Zaika - e - Basmati - Khaas

I throughly enjoyed Master chef aired in Star plus.My fav contanstant were Zebi Zubair and Radhika.I thought these two ladies will be in the finals,but two didnt come to finals.Radhika just missed it and zebi got elimated before semi finals.I liked all the dishes cooked by Zebi Zubair.Few days back i tried her Zaika-e-basmati-khaas (actually it was a team effort).

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice 3 cups
Green Cardamom 3

Black Cardamom 4

Black Peppercorns 4
Salt to taste

Curd 1/2 cup

Amul Butter 1 tbspCumin seeds 1tsp

French Beans (boiled and finely chopped) 1tbsp

Cauliflower stem (boiled and finely chopped) 1 cup

Cabbage 1/2 cup chopped finely

Carrot chopped finely 1 cup

Cornflour 2 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste 2 tspRed chilli powder 1tspOil for deep frying

Onion (finely sliced) 1

Mint leaves (shredded) 10 nos

Method:
For Koftas

Mix together corn flour with cabbage,carrot,beans,cauliflower,ginger garlic paste,red chilly powder and salt.Mix throughly and shape into koftas.Heat oil and deep fry koftas.Take them on a tissue and keep aside.

In the same oil fry onions and keep aside.

In a deep pan, boil 1½ cups of water with green cardamom, black cardamom and peppercorns for 5-7 minutes. Add salt, boil for two more minutes and keep aside.
In a bowl, whisk the curd with an equal amount of water.
In a deep vessel, heat butter and add cumin seeds. When cumin crackles, add spice water and curd water and bring to a boil. Mix in rice and some more salt if required. Boil the rice on a high flame and when rice is just undercooked, reduce the flame, cover the vessel and cook till done.

Serve the koftas on a bed of the prepared rice, sprinkled over with fried onions and mint leaves.

Murg Pulao

This is another recipe from Nita mehta Microwave cooking book.I have blogged about chicken biryani before and this one is quite different to what i have blogged and it is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients:-

Basmati Rice 1 cup

Chicken cut into pcs 1 cup

Salt as per taste

Turmeric powder 1/2tsp

Red chillies dried 3

Onions chopped 2

Ginger chopped 2tsp

Garlic 12-14 flakes

Cumin seeds 1tsp

Fennel seeds 2tsp

Cinnamon 1’’stick

Black cardamom 2

Cloves 3

Pepper 8

Method:-

Soak rice in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes.For the paste grind all the ingredients together,using some water.

Mix chicken and the prepared paste in a big micro proof dih.Cover and microwave for 3 minutes.

Add rice along with the water.Add salt and haldi.Cover and microwave for 13 minutes.

Separate the grains with a fork.Serve after 5 minutes.

Veg Pulao --- Microwave

Last month i was very busy with the kids exams and other things,didn't find time to write her.Was writing in my other blog but didn't right here.It is not that i neglected or i lost interest but i felt i should take a break.Now back from my break in this new year.The recipe i am writing today is from Nita Metha's Microwave cooking.I have posted Veg pulao recipe here and here before but this is different compared to both because of the different ingredients i used.As such the previous both are also different.Here goes the recipe of Nita Mehta...

Ingredients:-

Basmati rice 1 cup

Ginger garlic paste 1 1/2 tsp

Cauliflower florets 1/2 cup

Potato 2 cut into 1/2" pieces

Carrots 2 cut into pieces

Green peas 1 cup

Panner cubes 10

Turmeric powder 1/4tsp

Red chilly powder 1/2tsp

Salt to taste

Mint leaves few

Lemon juice 1 tsp

Oil 2tbsp

SPICE BAG (crush the spices lightly)

Pepper 10

Fennel seeds 2 tsp

Green cardamoms 3-4

Black cardamoms 3-4

Cloves 2

Cinnamon 2 sticks

Method:-

Soak rice in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes. Tie the ingredients of the spice bag in a piece of muslin cloth.

