and serve immediately with any side dish.

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Lemon Rice v2.0

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Indian lemon - 3 (big)+1 (small)
Mustard + urad dal + cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Chana dal - 2 tsp.
Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch
Fenugreek seeds - 5
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Curry leaves - few (I didn't add)
Coriander leaves - few
Ginger - 1/2 inch (finely chopped)
Peanuts - 2 tbsp. (unsalted, roasted and peeled)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt as per taste
Gingely/sesame oil - 1 tbsp. (or as desired)

Method:
Cook the basmati rice with grains in such a way they are separate without being mushy.
Heat the oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, chana dal and fenugreek seeds.
Allow the mustard to crackle, saute the seeds and dals till golden colour.
Now add green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds.
Pour the lemon juice and sprinkle salt. Remove from heat.
Mix this with rice along with peanuts and coriander leaves.

Note:
Mix rice according to the sourness of lemon juice.
In summers, the dish should be consumed within 5 hours due to the addition of coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies.
Click here.

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Mint Rice/புதினா சாதம்

Ingredients:
Mint leaves - 2 cups
Urad dal - 2 tsp.
Chana dal - 2 tsp.
Cooked rice - 3 cups
Dry red chillies - 2 (or as per taste)
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Asafoetida powder - ¼ pinch
Tamarind - small grape size

Method:
Heat 2 tsp. of oil and add mint leaves.
Sauté till they wilt. Place them on a plate.
Again heat 1 tsp. of oil and fry the dals till they turn golden in colour.
Add red chillies and tamarind.
Sauté for a minute. Cool.
Powder the dals, red chillies and tamarind.
Then add the mint leaves, salt and asafoetida. Grind.
Mix with rice and enjoy.
______________________________________________________________________________

தேவையான பொருட்கள்:

புதினா இலைகள் - 2 கப்
உளுந்து - 2 தேக்கரண்டி
கடலைப்பருப்பு - 2 தேக்கரண்டி
சமைத்த சாதம் - 3 கப்
வர மிளகாய் -  2 (அல்லது ருசிக்கேற்ப)
உப்பு (தேவையான அளவு)
எண்ணெய்
பெருங்காயம் - ¼ சிட்டிகை
புளி - திராட்சை பழம் அளவு

செய்முறை:
கடாயில் 2 தேக்கரண்டி எண்ணெய் ஊற்றி  புதினா இலைகளை நன்றாக வதக்கவும்.
தட்டில் எடுத்து வைக்கவும். பிறகு 1 தேக்கரண்டி எண்ணெய் கடாயில் ஊற்றி
உளுந்து, கடலைப்பருப்பு சேர்த்து பொன்னிறமாக வறுக்கவும்.
மிளகாய், புளி சேர்த்து 1 நிமிடம் வதக்கவும். ஆறவிடவும்.
உளுந்து, கடலைப்பருப்பு, புளி, மிளகாய் சேர்த்து பொடிக்கவும் பொடித்த பின்
புதினா இலைகளை, உப்பு, பெருங்காயப்பொடி சேர்த்து அரைக்கவும்.
இதனை சமைத்த சாதத்துடன் கலந்து பரிமாறவும்.

Sent off to PJ's Mint event.

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Rice Khichdi

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Onions - 2 ( chopped)
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Cloves -2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp.
Green cardamom - 3
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Potatoes - 2 (peeled and chopped)
Carrots - 2 (chopped)
Peas - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Oil
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Ghee - 1 to 2 tsp.
Salt to taste

Method:
Combine rice and dal in a bowl and wash till the water runs clear. Without any water, cover and keep aside for 30 minutes or 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a deep sauce pan and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. When the seeds splutter, add onion pieces and ginger. Saute till the onions are translucent. Add carrots, peas, potatoes and tomato pieces. Saute for 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix.
Add the rice and dal. Saute for 2 minutes without breaking the rice.
Add required water (I added 6 cups of water) and salt to taste.
Cover with a lid and cook. When all the water gets absorbed, sprinkle the ghee on top of the rice and mix well.
Enjoy the khichdi with any raita and roasted hot potatoes or any of your favourite side dish.

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Capsicum Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice -  2 1/2 cups
Capsicum (chopped) - 1 cup (3 colors mixed)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil
Ghee - 2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch (chopped)

To Grind:
Cinnamon - 2
Chana dal - 2 tsp.
Byadegi chillies - 6
Urad dal - 2 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

Method:
Cook the rice (each grain should be separate and not mushy). Keep aside.
Heat 2 tsp. of oil and fry the given ingredients "To Grind" till the dal changes to golden color.
Cool and powder them.
Grind the coriander leaves into a paste with little water.
Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the diced capsicum pieces and saute for 2 to 4 minutes (We like capsicum in crunchy form).
Now add the powder and salt to taste. Saute for a few seconds.
Add the coriander paste and saute for a minute.
Now add the cooked rice and mix well. Finally, add the ghee and mix gently. Enjoy with chips.

Note:
Better to consume this rice within 4 hours.

