Tag Archives: Rice

Recipes: Carrot Rice

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When you are tired of making the same old food every day and you wish to try something new, this recipe is something you can make. This is exactly what happened the day I made Carrot Rice. We were bored of the same food day in and day out and so I decided to make this dish my mum used to make when we were in school.

This is a very easy dish to make and makes a great addition to your lunchbox or even to your little one’s school lunchbox. It’s very easy to make and hardly takes anytime in the morning when you are rushing to get everyone out of the house on time!

Carrot Rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 cup rice, cooked and cooled completely
  • 1 green chilli, chopped
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • a handful of chopped cashew nuts
  • a handful of raisins
  •  1-2 tsp lemon juice
  • Salt to taste
  • coriander leaves to garnish
  • 1 tbsp Ghee or oil

Method:

  • When the rice is cooked, fluff it a bit and then let it cool completely.
  • In a pan, heat the ghee or oil and add the mustard seeds.
  • When the seeds pop, add the asafoetida and the chopped chillies and let them cook for a while till the chilli becomes crisp.
  • Add the chopped cashew nuts and let them brown.
  • Next, add the raisins and let them plump out.
  • Now add the carrots and salt and cook for a couple of minutes. You don’t want the carrot to cook too much, but retain some crispness.
  • Switch off the gas and add the lemon juice according to taste.
  • Stir well and then add the rice and mix well so that the carrots are completely mixed into the rice.
  • Check for seasoning and then garnish with coriander leaves and serve with a raita, yoghurt or even some chips or crisps.

Recipe: Moong Dal Khichdi

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Moong Dal Khichdi 3This is one of BB’s favourite dishes. I too like to make this because this is a fairly easy dish to make and since it’s a one pot dish, you don’t have many dishes to wash post cooking. This is also good to make ahead and just cook it when you need to eat. It is also very versatile as you can play around with the ingredients, especially the vegetables.

Moong Dal Khichdi 4Moong Dal Khichdi

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup basmati rice, soaked in water for 20-30 minutes
  • 1/2 cup yellow split moong dal, soaked in water for 20-30 minutes
  • 1/2 cup raw peanuts, soaked in hot water for 20-30 minutes
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 tomato, chopped finely
  • 1/2 carrot, cut into 1 inch strips
  • 1 potato, cut into 1 inch strips
  • 1/2 cup frozen green peas
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp grated garlic
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds

Method:

  • Once the rice and dal have been soaked for 20-30 minutes, drain them and keep aside.
  • Drain the peanuts and keep aside.
  • In a pan, heat the oil and saute the cumin and fennel seeds. When they pop, add the garlic and saute for a few seconds and then the ginger and saute for a few seconds.
  • Now add the sliced onions and let it brown. Once the onions start browning and start to become translucent, add the other vegetables one by one.
  • Now add all the dry spices – red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt and saute for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the peanuts and let it cook for a few minutes and then the dal, followed by the rice, stirring in-between.
  • Transfer this mixture to a rice cooker and add 1.5 cups of water and cook till done.
  • If you are cooking this on the stove top, keep an eye on the water levels and add more water, if needed to cook the rice and dal to the consistency you like.

Moong Dal Khichdi 2This is a complete meal in itself with carbs from the rice, protein from the dal and fibre from the vegetables.

You can add other vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, beans etc to increase the nutritive value of the meal as well as if you are planning to make for more people. The above recipe was perfect for a single meal for four adults.

This can be served with crisps or chips and a raita of your choice.

Moong Dal Khichdi 1

Recipes: Caramelised Onion Pulao

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caramelised-onion-pulao-3

Over the Chinese New Year long weekend, suddenly S’ aunt and uncle said they would be coming to meet us. So we invited them to lunch instead. Since this was literally a last minute invite, I did not have any time to plan a meal and also since the shops were closed for the new year, I could not top up any groceries. So I made a meal with what I had at home. I made this Caramelised Onion Pulao which is inspired by a Sindhi rice dish I’ve eaten at my neighbour’s house in Mumbai called Bugha Chaanwara. I served this with a classic Sindhi Kadhi and some raita. A simple, but very satisfying meal.

caramelised-onion-pulao-1Caramelised Onion Pulao

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 20 minutes and drained
  • 3 onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 4-5 cardamom pods
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsps ghee or oil
  • a handful of cashew nuts
  • 2 cups water