In a broad micro proof dish, put oil, ginger and garlic paste, cauliflower, panner, potato, carrots and peas. Microwave for 3 minutes.

Add the soaked rice. Add haldi, red chilly powder and salt. Add the spice bag. Microwave covered for 6 minutes.

Add mint leaves and lemon juice. Stir gently with a fork. Cover and microwave for 7 minutes. Wait for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Remove spice bad. Serve hot.

Sprouty Peanut tomato Rice -- In microwave

Ingredients:-

Rice 1 cup (soaked for 1/2 hr)
Moong sprouts 1/2 cup
Carrot finely chopped 1/2 cup
French beans chopped 1/2 cup
Peanuts 3 tbsp 
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Onion sliced 1
Tomota paste of 1 tomato
A pinch of turmeric
Garam masala 1/2tsp
Garlic paste 1/2 tsp

Method:-

Wash rice and soak it in 2 cups of water for 1/2hr
In a microwave safe dish add oil,peanuts,cumin and chopped onions..Microwave for 5 mintues on high (100% power)
Add haldi,salt and garam masala.Mix well.Add sprouts,carrot,beans and tomato paste.Microwave for 3 minutes.
Add rice alone with the water to the tomato masala.Mix well .Microwave covered for 12 minutes.Allow to stand for 3 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.Serve hot.

Corn and Cauliflower Pulao

Now its the season of corn.Almost very thursday my mom gets corns from the weekly market.I have done quiet of few dishes out of corn and please don't get bored of seeing my corn post.

Ingredients:-

Corn 1 cup (boiled)
Cauliflower florets 1 cup

Rice (cooked) 3 cups
Onions chopped
Green chillies 2 silted
Salt as per taste
Oil 4 tbsp
Cinammon 1/4'' pc
Cloves 2
Black cardamom 1
Small cardamom 1
Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder 1 tbsp

Method:-

Soak cauliflower florets in warm water for 5 minutes and drain it.Keep aside until use.

Cook rice with a tsp of oil.Keep aside.

Take oil in a kadai,add all the masalas.Let them splutter.Than add onions and green chillies.

Saute till onions change colour to brown.

Add corn and cauliflower florets.Saute for a while.

Than add salt.Cover and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Add garam masala powder and mix well.

Lastly add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly but be careful or else rice will get mashed up.

Serve hot with any curry of your choice.

Sesame Rice

Ingredients:-

Rice (cooked)
Green chillis 2
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Channa dal 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies 2-3
Coriander seeds 1 tbsp
Sesame seeds 1/4 cup (dry roast the seeds in a pan for a few minutes on medium heat tossing them around and make a coarse powder)
Oil 3 tbsp
salt to taste

Method:-

Dry roast coriander and red chillies and make powder.

Heat oil,add mustard,channa dal and curry leaves.Fry channa dal till light brown in colour.
Add coriander and red chilly powder,saute for a minute.Then add sesame seed powder.
Saute for another minute.Then lastly add cooked rice and combine well.
Serve hot with any side dish of your choice or just with a papad.

Palak Panner Rice

Ingredients:-

Rice 1 cup

Spinach (palak) 1/2 cup

Panner cubes 1/4 cup

Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Onions 1 chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Oil 2 tbsp

Method:-

Soak rice for 1 hour.
Heat oil,add panner pcs and fry till golden brown in colour.Remove and keep aside.
In the same oil,add zeera,onions and green chillies.Saute till onions are fried.
Once onions are fried,add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of ginger goes off.
Then add chopped spinach.
Fry for 4-5 minutes.Add salt and the soaked rice.
Saute till the rice is little dry.Add enough water and cook on a low heat.
Once the rice is done,add the fried panner pcs and mix gently.
Serve hot with any raita,as a side dish/curry is not required for this rice.