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Paneer Veg Pulav

Photography by Nandini

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Green - 2 (slit lengthwise)
Green cardamom - 2
Cinnamon 1" - 2
Cloves - 3
Bay leaves - 2
Paneer - 200 gm (small cubes)
Beans - 12 (chopped)
Carrot - 1 (chopped)
Cauliflower florets - from 1 small head
Potatoes (small) - 2 (skin peeled and diced)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Photography by Nandini

Method:
1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan and add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves. When they splutter add onions and green chilli. Saute till onions are translucent.
3. Add the veggies and saute. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
4. Strain the rice and add with salt to taste. Saute gently for a few seconds. Add 4 cups of water and close the pan with a lid.
5. After 7 to 10 minutes, when the water gets absorbed, remove the lid and cover with aluminium foil. Cover the lid and cook the rice in simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile heat the oil in a pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes till golden brown color. Place them on an oil absorbent paper.
7. Remove the pulav from heat and add the fried paneer pieces. Fluff the rice with a fork.
8. Enjoy the pulav with raita or any hot curry.

Note:
I didn't add garlic, ginger and garam masala. Add them according to your taste.

Sent off to Jay's "Let'z Relish Paneer" event.

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Sprouted Horse Gram/Kollu Adai

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 1/2 cup
Idli rice - 1/2 cup
Sprouted horse gram/kollu - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Whole dry red chillies - 2
Ginger- 1/2 inch (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs (finely chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (finely chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Oil

Method:
Soak raw and idli rice in water for 3 hours. Grind them with sprouted horse gram and red chilli into a batter. Add onion pieces, curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger, salt and asafoetida and mix well.

Heat the tawa and spread the batter (a ladleful). Sprinkle oil on the sides of adai. Cook thoroughly on both sides. Continue with the remaining batter. Serve hot with any chutney.

Sent off to Priya's "Let's Sprout" event.

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Curry Leaves Rice

Ingredients:
Curry leaves - 1.25 cups
Urad dal - 1 tbsp.
Bengal gram/chana dal - 1 tbsp.
Whole dry red chillies - 3
Tamarind - 1.5 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Fried garlic - 1 bulb (peeled)
Cooked rice - as required
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the curry leaves till they turn crispy. Fry the urad and chana dal till golden color in 1 tsp. of oil. Fry tamarind and dry red chilli. Grind the dals, tamarind, red chillies, curry leaves, salt and asafoetida. Mix this powder, garlic with rice. Very perfect in a lunch box.
Note: Use fresh and tender leaves

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Paneer Pulao

I actually wanted to make Paneer Tikkas but I changed my mind. The dish may taste bland, so serve and eat with some favourite side dish.

Ingredients:
For Rice:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Olive oil - a few drops
Lemon juice - from half a lemon

Method:
Rinse the rice till the water runs clear. Soak the rice for 20 minutes. Pour the water in a deep pan and bring it to a boil. Add all the ingredients (discard the soaked water) and cook the rice. Strain the rice and keep aside. Remove the bay leaves.

Green peas:
Sprouted dry green peas - 1.5 cups

Method:
Boil the peas with little salt and keep aside.

Paneer Tikka

Ingredients:
Paneer cubes - 400 gm
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Kasoori methi - 1.5 tsp. (crushed)
Dry mint leaves - 1.5 tsp.  (powdered)
Hung solid curd - 4 tbsp.
Tandoori masala - 1 tsp.
Red food color - a few pinches (optional)
Olive oil
Lemon juice - a few drops
Capsicum - 2 (diced)
Onions - 2 (diced)

Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl except paneer, capsicum and onions. Take another bowl and add the capsicum and onion pieces. Take some masala and mix with onions and capsicums. Now coat the paneer with the remaining masala. Place the bowls (covered) in a refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
Grill the paneer, onions and capsicum. As there was a power cut, I had to shallow fry the paneer with little olive oil. Heat oil in a pan and add the marinated onions and capsicum. Fry them in high flame continuously. When they become dry and roasted add the boiled green peas. Fry for 2 minutes and remove from heat.

Presentation:
Mix green peas mixture with rice and paneer. Or place a ladleful of peas mixture in the centre of the plate. Spread the rice on top or around the peas. Sprinkle the paneer on top or whatever.
Serve with any raita or hot side dish.

Sent off to Priya's "Let's Sprout" event.

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Greens and Chickpeas Rice

Ingredients:
Rice - 1.5 cups
Brown chickpeas - 1/2 cup (boiled)
Greens (any kind but edible) - 1 bunch
Onion - 2 (sliced)
Garlic -3 cloves (chopped)
Green chilli paste - 1 tsp.
Dry whole red chillies -2
Salt (to taste)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Channa dal - 1 tbsp.
Oil

Method:
Cook the rice without mushy and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the seeds and channa dal.
When the mustard starts to crackle, add the sliced onions and saute till translucent.
Add garlic and saute till golden color. Reduce the heat and saute the green chilli paste and red chillies for a few seconds.
Add the chopped greens and saute till it begins to wilt. Saute till dry and add the salt.
Combine the boiled chickpeas and remove from the heat.
Add this green mixture to rice and toss.
Serve this healthy rice with scrambled eggs or chips.

Note:
Instead of green chilli paste, ground pepper can be used at the final stage.

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