Method:

  • In a pan, heat the ghee or oil and when warm, add the onions and stir them to brown them.
  • Keep stirring and make sure they brown but do not burn. Stir them until they caramelise and become crisp.
  • Move the onions to the side of the pan and in the balance ghee or oil, add the cashewnuts and let them brown.
  • Next, add the cumin seeds and stir for a few seconds followed by the cardamom pods and cloves.
  • Now add the drained rice and salt to taste and stir well till the rice is completely mixed with the onions
  • Move this mixture to a rice cooker, add water and cook till done.
  • If you are cooking this on the stovetop, add water and check periodically till the rice is completely cooked.
  • The end result is a slightly brown and sweet rice which goes with any gravy.

caramelised-onion-pulao-2

 

Recipe: Pineapple Fried Rice

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The other day S brought a whole peeled pineapple to eat. We ate around a third of it and then I was left wondering what to do with the rest of the pineapple. I usually make a pineapple onion raita with pineapple, but thought I should do something different with it. I then tried this pseudo-Thai Pineapple Rice and it was yum!

This pineapple rice is inspired by the Thai one but is Indianised as I am wont to usually do. I also tried to make it slightly healthier without the addition of any coconut milk.

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Pineapple Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes, then drained completely and kept aside
  • 1 onion, chopped finely
  • ½ cup of pineapple chunks chopped into medium sized pieces
  • 2 tbsps raw peanuts
  • 2 tbsps cashew nuts
  • 1 green chilli, chopped into smallish slices
  • 1-inch piece ginger julienned
  • 1 tsp garlic paste or finely minced garlic
  • ½ carrot chopped into small pieces
  • 2 tbsps frozen sweet corn
  • 2 tbsps frozen green peas
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil
  • Coriander leaves and chopped green onions to garnish

Method:

  • Cook the basmati rice and when cooked, spread it on a large plate and cool completely.
  • In a pan heat the oil and when the oil warms up, add the garlic paste and ginger juliennes and stir for a couple of seconds. Then add the green chillies and let them cook for a few seconds.
  • Now add the raw peanuts and cashew nuts and let them brown.
  • Add the onion and let the onions cook till they become translucent.
  • When translucent, add the carrots, green peas and corn and let it cook.
  • Now add the pineapple chunks and let the pineapple slightly caramelised.
  • Add salt to taste and let it all cook for a few minutes.
  • Switch off the flame and add the rice and mix well.
  • Check for seasoning and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and chopped green onions.

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Recipe: Vegetable Pulao

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IMG_6049An easy one-pot meal, this pulao can be put together when you are in a hurry. This is the perfect meal for a bachelor to make as it does not need many utensils as well as a lot of skills to make it.

This also makes a perfect school or work packed lunch. You can also prep this the night before and if you are using a rice cooker, keep it in the cooker to cook overnight. Then in the morning, you have fresh pulao all ready for you before you leave for school or work!

Vegetable Pulao

IMG_6047Ingredients:

  • 1 cup basmati rice, washed and soaked for 15 minutes
  • 1 cup chopped mixed vegetables (I used potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green peas and sweet corn)
  • 2-3 tablespoons frozen paneer refreshed in hot water for 10 minutes
  • 1 onion, sliced thinly
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4-5 cloves of cardamom
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1-star anise
  • 10-15 cashew nuts, chopped
  • 2 tsp golden raisins
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 1-inch piece of ginger julienned
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp ghee

Method:

  • Wash the rice well and remove all the water and keep aside.
  • Heat a pan and when it is warm, add the ghee. When the ghee liquefied, add the cumin seeds and when the seeds pop, add the bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and star anise. Stir each for a few seconds before adding the next ingredient.
  • Add the green chillies and ginger and stir well.
  • Add the cashew nuts and the raisins and stir for a few seconds.
  • Next add the onions and stir, letting it become translucent.
  • Next, add the chopped vegetables and stir well. Add the washed and drained rice next along with the salt and stir well, letting the salt coat the rice grains and vegetables.
  • Remove from the flame and put this mixture into a rice cooker and add the water (normally I add ¾ cup water to 1 cup of Basmati rice, but you can play with it depending on the rice you use)
  • When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and serve with any gravy or a raita.

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