Note:-Amount of water depends on the rice used.I used basmati rice and i added 1 1/2 glass of water for 1 glass of rice.

 

Hariyali Pulao

Here in UAE we get only one telugu channel.Back home when i went last saw many telugu channels airing cooking programs.I hardly used to watch Gemini and that is the only channel which i am forced to watch here.Every day at 10.30 local time they air a cooking program.I always jot down the recipes and do them on fridays.Last friday i did this pulao.This pulao is a mixture of mint and coriender leaves along with sabut masala.I served it with dhaniya chicken and mint raita.

Here goes the recipe:-

Ingredients:-

Basmati rice

Onions chopped 1

Potatoes chopped 2

Green chillies silted 2

Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp

Shahi zeera 1 tsp

Bay leaves 2

Japatri

Elachi big 1

Cinammon 1'' pc

Cloves 3

Oil 2 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Make a paste of the below ingredients:-

Pudina/mint fresh 1 cup

Coriender leaves fres 1/2 cup

Method:-

Heat oil,add all the sabut garam masala.Fry till you get the nice aroma.

Add onions and green chillies.Fry till onion are pink in colour.

Add pudina and coriender paste.Saute till oil comes out.

Then add washed and drained rice.Mix thoroughly.

Add 1 1/2 glass water and salt as per taste.When water starts boiling add rice.

When rice starts dancing put the flame in medium and cover the vessel.

Check for the water,if you find water is less,add hot water to the rice.

When cooked,leave if for 5 mintues before serving.Serve it your choice of curry and raita.

Can find mint raita here

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:-

1 1/2 cup rice

1 Fresh Coconut

1 tbsp black gram dal

1 tbsp bengal gram dal

3 Green chillies

3 Red chillies

10 Cashewnuts

1 tbsp Mustard seeds

3 tbsp Oil

Pinch of Asafoetida (hing)

A few springs of curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method:-

Wash rice and cook with 11/2 cup water in pressure cooker.Spread the cooked rice on a plate and allow it to cool.

Grate coconut and break the red chillies into tiny bits.

Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds,whey they splutter add green chillies,hing,black gram,bengal gram and cashewnuts.

Saute till the cashewnuts turn golden brown.Add curry leaves,saute for a couple of minutes and remove from fire.

Add the above seasoning to the rice.

Again take 1 tbsp of oil,when hot add grated coconut and saute till light brown colour.Add rice and salt.Mix well and serve hot.

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients:-

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

1/2 cup carrot chopped and boiled

2 potatoes boiled and cubed

1/2 cup green peas boiled

1 Onion sliced

Tomato ketchup 3 tbsp

3 tbsp oil/ghee

Salt to taste

Method:-

Cook rice and keep aside.

Heat oil in a big vessel.Fry onions till golden brown colour and remove from oil and keep aside.

Add vegetables to the oil.Saute for a minute,then add cooked rice,tomato ketchup and salt to taste.

Mix well and sprinkle fried onions.Serve it with curry of your choice.

Carrot and Peas Pulao

This is the simplies pulao i have ever done.It calls for very few ingredients.

Ingredients:-

Rice 2 cups

Fresh peas boiled 1 cup

Carrot chopped and boiled 1 cup

Cumin seeds 1 tbsp

Oil 1-2tbsp

Salt as per taste

Method:-

Soak rice for 10 minutes.

Cook rice and keep aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and saute the cumin seeds until they crackle.

Add the boiled peas,carrot and salt.Stir fry for a few minutes.

Gently fold the cooked rice into the peas and carrot.Serve hot with curry of your choice.

PS:-I have used basmati rice as i don't get the rice we eat in india.Any rice can be used in place of basmati

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:-

Rice 500 gms

Egg 3

Carrot chopped 1 cup

Beans chopped 1 cup

Peas 1/2 cup

Spring onions chopped 1 cup

Fresh corn 1/2 cup

Black pepper 1/4 tbsp

Ajinimotto pinch

Ginger chopped 1/2 tbsp

Garlic chopped 1/2 tbsp

Soya sauce 1 tbsp

Oil 3 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Method:-

Cook rice with 1tbsp of oil.

