rice methi appo

this is  my facebook friend Vidya Pai's recipe.  Just tried it and it was delicious and the appos were soft and fluffy.  A recipe for keeps.

ingredients :
 dosa rice : 1 cup
methi seeds : 1 fistful (approx 1/8 cup)
soda : 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
oil to cook the appos

Note : i used thick poha around one fistful ( one tbsp)

Procedure :
soak rice and methi for four hours and grind to a smooth paste.
ferment overnight .
next day add soda and salt and make appos

note : i soaked the poha and ground that along with the rice and did not add the soda.

Kesaribaath

This is my husband's and son's (not so much) favorite .  I find it a bit difficult to get the right texture tough the procedure is quite simple.  It can also be made as a one pot dish in the cooker!! ( that for another time) 

The recipe is adapted from my aunt's and friend Sandhy N Kamath's recipe. 

One cup basmati rice 

Two cups water ( or enough to cook the rice ) 

One cup sugar

Cinammom 1 inch

Cloves.  4-5 

Cardamom 2

Kesar a few strands soaked in 2tbsp milk

Kesari colour optional a few drops

Cashew and raisins and other dry fruits

Ghee 2- 3 tbsp

Method

Cook rice till just done.

In a kadai take one tbsp ghee and fry the dry fruits and keep aside.

In the same kadai add another half tbsp ghee and when hot add the cardamom, cinamom and cloves.

When it spluttlers add the rice and sugar . Lower the flame and add the kesari milk and colour and stir well till it leaves the side.

Stir in the dry fruits and add the remaining ghee and switch off .

Serve hot !! 

Vegetable Biryani

this is adapted from the recipe 'egg biryani'.  instead of eggs i used mixed vegetables (also soya chunks).

Make greeen masala by grinding ginger, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves and mint leaves.

cut all vegetables and prepare the soya chunks too.

fry long chopped onions till crispy.

Heat oil and ghee in the pressure cooker (or pan).

 Add whole garam masala ( cloves, green cardamom, cinamom, start anise, mace )

add slit cashew bits and slit green chillies.  fry for a while.

Add chopped onions and when brown add chopped tomatoes and fry till mushy.

 add soaked basmati rice ( soaked for ten minutes)and fry for a minute.

add the green masala, salt, haldi and garam masala mix well. ( I used Abhi ruchi biryani powder)

add the required quantity of water and pressure cook.

serve hot with raita of your choice.

Egg Dum Biryani

This is inspired by Vidya Nayak Shenoy's post on face book.  

Make greeen masala by grinding ginger, green chillies, garlic, coriander leaves and mint leaves.

Boil eggs

fry long chopped onions till crispy.

Heat oil and ghee in the pressure cooker (or pan).

 Add whole garam masala ( cloves, green cardamom, cinamom, start anise, mace )

add slit cashew bits and slit green chillies.  fry for a while.

Add chopped onions and when brown add chopped tomatoes and fry till mushy.

 add soaked basmati rice ( soaked for ten minutes)and fry for a minute.

add the green masala, salt, haldi and garam masala mix well.

add the required quantity of water and pressure cook.

Now make a layer of rice + onions+ cut egg halves in a microwave safe bowl.  finish off with a layer of rice.  

microwave for five minutes.

Serve with raita of your choice.

Corn fried rice

This is fave of my kids and again easy to make .

Cook corn and rice separately.  Take oil in a kadai.... Add cooked corn, sauté for a minute.  Add grated carrots and sauté for a minute.  Add salt, chilli flakes and pepper pwd.  Add some pulao masala or garam masala just for smell.   Add rice and mix well.  Check seasoning.  Cover and keep for a couple of minutes on sim.  Then add small paneer pieces and oregano.  (Paneer can be fried and added as well) .  Cover and cook for a minute and serve with any gravy !