Simple Rice Pilaf

It has been long since I have posted something close to a recipe on my blog , well busy life takes a toll on you never the less my 3 and 1/2 year old blog has started to hyperventilate getting near on to its last breath and so in desperate need to revive it I decided to post, the other very valid reason is that this was my weekend off no plans ahead so just lazing on the couch like a potato I decided to put this time to good use visit my blog world and seeing all the excellent recipes & updates that my fellow blogger's were up to inspired me to get in action .

So here's is a very simple dish

Rice pulao or like the western world calls it rice pilaf , name it either ways this dish is a great combo with any gravy dish.

What u need to make this dish:

Rice -2 cups

frozen or fresh peas -1/3 cup

cub size cut up carrot -1/3cup

ghee-1 tablespoon

bay leaves-4

cardamon-4

cinnamon stick -2 inch length

whole black pepper-1 teaspoon

salt to taste

lemon juice-1 teaspoon

water -4 cups

Heat a thick pot /pan ,add the ghee which can be also substituted with oil too as per taste and preferences of the individual . Add the whole spices to the ghee toss around till a smoky aroma comes, add the carrots and peas cook for 10 mins on medium flame .

Then add the cleaned rice to this stir till the rice is pearly white at least another 5 mins .

Add hot water to this mix gently stirring usually the water should be twice the quantity of the rice .

When the rice starts boiling add the lemon juice and salt cover for 15 -20 mins till the rice is fully cooked

Serve with hot curry and Njoy this easy peasy recipe

Fried potatoes

Potatoes are the most commonly available vegetables in any country or region .They are starchy, hardy and filling which compliments any dish be it vegetarian or a non vegetarian dish potatoes can just dwell well and give the dish a whole new taste and texture.

While I was digging out some information about our very own potato , was surprised to know that this vegetable has a quiet a bit of history to its credit that too an interesting one.!!!

Now I got this recipe from a very close friend of mine who we were visiting after 5 long years they had recently moved back to Seattle from India.This recipe reminds me so much of her and the good times we have had for the past few years together. The day she made this was a perfect puri bhajji kind of a Seattle day , the weather was kind of still cold although it was May , it kept raining intermittently and we all had so much to catching up with to do when they had left US 5 years back both our kiddos were just a few months old although we kept in touch all this while it felt great to be back together .

Here to great friends and good times with them !!

What u need for the recipe :

Potatoes- 3 peeled and cut cub size

Onion- 1 chopped fine

green chillies- 3-4 chopped

ginger garlic - 1 tbsp finely chopped

EVOO-1 TBSP

salt to taste

tumeric pwd- 1 teaspoon

cilantro- 1/2 bunch chopped

dried meethi leaves- 1 teaspoon

jeera - 1 teaspoon

dried coconut flakes- 1 tbsp

Heat a non stick pan add oil after a few minutes add jeera and dried meethi leaves these have very distinct and strong flavor it gives the dish a very authentic flavor too fry it till it gets lightly toasted, then saute the onions then goes in the ginger garlic paste which needs to be cooked till the raw taste is gone .

Add the potatoes ,salt and turmeric set the flame on medium low and let this cook for about 15 mins check in between so that the potatoes do not get stuck at the bottom of the pan.

Last is the finisihing touches add the chopped chillies and then after about 5-10mins when the potatoes are fully cooked add the cilantro leaves and the coconut flakes let them toast a little . The coconut flakes toasted gives this dish a very nutty flavor which perfectly compliments dal rice or hot fluffy puris too !

Puris

Today's post I decided to touch up on a classic breakfast in most Indian homes, PURI -BHAJJI . I remember my college days there was a street stall just outside the campus that every morning like clockwork had a guy frying hot puris to be served with potato bhajji yummy !The smell itself was so intoxicating , no wonder in a matter of time he would sell all of his stock of aloo puri ;P Puri or pooris are a very popular snack or breakfast in northern part of India . One of the easiest to make and has a very filling result. The recipe is pretty similar to that of making rotis or chapatis but instead of cooking it on a flat pan the bread or puri is deep fried in oil which makes it soft and literally irresistible with any gravy . what u need

1. 2 cups of wheat flour or atta
2. oil 1 cup
3. Knead all the above ingredients in a dough and set aside for 45mins to an hour. The trick to make soft rotis or even puris is to knead using warm water and let the dough sit for at least 45 mins. For puris try making the dough not too hard a little more on the loose side also when the puris are rolled out in small round puris use oil instead of wheat flour ,which adds on to the softer texture of the puris too. Another thing is to have moderate heat for frying the puris once the right temperature is set do not keep changing it. Also you just need to turn the puri in the hot oil once each side because the more you keep turning the harder the puri becomes also drinks a whole lot of oil. Make small balls of the dough , flatten it out with a rolling pin and deep fry in oil , I usually use EVOO ( extra virgin olive oil ) as puris are not the healthiest but on a rainy day these are the best . These sell like hot cakes are can be kept for few days in the fridge, mine never makes it to that point :) Serve these puris with aloo bhajji or even a gravy like recipe would be a great combo with these puris ! !

Puttu and Kadala curry

I am beginning this new year 2011 with one of the favourite breakfast of most keralities worldwide Puttu and Kadala curry one that has been blogged so many times in different variations, has been favourites in movies too. The other day I was watching an old Malayalam movie featuring Mammoty as a mentally handicapped man , and the food he loved the most was puttu he also is nick named puttu in the movie. That gave me an inspirational to make puttu and kadala curry for breakfast so here it is the recipe that I made from

What u need :

Rice powder- 2 cups
Coconut shredded fresh- 1/2 cup
Water ( warm )- as needed
salt - as needed

Mix all the above ingredients without the coconut with your hand and add warm water at a slow rate , constantly mixing the rice mixture , the final product has to be in a semi wet consistency the way what I have been taught by my mom and probably her mom is you should be able to make a ball when you grab the mixture and also should be able to break it in to powder like
consistency then you have reached the goal.
The utensil to make puttu is usually a funnel like hollow on top with the base with a much smaller hole. Now a days there is an option of cherata puttu also which means the utensil is in the shape of a coconut Shell to be exact half coconut shell.
Now layer the coconut about 1 tablespoon then the rice mixture and in the end again coconut.
This funnel is then set on to a steamer you can use a cooker as the base alos or the traditional vessel that it comes with . This then connects to the puttu kutti (utensil) at the bottom and the hot steam from the cooker cooks the puttu which is usually done in 8-10 mins max.

Serve with ripe bananas or any gravy combination for this time I went with Kadala curry. This is like a marriage made in heaven so good together just the way the start the day off right !

Happy new year 2011

WISHING EVERYONE IN THE BLOG WORLD A VERY HAPPY , PROSPEROUS AND PEACEFUL 2011

Banana Bread

Bananas are a usual at my place first few days we try to consume them with upma when they are just of the right ripeness then as days pass by they start turning color and then nobody wants them any more not even me. So usually these ripe and slightly blackened bananas get transformed into the banana bread I am sure who ever invented this recipe did it out of desperation to use up the too ripe bananas what ever be the case it turns out great. This recipe is based on the food network website very easy and simple to make , and a great snack too.

what u need :

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.

Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.