Heat oil in a pan add ginger and garlic pieces.Saute till brown in colour.

Add vegetables and stir fry for 2-3 min on high until veggies are half cooked and crispy.Remove from pan and keep aside

In another pan add 1 tbsp of oil and add three eggs.Scramble the eggs.

Now add soya sauce and ajinimoto.Cook for 2 min, add salt.Then add the fried veggies.

Then add rice and mix thoroughly and lastly add chopped spring onions and pepper powder.Mix throughly

Serve it with hot chilly sauce or tomato sauce.The left over rice can also be used.

PS:-Salt has to be adjusted according to once taste.

Chicken biryani

I have blogged about biryani before here.This is another type of biryani which i make quite often and this biryani calls for more ingredients.



Ingredients:-

Basmati Rice 1 kg (soaked for 30 minutes)

For marination

Chicken 1/2 kg
Fried Onions 2
Green chillies 3
Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
Curd 1 cup
Cloves 2
Cinnamon small pc 2
Mace/Javithri 2 pcs
Green cardamom 2
Black cardamom 2
Bay leaves 2
Pepper 10 (whole)
Shahi zeera/black cumin 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Red chilly powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Juice of 1 lime
Coriander leaves few
Mint leaves few
Salt as per taste
Oil 6-7 tbsp

Marinate all the above for atleast an hour.I usually keep the marination for a night and make biryani the following day.

Method:-

Take the marinated chicken in a deep and heavy bottom vessel.Press the chicken with spatula so that is even.Keep side.

Drain the soaked rice and keep aside.

Take 5 cups of water in a bowl.Put it on fire and add 2 tbsp oil and salt.Check the taste of water,if it is salty then the amount of salt added is right.

When water reaches boiling point,add the drained rice.

This is where care has to be taken that rice is not fully cooked.The rice for biryani should be half cooked.When the grains in the water start dancing check the rice.When the grain in taken between thumb and the second finger,if the grain is crushed then the rice is half cooked.Take the rice in a sieve and drain all the water.

Now spread rice on the top of chicken marination.Sprinkle fried onions,mint and coriander leaves.Lastly sprinkle saffron water.Food colour can be replaced with saffron.

Cover the vessel with a clean wet kitchen towel and place a tight lid over it.The steam should not escape.

Cook on high flame for 5 minutes and then on a low flame for 25 minutes.Don't open immediately,let is set for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve with mirch ka salan and raita of your choice.

My girl is getting impatient with my photo session.

PS:-The quantity of masala i have taken are according to our taste,if you want the biryani to be more spicy,masala can be increased.The masala i used are according to the taste buds of a 5 year old and 2 1/2 year old kid.

PS:-To get cripsy onions,sprinkle 1 tbsp of cornflour/rice flour to the sliced onions just before frying.

PS:-I added my recipe list to my blog

Bisi Bele Bath

Ingredients:-

Rice 1 cup

Toor Dal 3/4 cup

Mixed Vegetables (onions, potatoes, peas, beans,brinjal and corn) 2 cups
Tamarind 2 tsp
Water. For 1 cup of rice i took 2 1/2 cup of water

Soak rice and dal for one hour.

Masala:-

Coconut (fresh) grated 1/2 cup

Sambar Powder 2 tbsp
Coriander Seeds 2 tbsp
Cinnamon 1''
Cloves 3-4 cloves
Cardamom 2-3
Asafoetida a pinch
Curry leaves few

Make a smooth paste of the above ingredients.

Seasoning:-

Oil 4 tbsp
Red Chillies 2
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Curry Leaves few
Turmeric a pinch
Asafoetida a pinch

Method:

Take oil in the cooker.Add all the seasonings.When they splatter add all the vegetables.

