[Recipe] Tawa pulao

Last evening while out walking, suddenly it hit me.. I knew what I was going to make for lunch today [monday]. I quickly walked across towards More supermarket and bought what I needed. I had seen and tasted this dish at Spoonbill when Kamalika made it, so there was no confusion on the process. What was I making? Tawa Pulao ofcourse :D

Here is what you need:-
1 cup Rice 1 tbsp – Oil 1/2 tsp – Cumin seeds 1/4 Onion chopped 1 Garlic pod 1 cup Mixed vegetables - Yellow capsicum, red capsicum, baby corn - all chopped into chunks 2 tsp – Pav bhaji masala 1/2tsp - curry powder Salt- to taste Mint leaves/coriander leaves Water to cook the rice and boil baby corn
Other Options for vegetables: Peas, cauliflower, paneer, and just about anything you can think of.

The process:
1. Take a pressure cooker and cook the rice [1cup rice =3 cups water- 4 whistles]- turn off stove and set aside I placed the baby corn in a plate along with the rice and cooked it. 2. In a pan, add oil, jeera, garlic and onion. Once sauted, add remaining vegetables and the masala powder & curry powder. Let it cook till the raw smell of masala goes away. Add required amount of salt and let it cook. 3. Add the cooked baby corn to this and saute for a minute. Now add the rice and spread it amidst the veg mix and cook for 2-3 minutes till it evenly mixes.
Voila.. Serve with curd, pappad or onion raita. I had it with boiled beetroot and curd.

PS: Am using pictures taken at Spoonbill because today I forgot to take pictures as hunger had taken over my brain.. :-)

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Serves: 2

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Recipe- Zucchini & Broccoli Rice with Corn

I was home alone and that meant I could go woohoo and cook whatever I wanted.. No maid No cook, rather neither had showed up that day. For some it might have a moment of panic but not for me. It was such a liberating feeling, to know that the house was all mine..

Opened the fridge, rummaged through what was in it and found the bag of goodies- zucchini, broccoli, and one big corn.. That was all I needed.

The Rice-
1cup rice (I used normal rice but you can use Basmati rice)
1/4 zucchini chopped up
1/2 broccoli cut into florets
1 tomato
2 cloves
2 cardamom
1 small stick of cinnamon
1/2 green chilli ( this one was big)
Butter- 1tsp
Salt to taste

How:
1. In a pan dry roast the spices and tart them aside
2.add a wee bit of butter and fry the green chilli
3. In a rice cooker add all the ingredients and allow to cook
4. In about 25-30 mins the rice is ready

Options- you can add herbs/ garam masala/onion- garlic and just about anything else to the rice..

The Corn-
Quite simple- I broke the corn in half, added a bit of turmeric powder and salt and let it cook in the pressure cooker for a food 20 mins

Lunch was served and it was delicious!!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Pudina Peas Pulao with Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy

Today, i bring to you flavours from our home kitchen :)

It was nearly midnight and i was sitting in grandparents room having random conversations while flipping through Good Housekeeping magazine. The last few pages had a bunch of recipes and i was randomly reading out the Vegetarian ones. The last recipe was "Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy".. Read it out loud, we deliberated on how it would taste, what it would go well with, etc etc...

The next day was Monday, i was all set to attack the day early on, and went over to gramma who was in the pooja room.. The conversation went something like this-

Me: Aarthimma, so whats the plan for lunch?
A'mma- Something interesting.... Are there veggies at home?
Me: yes, there are a whole bunch of veggies.. There is also spinach wilting away
A'mma: Can we make what you read out last night? Maybe have that with Chappatis?
Me: Sure thing...

Few mins passed.... it was 11am, i was prepping up for lunch, when she came into kitchen and said "Dont think we can make Chappati for all for lunch, lets make rice instead, what say?"
Me: ok, whatever you say aarthimma :)
[my head had started to play around with ingredients available at home]... Thus was born a YUMMMY lunch...

Pudina Peas Pulao

2 cups Basmati rice
2 tbsp Pudina paste[ i had made a paste of pudina leaves few days ahead, which was sitting pretty in the freezer]
2 green chillies
100 gms fresh peas
3-4 cloves
3-4 cardomom
2- cinnamon sticks
small bunch of fresh pudina leaves [for that zing]
Ghee or oil
Salt to taste
 
Method:
In a pan, saute the spices without any ghee or oil.
Add ghee or oil, saute the Green chillies for a few mins
To this, add fresh pudina leaves and the paste and slightly let them warm up...

In the Rice cooker-
Pour the required amount of water
Add the spices, green chillies, and pudina paste+leaves
Add the peas
Add salt
Add a spoon of ghee or butter [optional]
Shut the lid and allow it to cook...Stir occasionally so the spices, peas and rice mix well..

Voila, in about 25-30mins, the Pulao is ready....

Spinach Kofta in Tomato Gravy
2 bunches Spinach leaves [ chopped up roughly]
Water [to cook spinach in]
Cheese [ about 2-3 tbsp]- i used Kraft Pepper flavoured cheese[the only one i found at home]
Cornflour- 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:
Boil and cook the spinach with very little water
Drain off water, and roughly blend it in a processor or with a spoon
Drain excess water and set aside
To this, add the shredded cheese and Cornflour
Add salt and mix all the ingredients well
if you feel it is wet, add more cornflour or maybe a boiled potato

Make sure the oil is hot in the Pan
Add the Spinach kofta gently and allow to get golden brown
Drain off excess oil, and place them on tissue

Tomato Gravy:
4 Tomatoes[ chopped and cooked to a pulp/puree]
Ginger
Salt to taste
1tsp Cumin Seeds [jeera]
1tsp Cumin Powder
1tsp Coriander Powder
a pinch of Turmeric Powder
Oil

Other optional ingredients*
3 Onion
4-5 cloves of Garlic
1 tbsp Coconut/Cashew paste[ optional]
*- I dint use these are grandparents dont eat onions or garlic

Method
In a pan, add wee bit of oil, and put in all the ingredients.
Allow it to cook for a few mins till all flavours blend in well.

Finale-
Now, put the Kofta into the gravy gently and allow it to come to a boil...

Bon Appetit!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad