Simple Veg. Biryani

Tried and tasted by Nivedita,

Hi All,

A very simple and easy rice for lunch box. 

Without much introduction or back ground, I am coming to the recipe,

Long grain rice - 200 gm

All vegetables of your choice - 200gm, wash and cut into cubes

(I used Potato, beans, carrot and peas)

Onion - 1 small thinly sliced

Green chilly - 1cut into long slit (if making for kids or 2 for elders)

Tomato - 1 medium, chopped

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Tej Patta or bay leaf - 1

Fresh cream - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

For Biryani dry masala,

Fennel seeds -1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds / Jeera -1/2 tsp

Shahjeera/Caraway seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cloves - 4

Cardamom -1

Cinnamon (1” inch length) - 1

Grated nutmeg -1/4 tsp (optional)

Grind everything into fine powder.

Taken from this and originally from this.

Wash the rice. Remove water and keep it to dry for half an hour or at least for 15 minutes.

Heat oil and ghee in a kadai. Add Onion and bay leaf. Fry till golden brown. Add tomato, green chilly and 1/2 tsp of ground masala.

Add all the vegetables and fry for a minute. Now goes the rice. Mix the rice with all the vegetables. Add salt, a table spoon of ready masala powder. Mix and add cream. Fry for a minute

Add hot water till the rice is covered. Close the lid and give just one whistle.

When done, serve hot with curd and onion raita or send it to lunch box for kids.(It is in my daughter's menu) 

This is flying to silpa of Anita' s Kitchen  APS- Rice Event.

Keep smiling,

Curd Rice Balls(ಮೊಸರು ಬುತ್ತಿ ಉಂಡಿ), reposted

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This food was and is common for picnics in our house. During child hood, once in 2 months, my mother and her sisters and cousins always arranged for short picnics. There used to be so many relatives.

And we were about 15 cousins. We always had great fun. There were variety of dishes prepared by our grannys, packed nicely and systematical. We visited fields, farm houses or temples. If nothing, we used to meet in some one's house at least. Those were the days!!!, I never wish to forget! This "curd rice ball" was common, as it was easy to keep in our hand. We used to run and play while holding it in the hand and eating.

Click here  for old link of the same recipe.

Here is the recipe,

Rice - 2 cups(cooked with more water)

Fresh curds - 1/2 cup

Milk - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 medium (chopped)

Garlic - 3 to 4 flakes

(Optional, skip it if you do not like the garlic taste!!, but tastes great with garlic.)

Green chilly - 1

Fresh coriander - 1 hand full

Curry leaves - few

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Mix ready rice, curds, milk, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Crush garlic, green chilly, fresh coriander and curry leaves together. Mix it with rice.

Adjust the quantity of curds and milk. After mixing, the rice should not be very watery, as we need to make balls. Keep aside for half an hour. Make balls and serve in the hands.

Great refresher for the summer!!

These curd rice balls are rolling to silpa of Anita' s Kitchen  APS- Rice Event.

Keep smiling,

Rice flour Poori and Chilli Gojju(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All

It is so easy to prepare food, when some one is guiding you!! That's why I enjoy very much when ever I follow other blog and cook any dish. And I post it in 'Food Remake' label, as it is very common in Indian film industry to remake the movies from one language to the other. So even my food here is the remake one!!!

Laxmi of Taste of Mysore has a wonderful blog, and I follow her recipes regularly. 

This recipe  was a hit in my house with the children and my friends. So I thought of sharing my click with all of you! 

Click here  for the detailed recipe with photos. 

Gojju is very tasty and if I make this, it will get over within half an hour. I love to have it with chapati, bread, rice, roti, dosa.......!!!!!

Keep Smiling,

Plain green biryani rice

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

When I prepared this rice few weeks back, my daughter was like "wow mamma, only chicken pieces are missing in this" She was happy to have this rice after many months.

After coming to India, as I stopped preparing non veg, I totally forgot about this rice. As I have told before, my daughter loves to take rice for her lunch box, I am learning to make varieties. And suddenly this rice came in my mind. When in UAE, I used to make this rice  with  chicken or meat curry.

Now a days,  once a week, this rice is in her lunch box.

Here, I prepared plain with one small potato. If you want you can add Soya nuggets in this.

Coming to the recipe,

Any long grain rice - 1 cup, washed and kept aside.