Saute for 4-5 minutes.Then add the grounded masala and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Then add tamarind paste and salt as per taste.

After 4-5 minutes add soaked rice and dal.

Mix throughly and add water.

Pressure cook for 4 whistles (Whistles depends on the cooker used,i used hawkins)

Serve with raitha and chips.

Recipe source:- Mysoorean

Happy Dussehra and its delicacies

Happy Vijaydashmi to friends and the readers.I miss the festival atmosphere back home and i dont feel like doing it here but as my kids are small i want them to know what is a festival,what we do on that day,what parasadams we offer to the god and goddess.I remember this day my dad used to do puja for his scooter and mom's tvs and put a big marigold garlands on the both the vehicle.Inspite of having a car here we can't do puja for the car.I made vada,nimakaya pulihora (lemon rice) and booralu.Before the festival day i made murukulu and kajikayalu.Vada/Garelu recipe is here,Borralu/purnalu recipe is here

Nimakaya Pulihora (Lemon rice)

Ingredients:-

Rice 2 cups
Salt as per taste
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Juice of 2 lemon

For seasoning

Channa dal few
Udat dal few
Rai few
Red chilly 2
Curry leaves few
Peanuts
Salt as per taste
Asafoetida

Oil 5 tbsp

Method:-

Cook rice.Add turmeric powder and mix thoroughly.
Heat oil,fry peanuts and keep aside.

In the same oil add all the seasoning and when they splutter,add it to the cooked rice.
Add peanuts,salt and mix thoroughly.Lastly add lemon juice slowly to the rice and mix properly.

Kajjikayalu and murukulu recipe will follow in my next post.

Panner Pulao (cottage cheese pulao)

Ingredients:-

Basmati rice 1 1/2 cup

Panner A big block

Red chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp

Corn flour 2 tsp

Oil 1 tbsp + oil for deep frying

Cinnamon powder 2 tsp

Green cardamoms 4

Black cardamoms 2

Cloves 4

Bay leaves 4

Onions sliced 3 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste 3 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Milk 4 tbsp

Juice of half of lemon

Method:-

1.Soak rice in water for 30 minutes.

2.Mash panner.Add salt,red chilli powder and cornflour.Mix well and make small balls of the mixture.Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the panner balls to a light brown colour.Remove and keep aside.

3.Heat oil in a pan.Add the whole spices and saute till they crackle.Add sliced onions and stir fry in golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste dissolved in water.

4.Add salt,juice of half lemon and sufficient water.

5.When water starts boiling add rice and cook on a medium heat,stirring occasionally.

6.When the water is reduced to the level of the rice,sprinkle milk on the top.Cover with wet cloth and cook on a low heat until the rice is well cooked.

7.Remove from heat and serve hot,garnished with fried cottage cheese balls.

PS:-Quantity of water depends on the rice,i took 1 1/2 cup water for 1 cup of rice.

Recipe source:- Curries & Rice

Coriander Rice / Kothimeera Annam--- Microwave

Ingredients:-

Rice 2 cups (soaked for one hour)

Coriander a big bunch (washed and chopped)

Green chillies 4

Fresh coconut 4 tbsp (grated)

Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Tomatoes 2 (chopped)

Cloves 6

Green cardamoms 3

Cinnamon 1 inch pc

Bay leaf 2

Salt as per taste

Oil 2 tbsp

Method:-

* Take 1 tsp oil in Microwave save dish and add the chopped coriander and green chillis and micro high for 2 minutes or until the rawness dries.

*Remove from Microwave and cool.Grind the fried coriander and green chillis along with coconut,ginger garlic paste.

*Take the remaining oil in a Microwave safe bowl and add the whole spices and fry for a few seconds.Now add the ground coriander paste and fry for 3 minutes and then add the chopped tomatoes microwave high of another 2-3 minutes.

