CHANNA PULAO...

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Rice (long grained)                              2 cups

Kabuli channa (boiled)                        1 cup

Onion                                                    2

Tomatoes                                              2

Potato  ( cubed)                                    1 

Ginger                                                   1/2"

Garlic                                                    3 cloves 

Gr chillies                                             5-6

Lemon                                                   1/2

Curds                                                    1/2 cup

Coriander leaves                                 1 sprig

Bay leaf                                                 2

Cinnamon                                             1"

Cloves                                                   4

Cardamom                                            4

Aniseed                                                 2

Fennel seeds                                        1 tsp

Nutmeg flower                                      1

Cashew & raisins                                  1 tsp

Garam masala                                       1/2 tsp

Chilli pd                                                 1 tsp.

Turmeric                                                1/2 tsp

Sugar                                                      1/2 tsp   

Salt to taste   

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a cooker pan and put in the whole spices.
3. Add finely chopped ginger garlic and stir briefly. Add onion and fry to pink.
4. Add gr chillies, dhania patti and tomatoes. Cook for 2 mts.
5. Add potato wedges and boiled channa. Mix well.
6. Add the seasoning, turmeric, salt, sugar and curds. Cook for 2 mts.
7. Pour in hot water ( 3 cups ) and let it come to boil. Check for taste.
8. Now put in rice and lemon juice;  stir and close the lid. Pressure cook till first whistle.
9. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 mts. Remove and let cool.
10. Serve hot with onion raitha & papad.

VEGETABLE UPMA...

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Rava (fine)              1 cup

Hot water                4 cups

Oil                             3 tbsp

Carrot & beans       1/4 cup

(finely cubed)

Onion                       1

Tomato                    1

(finely sliced)

Green chilli             4

Ginger                     1/2"

Curry leaves           1 sprig

Lemon juice            1 tsp

Raisins & cashew   1 tsp

(optional)   

Mustard seeds        1/4 tsp

Urad dal                   1 tsp

Channa dal              1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard , dals, curry leaves cahew & raisins.
2. Add ginger, onion, tomato, green chilli. Saute them for a while.
3. Now put in the rava and fry to golden brown .
4. Empty the contents into a plate.
5. In the same pan pour water and add salt. Let it come to a boil.
6. Put in the roasted rava mixture and stir well quickly to avoid lumps.
7. On medium flame cook the upma covered with a lid for 10 - 15 mts.
8. When done, mix in the lemon juice & sprinkle coriander leaves. 
9. Serve hot with coconut chutney or sambhar.

Note:

1. Rava may be replaced with broken wheat, bombay rava ( big grains) or broken rice rava
2. Turmeric may be added to give colour.
3. One can add peas, cauliflower or any other veg.
4. In the South, it is also termed as rava khicdi wherein cinnamon, cardamon, bay leaves and cloves are added.
5. It makes for a solid meal when you want to eat something light.
6. Lemon juice gives it a zest and blends all the flavours.
7. Sometimes i use 1/4 cup milk towards the end ( makes it fluffy) and kids enjoy the taste.

VEG PULAO...

 

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Basmati rice                                    2 cups
Carrot & Beans cut into cubes     1 cup
Green peas                                     1/2 cup
Onion                                              1
Tomato                                            1 
Garlic flakes                                   2
Ginger                                             1/2 "
Green chillies                                 5
Mint leaves                                      2 sprigs
Coriander leaves                            2 sprigs
Lemon juice                                    1 tsp
Cinnamon                                        1"
Cloves                                              4
Cardamom                                       4
Nutmeg pd                                       a pinch
(or nutmeg flower)                          1
Bay leaf                                            3
Fennel pd/seeds                             1 tsp
Cashew & raisins                            1 tsp
Garam masala                                 1 tsp
Coconut milk                                  1 cup
or (cream milk optional)
Ghee                                                1 tbsp
Oil                                                    2 tbsp
Sugar                                               1/4 tsp
Salt to taste   

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
2. Chop onion and tomato lengthwise finely.
3. Cut veg into fine cubes.
4. Chop ginger garlic finely.
5. Heat oil and ghee in a cooker and on heating add the whole spices.
6. When they crackle, add ginger garlic; now add onion and saute till light pink.
7. Add tomatoes and mint leaf. Stir for 2 mts.
8. Now add all the veggies and saute them for a mt.
9. Add sugar, salt, garam masal and stir well.
10. Add hot water (2 cups) and coconut milk /cream milk and check for seasoning.
11. When the water begins to boil, put in lemon juice and add the rice.
12. Close the lid and let it cook on medium flame till the first whistle.
13. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3 mts.
14. Remove from stove and let it cool.
15. After all the steam has escaped, remove the lid and rest it for a while.
16. Remove the contents into a shallow dish and sprinkle with coriander leaves.
17. Serve hot with onion raitha or any side dish of choice.