Onion - 1 cut into long thin slices

Bay leaf - 1

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Water to cook the rice

For grinding,

Fresh coriander - 1 small bunch or 1 cup

Green chilly - 2 to 3 as per your taste or depending upon chilly

Ginger - 1" piece

Garlic - 1 small bulb, peeled

Jeera - 1tsp

Cinnamon - 1/2" piece

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 1

Put all these in a grinder and make it into fine paste.

Heat oil in a cooker or kadai (I prefer cooker). When hot, add onion and cook till brown. Now add bay leaf and the ready paste and fry for 5 minutes. When you start getting aroma add rice and salt. Fry for a minute. Add water till the rice level. Close the lid and give two whistles.

You open the lid and the aroma will take you  in another world!!!

Keep smiling,

Fresh chana green rice(ಕಡಲೆ ಕಾಳು ಅನ್ನ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

One more interesting and very tasty rice which I love the most and the whole year I wait for this, as I have to prepare this only during November till January end.

We get this only from November till January. I love to eat this just like that. (We call it Kadli geeda in Kannada). Great time pass when chatting with your friends! But I take care not to spread all the skin and leaves on the ground and my environment dirty.

When I was browsing the net for this, I got these links, which explains in detail about this. (http://mathildasanthropologyblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/the-turkish-domestication-of-the-chickpea/)

and (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cicer_arietinum_HabitusFruits_BotGardBln0906a.jpg)

And the rice prepared using these chana really has different taste! NO other dry chana can replace this taste as each chana has its own taste. After Avare kalu I love this one very much. But we make lot of dishes with Avare kalu, and this girly chana (What!???!? Now a days, without my knowledge,  I am getting funny words for my kitchen things, girly because of its beautiful fresh curves on its body!!!) is used to make very few dishes.

Here is the recipe,

Long grain or normal rice - 1 cup(soak in a water for a minute and keep it to dry at least for 15 minutes.

Fresh chana(ಕಡಲೆ ಕಾಳು) - 1 cup

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Fry and paste the below ingradients:

(Go on adding one by one after each minute in a tbsp oil and fry till nice aroma comes)

Onion - 1 big, (this needs 2 minutes to fry). After the onion is fried go on adding others.

Fresh coconut -1/4 cup

Ginger - 1/2"

Green chilly - 2 to 3

Cardamom - 1

Cinnamon - 1"

Tomato - 1 small

Pudina (Mint leaves) - 1 bunch

When cool, make into a fine paste and keep aside

Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Heat oil in a cooker. Add the ready paste and fry till it starts leaving oil on the side. Now add fresh chana and salt. Cook it for a minute and add rice. Mix properly and fry for a minute or so. Add hot or warm water, according to how much the rice needs water. (usually what I do is, I do not measure the water for rice, but pour the water till the rice is just covered, but each rice has its own quality. So be sure about the water intake of the rice or else it will turn into kichadi!!)

Cover the cooker with lid and give two whistle. When done, add lime juice before transferring into serving bowl.

Fresh chana green rice is ready to serve. Enjoy each bite of chana!

Keep smiling,

Sweet Coconut Rice

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

As I have told before also, I llllllovve sweets! 

When ever I go to my aunt's house(Father's sister), every time I get something new to eat!!Last month, when I went to her house, she gave me this sweet! As usual,  it was very delicious. Even though it was not new to me, but I had it after long time. She makes very tasty and variety of food. 

This sweet is very common in South canara, and I think even in Maharashtra, they call it as Naaral bhaath.

I wanted to try this sweet, and Today I got the time to make. I called her, and asked her in the phone about the recipe.(  usually, we both share the recipes). I noted down the ingredients and prepared in the evening. 

         Here it is in front of you all, with my little creative decoration.

It is very easy recipe, if you have some unexpected guests and you want to serve them some sweet!! As the ghee is must in this, I thought of sending this to Sanghi 's  FIL - Ghee for this season and Spicy delights!!.

Coming to the recipe,

Rice(any variety which stays firm after cooking,) - 1 bowl (cooked)

Sugar - 3/4th bowl

Fresh coconut - 1 bowl(grated)

Ghee - 3/4th bowl

Cashew nuts and raisins - 6 each cut into pieces

Salt - a pinch

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in thick bottomed pan. Fry the nuts and keep aside. In the same pan, add coconut. Fry for a minute. Add sugar. Mix well and let it cook till the sugar is dissolved with coconut. Add half of the ghee.Do not let it boil. Once, both are mixed properly, add the cooked rice immediately. You should be  always with the dish, stirring it always on medium flame. Now add some more ghee, salt and cardamom powder. Cook it only for one minute. Remove it from the fire. Add fried nuts. Mix it nicely and transfer in to serving bowl. If you delay, then it will become hard.

