Prawn Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Small prawns - 250 gms (peeled and deveined)
Onions (small) - 3 (sliced)
Garlic - 3 big cloves
Ginger - 3/4 inch
Green chillies - 4 (slit)
Mint leaves - from a small bunch
Coconut milk - 3/4 cup
Fennel seeds/saunf - 1 tsp.
Green cardamom - 4
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 2
Bay leaves - 2
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Ghee or Oil
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cashew nuts - 10

Method:
Wash the rice till the water runs clear. Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes (no need to soak in water).
Fry the cashews in ghee till golden colour. Keep aside.
Pound the spices (fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom) garlic, ginger in mortar with pestle.
Heat ghee or oil in a deep sauce pan and add the sliced onions and salt to taste. Saute till the onions turn golden colour. Add green chillies and saute. Add the spices and bay leaves. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour 3/4 cup of coconut milk and 3 1/2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil.
Add the rice and cover it with a lid.
Meanwhile in another burner, heat oil in a small pan and add the prawns. Make a paste of red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add this paste to the prawns and saute well till it becomes dry. Keep aside.
When the water gets absorbed from rice, remove the lid and spread the mint leaves.
On the top, spread the prawns. Cover the sauce pan with an aluminium foil and place the lid.
Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or till the rice is cooked.
Remove from heat and sprinkle the fried cashews and gently mix the prawns, mint leaves and cashews with the rice.
Enjoy hot with a favourite side dish.

Note:
Add water according to the type of rice used.

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Green Peas Kurma

Ingredients:
Fresh green peas - 2 cups
Onions - 2 (chopped)
Garlic - 3 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Tomato - 1 (deseeded and chopped)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Peppercorns- 4
Cloves - 2
Grated coconut - 1/3 cup
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
Dry roast the coconut, cumin seeds and coriander seeds individually.
Grind garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and coconut into a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan and add peppercorns and cloves. When they sizzle, add the onions and saute till they become pink.
Add the ground masala paste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and saute till it releases oil and leaves the sides of the pan.
Add the green peas and saute.
Add required water and salt to taste
When the peas are cooked, add the tomato pieces and coriander leaves and simmer for 4 minutes.
Enjoy with chapathi or with toasted bread.

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Beans Foogath

Ingredients:
Green Beans - 2 cups (French Cut)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - few
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a non-stick kadai and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the onions and green chillies. Saute till translucent. Add beans and curry leaves. Saute for a minute. Cover the kadai with a deep lid and pour 1/4 cup of water into the lid.
Every 2-3 minutes, remove the lid carefully and stir the beans and again cover with the lid.
Cook the beans till 75% (to retain the colour). It's crunchy since they are 75% cooked. Finally, add the coconut and salt. Stir well.
Enjoy with rice or roti.

Sent off to "Flavours of Goa" event hosted by Oh Taste N See and started by simply.food.

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Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients:
Methi/Fenugreek leaves - 2 cups
Matar/Fresh green peas - 1 cup
Onions (small-sized) - 2
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 2 cloves (big)
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp.
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 3
Green cardamom - 2
Green chillies - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)
Fresh cream - 1/4 cup
Milk (low fat)- 1/3 cup

Method:
Steam the green peas and keep aside.
Soak the cashews in hot water. Grind onion, green chillies, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cashews into a paste.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds sizzle, add the paste and saute in a low flame. Saute till it releases oil and leaves the sides of the pan. Don't allow the paste to become brown.
Now add the fenugreek leaves and saute till the leaves start to wilt. Now add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water and stir. Bring it to a boil. Add the green peas and salt to taste.
After 2 to 3 minutes add the cream and milk. Stir well.
Serve with roti or naan.

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Oats Pakoda

Ingredients:
Oats (quick-cooking) - 2 cups
Besan/Gram flour - 1 cup
Hot water - 1 cup
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
Green chillies- 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Fennel seeds/saunf - 1 tsp.
Mint leaves - few (chopped)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Fenugreek leaves - few (torn) (optional)
Salt (to taste)
Oil (for deep-frying)

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add oats and pour 1 cup of hot water. Cover and keep aside for 3 to 5 minutes.
Now add all ingredients except oil and mix well.
Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying.
Take one handful of the mixture and keep pinching and drop about 1 inch of the mixture in the oil.
Deep-fry till golden brown colour.
Enjoy with a hot cup of tea/chai.

Note:
If you don't like the taste of bitterness, skip the fenugreek leaves.

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Paruppu Podi

Paruppu podi/lentil powder is a powder eaten with hot rice and melted ghee. This uncomplicated yet delicious 'powder' comes in handy and proves to be very useful during lazy days.

Ingredients:
Toor dal/Arhar dal - 1 cup
Peppercorn - 2 tsp. (not heaped)
Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Dry red chilli - 1
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Dry roast dal till golden color. Dry roast the dry red chilli for a few seconds. Cool.
Grind the roasted toor dal and  red chilli, peppercorn, asafoetida and salt to taste into a fine or coarse powder.
Store in an air-tight container and enjoy 1 tsp of powder with hot rice mixed with ghee.

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