LEMON RICE...

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Cooked rice                       a big bowl ( 4 servings)
Fresh Lemon juice           4 tbsp
Sesame oil                         2 tbsp
Mustard seeds                  1 tsp
Cumin seeds                     1/4 tsp
Urad dal                             1 tsp
Channa dal                        1 tsp
Hing                                   1/4 tsp
Turmeric pd                     1/4 tsp
Red chilli                           2
Green chillies                   4-5
Curry leaves                     1 sprig
Coriander leaves             1 sprig
Raisins                               1 tsp
Cashew nuts/peanuts      1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cool the cooked raw rice; mix with some sesame oil (1/2 tbsp).
2. See that they are grainy and separate; keep aside. 
3. Mix salt and turmeric pd in the lemon juice and keep aside.
4. Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil in a small skillet and put in hing. Add mustard and cumin seeds.
5. When they crackle, add red chillies, peanuts, urad, channa dal, curry leaves and gr. chillies.
6. Add cashew and raisins. See that they are golden in colour.
7. Remove 3/4 ths of the tempering from the oil and keep aside.
8. In the same oil, on medium heat pour in lemon juice and let it boil for 1 mt.
9. Remove from heat and mix in the reserved tempering.
10. Take the lemon mixture and mix with rice by adding little at a time. Mix carefully coating all the rice equally, not to break the rice grain.
11. Check for taste till desired flavour and sourness.
12. Sprinkle coriander leaves. 
13. Serve with roasted potato or ( papad and onion raitha).

Note:

1. Mixing sesame oil in rice keeps the grains of rice separate.
2. Adding the tempering at the end keeps it crisp and tasty.
3. Cooking with sesame oil lends true flavour to lemon rice.
4. As lemons differ in levels of sourness, see that the taste is arrived by proper balancing.
5. Adding raisins helps in lending a touch of surprising sweetness now and perks up the taste.

MUTTON PEPPER METHI FRY...

 

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Mutton boneless  (Lean)       400 gm
Onion                                      1
Tomato                                   1
Ginger                                    1/2 "
Garlic                                      5 flakes
Green chillies                        4
Kasuri Methi                          a handful
Curry leaves                         a handful
Coriander                              few sprigs
Pepper pd                             4 tsp
Chilli pd                                1 tsp
Coriander pd                        2 tsp     
Turmeric pd                         1/4 tsp
Cardamom                           2
Cinnamon                            1/2"
Fennel seeds/pd                 1 tsp
Sugar                                   1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil                                        2 tbsp


Method:

1. Wash and cut mutton to desired size. 
2. Chop onion, tomato, gr. chillies finely. 
3. Make ginger garlic paste and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a thick karahi and add whole spices. 
5. When they splutter, add ginger garlic paste and gr. chillies
6. Add onion, curry leaves. Fry to light pink.
7. Add kasuri methi, little coriander leaves. Toss well.
8. Mix in tomatoes and stir for a few mts. Add turmeric pd.
9. Put in mutton and stir fry for 5-7 mts. on high flame, adding sugar to caramelise. When brown reduce the flame.
10. Now add salt, chilli pd, pepper pd, coriander pd . Toss and mix well.
11. Add 1 cup hot boiling water and close with a lid.
12. Simmer for 15 mts. Remove the lid and stir fry for sometime to dry up the mixture.
13. When done, sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve hot as a side dish.

Note:

Rice bowl, rasam, lauki bhaji & mutton fry are seen on the platter.
Lauki bhaji :     http://swaadanusaar.blogspot.in/2013/08/lauki-bhaji.html







   

CRISPY MASALA VADA...

 

RECIPE:

Ingr:

Channa daal                                2 cups
(soaked for 2 hrs)
Onions                                         2
Ginger                                         1/2"
Garlic                                           5-6 flakes
Green chillies                             5
Red chillies                                3
Fennel seeds/pd                        2 tsp
Curry leaves chopped              1 tbsp
Coriander leaves chpd            

1 tbsp 
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
                              
Method:

1. Wash and soak channa daal for 2 hrs. Drain excess water and keep aside.
2. Take a tbsp of channa daal aside to be mixed later.
3. Grind remaining channa daal, red chillies, fennel seeds and salt coarsely (no water ).
4. Chop onion, ginger, garlic,gr chillies finely as shown above.
5. Mix all ingr. as shown adding the daal kept aside (lends crispiness to vada).
6. Make lemon sizes balls and let them dry for 10 - 15 mts.
7. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan. 
8. Make vadas by wetting the palm with water and patting each ball into round shape.
9. Deep fry on medium flame to golden brown on both sides.
10. Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.  

Note:

As the name itself suggests 'masala' , the spices can be added according to choice.  Some use cinnamon, cloves etc. 
Chillies can be adjusted as desired.
Onions make it tastier so use liberally.