The sweet coconut rice is ready to serve.

The sweet is going to take part in 

Sanghi 's  FIL - Ghee for this season and Spicy delights!!.

AND

Festive rice event by  Torview

Keep smiling,

Malt for toddlers(Reposted)

Tried and tasted by Nivedtia
Hi All,

I thought of starting my recipe entries with baby food. I am giving this food to my second daughter since she is 3 months old.(Now she is 18 months old.) Thanks to my neighbour who shared this with me. Before I share the recipe I want to say something about this. I went back to India for my second delivery after 9 years staying in UAE. It was nice and I really enjoyed my stay there for 11 months. When Phalguni, my second daughter was 3 months old, my neighbour Shaila, who also had 5 months baby, gave me this malt powder and told me to start feeding Phalguni. And I started giving it, the baby enjoyed the first sip!!!!! So I decided I will make it in more quantity and will start giving her everyday.

So I prepared the ingredients and took it to Flour mill ( in Kannada we call it "Girani"). I told the old man to make it powder and give it. And after he finished I went to give him money for the same. But!!!!! he refused. He said he will not take the money for baby's food. I forced him to take but he refused. Even though its only Rs.5, for him it was big as per me. But he told me let any amount of quantity comes for baby food, he never charges for it. He said, babies are like God, and I feel happy to do this!!!!!!!!! Its like blessings for him.This is what India is!!! Now when ever I make this malt at home( as there are no flour mills available near my house in UAE) I always remember him and smile!!

Now coming to the recipe:

Rice - 2 cups

Toor Dal, yellow moong Dal - 1 cup

Channa Dal, 

split green moong Dal -1/2 cup(after 9 months)

Almonds - 6 to 8

Wash rice and all dals together. put it to dry inside the house for a day or two. Once they are dry, roast with crushed almonds. Keep it to cool. Then put it into mixi and make fine powder. Store it in a jar. You can keep it for a month in refrigerator.

Now to make malt:

Rice and Dal powder - 3 tbsp

raagi (Nachni) Powder - 1 tbsp(I get ready powder packet here in UAE, in Indian stores) (Or if you have an access to flour mill, you can take raagi seeds, wash and put it to dry. Roast seperately and add with rice and dal mix )

salt to taste

Oats - 2 tbsp

Keep water in a vessel to boil. Till it starts boiling, mix all the above ingredients in a bowl with enough water. Then put in the boiling water, Stir continuously for a minute as there is a chance of getting burnt. Add salt.(If baby is less than 9 months, add very little salt).Let it cook for 15 min. Keep on stirring in between. Off the gas. Feed your child for breakfast. Its very healthy and my daughter loves it. For a change, only alternative days I put raagi powder so that she will feel change,eating white color malt.

When Phalguni turned 9 months and I started giving her vegetables, I started adding grated carrot, beans, potato and cabbage to make it more healthy. And all the vegetables goes into her stomach without any fuss.

I am sending this recipe to PJ's event : Tasty Bites For Toddlers

Till today(she is 2 years old),  I am giving it as one of main meals.

This is going to participate in "Event Announcement: Food for 7 Stages of Life - Cooking for Infants and toddlers ( 0-3 yrs)' organized by Radhika  and of Sudeshna’s Cook like a bong.

Keep smiling,

Crispy rice balls

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

It is so easy to prepare food, when some one is guiding you!! That's why I enjoy very much when ever I follow other blog and cook any dish. And I post it in 'Food Remake' label, as it is very common in Indian film industry to remake the movies from one language to the other. So even my food here is the remake one!!!

One more food remake from Suma of Veggie Platter She calls it as "paalakaayalu". I have named it as "Crispy rice balls", as they really turned crispy and very tasty!!! Thanks Suma.

We had cooking competition in our area for Ganesha Chaturthi activities. And the theme was to prepare food from rice. When I was browsing the blogs for a recipe, I came through this one, and here is the result. And the competition result was I got second prize!!!

And my second daughter who is not even 2 years, went on stage for fancy dress competition with her sister. They were dressed up as Chinese girls( last month, my mother bought dresses from China,)in the evening!!! She was not ready to come down from the stage!! She wanted mike in her hand and wanted to sing and dance. Posting the photo of them on the stage!

