Idli

Idli is a popular south-indian breakfast dish generally eaten with sambhar or coconut chutney. It is a soft and spongy steamed cake made by fermented batter of rice and udad dal. I am a big fan of south-indian food for the soul reason of it being not only tasty but at the same time very healthy if eaten in moderation.

Preparation time: 5 hrs soaking + 8 hrs fermenting
Steaming time: 10 min. + 5 min. resting
Cuisine: South-indian
Type: Breakfast

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cup idli rice
• 1 cup udad dal
• salt to taste
• water as needed

METHOD:

1. Wash thoroughly rice and udad dal seperately 3-4 times.
2. Soak atleast for 4-5 hrs.
3. Drain all the water and grind dal and rice seperately to a smooth batter adding a tbsp of water if needed.
4. Keep the batter at warm place to let it ferment for 8-10 hrs. till it is risen and doubled in quantity.
5. Add salt to taste to the portion of batter that you are going to steam.
6. Grease the idli stand with oil and take a ladleful of the batter and fill the idli mould till 3/4th only.
7. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a pressure cooker or idli steamer.
8. Put the batter-filled idli stand inside the cooker or steamer and cover the lid. Remove the pressure or vent if using cooker before steaming.
9. Steam on high flame for first 5 min. and then 5 min. more on medium flame.
10. Switch off the flame and remove the lid. Let the idli stand rest for 5 min. inside the steamer.
11. Remove the stand and scoop out the idlis using a spoon or knife.
12. Serve hot with sambhar or coconut chutney.

Note:

• Do not add salt to all the batter at once. The batter will get sour quickly instead add the required amount that you are going to steam.
• The batter should be of dropping consistency, neither thick nor runny. Adjust by adding water if needed a teaspoon at a time to get soft and spongy texture.

Lemon Rice

Lemon rice is a south-indian lemon flavored rice delicacy which is quite very handy to make. Its great to use leftover rice for this recipe and takes only 5 min. to prepare for kids lunch box. This can be accompanied with a variety of dishes like sambhar, rasam or coconut chutney.

Cooking time: 10 min.
Cuisine: South-indian
Type: Main-course
Serves: 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups cooked rice
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2tbsp oil
• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp split bengal gram (chana dal)
• 1 tbsp skinless split black gram (dhuli udad dal)
• 1 tbsp peanuts
• 1 tbsp cashew nut 
• 3-4 green chillies (slit)
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
2. Add chana dal and udad dal, fry for a min. till golden in colour.
3. Add peanuts and cook for 30 sec.
4. Next add, cashew nuts and fry for 10 sec. only.
5. Add green chillies and curry leaves followed by asafoetida.
6. Next add turmeric powder and salt to taste.
7. Immediately add cooked rice and mix well.
8. Finally add lemon juice and cook for a couple of min.
9. Serve hot alongwith rasam, sambhar, chutney of your choice. 

Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable fried rice is a quick and easy to make rice dish that goes along with so many indo-chinese dishes like manchurian, chilli paneer, chilli potatoes and many more. It is preferable to use a day old rice stored in refrigerator so that each rice grain remains seperated from each other. This can be made with numerous variety of vegetables which are available, the choice is endless. Its perfect for kids' lunch box and can be made in a jiffy early winter mornings with the leftover rice. I always make this with vegetable manchurian.

Preparation time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 5 min.

Type: Main-course

Cuisine: Indo-chinese

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice (boiled)
• 1 tsp garlic (grated)
• 1 tsp ginger (grated)
• 1 big spring onion (chopped)
• 1 tsp green chilli (chopped)
• 1/4 cup carrot (finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup green capsicum (finely chopped)
• 2 tsp green chilli sauce
• 1 tsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 1 tblsp oil
• 2 tblsp spring onion greens (chopped, to garnish)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add ginger and garlic, saute for few seconds.
2. Add spring onion and green chillies, saute for a min.
3. Next, add all the vegetables and cook for 2 min. on high flame.
4. Add chilli sauce and soya sauce.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Finally, add vinegar and garnish with onion greens.
7. Serve hot with vegetable manchurian.

Methi Matar Pulao

Fenugreek leaves and green pea rice is a very simple and nutritious lunch recipe. I was planning to make matar pulao but then fresh fenugreek leaves lying in my fridge prompted me to use them so i could not drop the idea and at once, i planned to use it alongwith green peas. When not in season, make with two tablespoons of dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) readily available in all grocery stores.

Preparation time:30 min.
Cooking time:20 min.
Cuisine: North-indian
Type: Main-course
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice (soaked for 1/2 hr)
• 3 tblsp oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green cardamom
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tblsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
• 1 cup onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup fresh fenugreek leaves (chopped)
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add whole spices and cumin seeds, cook till nice aroma of spices comes out.
2. Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and saute for 30 sec.
3. Add onions and cook till light golden in colour.
4. Next add fenugreek leaves and cook till the water released is completely absorbed.
5. Add green peas and rice and mix well.
6. Add 3 cups of water, cover and pressure cook till 1 whistle.
7. Serve hot with curd or pickle.

Mushroom pulao

Today, i am going to share a one pot meal recipe of mushroom pulao that tastes exactly like biryani. Unlike biryani it is easy to prepare and requires lesser time and is made in a pressure cooker. Since, i had my smart phone ready in the kitchen so i thought why not take step-by-step pictures of this simple yet delicious rice recipe.

Preparation: 15 min.
Cooking time: 20 min.
Type: Main-course
Cuisine: North-indian
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups button mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 cups rice (soaked for 30 min.)
• 2 cups onions (sliced)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 black cardamom
• 3-4 green cardamom
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 mace
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tblsp ginger-garlic-green chillies (crushed)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3 tblsp oil or ghee

Method:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add all the whole spices and cook till they release a nice aroma.
  

• Add, ginger-garlic-green chillies paste and saute for 1 minute.

• Add, onions and fry for 2 minutes.
  

• Add mushroom and cook till all the water evaporates and mushroom turn golden brown in colour.
  

• Add all the spices and mix well.

• Add rice and 2 cups of water, cover the lid and pressure cook till 1 whistle.
  

• Serve hot with green coriander chutney or any gravy dish.