*Add the above mixture to the soaked rice, add water and microwave high for 10 minutes.

*Serve it with chicken or just with raita.

PS:I used 1 1/2 cup water to 1 cup rice and the proportion of water depends on the rice.

Recipe source:-Sailu's food

Event participation:- Microwave easy cooking by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all Seasons

Aloo bhat (Potato rice) and Samiya Payasam-- Microwave

Aloo Bath

Ingredients:-

Potatoes 1/2 kg

Basmati rice 1/2 kg

Coconut 6 tbsp (fresh grated)

Green chillies 4

Onion 1 big

Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Coriander 1 tbsp

Clove 3

Cinnamon 1 inch pc

Cardamom 3

Bay leaf little

Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil 4 tbsp

Method:-

Cut potatoes into big pieces and soak in the water till use.

Soak rice for 1/2 hour

Make a fine paste of coconut,coriander,Cinnamon and cardamom.

Take 4 tbsp of oil in the microwave safe bowl.Keep in the microwave for 30 secs.

Add onions , green chillies and bay leaf microwave high on 2 min.

Add the grounded masala and ginger garlic paste microwave high for 2 minutes.

Then add potatoes and salt and mix thoroughly and microwave high for 4 minutes or until potatoes are roasted slightly.

Add soaked rice and water.Microwave high for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked.I used 1 1/2 cup water for 1 cup of rice.

****

Semiya payasam

Ingredients:-

Vermicelli 1 cup

Milk 3 cups

Sugar 1 cup (can be adjusted according to the taste)

Cardamom 1 (crushed)

Cashew and raisins few

Ghee 2 tbsp



Method:-

Take ghee in a microwave safe bowl and add vermicelli and microwave high for 2 minutes or until the vermicelli is little brown in colour.

Remove vermicelli from the bowl and add cashew and raisins,microwave high for 1 minute

Remove cashew and raisins and add milk and microwave high for 10 minutes.Now the milk will be reduced to half.

Add the roasted vermicelli and sugar.Mix thoroughly and microwave high for 5-6 minutes or until the vermicelli is soft.

Lastly add cardamom,cashew and raisins and mix thoroughly and serve hot.

These dishes are going to the pot luck party -- Microwave easy cooking event by srivalli of cooking 4 all seasons.

Sausages Rice

Ingredients:-

Rice 500 gms

Chicken Sausages 3

Carrot chopped 1 cup

Beans chopped 1 cup

Peas 1/2 cup

Fresh corn 1/2 cup

Black pepper 1/4 tbsp

Ajinimotto pinch

Ginger chopped 1/2 tbsp

Garlic chopped 1/2 tbsp

Soya sauce 1 tbsp

Oil 3 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Method:-

*Cook rice with 1tbsp of oil.

*Cut Chicken sausages into thin pieces and fry it in little oil and keep aside.

*Heat oil in a pan add ginger and garlic pieces.

*Add vegetables and stir fry for 2-3 min on high until veggies are cooked.

*Now add soya sauce and ajinimoto.

*Cook for 2 min, add salt.Then add rice and fried sausages.A

*Mix thoroughly,sprinkle pepper powder.

Serve hot with tomato sauce.Spring onions can also be used.I didn't use it because my kids dislike it.This is just a simple veg fried rice to which i added sausages.

Egg Fried Rice

Ingredients:-

Basmati rice 500gms

Eggs 3

Onions 1

Green chillies 2

Ginger 1"piece

Cinnamon 1

Clove 2

Bay leaf 1

Pepper powder 1 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Oil 4 tbsp

Preparation:-

1. Beat egg and add pepper.Make a big omelet and cut it into small pieces.
2. Heat oil,add all the masala.Saute till they are fried.
3. Add onions,ginger and green chillies.Saute till they are pink in colour.
4. Now add rice to the above mixture and mix thoroughly.
5. Microwave high for 15-17 minutes.The cooking time depends on the microwave watts.