Keep smiling,

Veg. Juice Pulao

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

My last minute entry to Chaitra's event! The reason is, as I stay little far from the city, it is difficult to get all the vegetables when I need. We depend on weekly markets, which are small and will have very little options to buy varieties. Even though I wanted to make this rice before only, I did not get spinach all these days. But today when I went to market I saw fresh Spinach and thought of making the rice and send this entry to Chaitra's event.

As I told before, I am trying new rice preparations, this is one of them. One month before, I watched this recipe in the TV, but could not write down. So depending on my memory, I tried the pulao, it came out good. But for sure, it is very healthy for kids, as they do not eat palak and beetroot directly.

Here is the recipe,

Long grain rice - 2 cups

Beet root - 1 small

Palak(Spinach) - 1 bunch small

Carrot - 1 big

Onion - 1 small, chopped into long pieces

Cauliflower - cut in to 12 to 15 pieces

Paneer - 8 to 10 cubes(optional, but tastes good)

Soya nuggets - 8 to 10(Soaked in the water for sometime)

Tomato -1 medium

Tej patta - 1

Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch

Clove - 3

Cardamom - 1

Oil - 1 tbsp

Butter - 1 tbsp(optional)

Salt to taste

Chilly powder - 2 tbsp

Soak the rice in water for 2 minutes. Drain the water and keep aside.

Clean and wash palak leaves. Boil for few minutes. Peel the beet root, carrot. Cut into pieces. Boil and keep it to cool.

Prepare palak, carrot and beetroot juice separately.(you can mix all together and make the paste at a time also.)

Wash, cut the tomato and prepare the paste.

Squeeze the water from nuggets.

Heat oil and butter in a cooker. When hot, add all dry masalas(crush it once or they will pop out). Add onion. saute for a minute. Add soya nuggets, paneer. Saute for 2 minutes, keep on stirring.

Now goes palak,carrot and beetroot juice and tomato paste. Let it boil for 3 minutes. Now add rice, salt, chilly powder and cauliflower. Mix properly. Add hot water till the rice is covered. Give 2 whistles. Wait till the cooker is cool.

The pulao is ready to serve.

Sending this recipe to

Rice Feast @ Aathidhyamfrom Chaitra

Keep smiling,

Green Corn Rice

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am not so good, when it comes to rice preparations. But, now after coming to India, I am trying to do new experiments with rice.

One more reason is, I need to send lunch box to my daughter to the school, as she stays in the school for 6 hours. So rice is the best food to eat faster than chapati. And fast food or junk food is not allowed in her school. Even bread, noodles is not allowed. So in these two months I have

tried almost more than 10 rice varieties and surprised that even I can do it!!!!

Here is the recipe for Green corn rice,

Long grain rice(or normal rice) - 1 cup

Onion - 1 big chopped lengthwise

Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Green chilly - 2 or 3 finely chopped

Methi leaves - 1/4 bunch cleaned and washed(optional)

Tomato - 1 big chopped

Fresh coriander - 1/2 bunch, cleaned and washed

Pudina - 1/4 bunch, cleaned and washed

Fresh, frozen or canned corn - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Wash and soak the rice for 2 minutes. Remove the water and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a cooker. Add onion and fry till golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chilly and tomato. Saute for 2 minutes. Now add chopped green leaves mix properly. Now goes the corn and rice. Fry it for two minutes. Add salt and hot water till the rice is covered. Do not add more water.

Close the lid of the cooker and wait for one whistle. Open the lid, when cooker is ready(When it allows to open!!)

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with raita or papad.

Sending this recipe to

Rice Feast @ Aathidhyam from Chaitra

Keep smiling,

Haryanvi Thali

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi all,

When I came to know about the event Tried and tasted hosted by Ahwini of (ashwini-spicycuisine.blogspot.com) and which is a brain child of Zlamuska's spicy kitchen, I was excited to know whom we have to follow this time.

And I entered Asha's Foodie's Hope blog. Asha is really talented, creative and deserves so many awards she got on her blog. I was confused what to cook as there are many dishes. Then I went through her RCI event. I was fascinated by all the yummy pictures. I was feeling as if I am in a place where thali's of all the states are available to eat now.

Planning to cook all the dishes very soon, I thought let me start with Haryanvi food. So here is the Thali ready for you all. And I was 100% true to her original recipe. I did not prepare Besan pinni, as I was short of pista.

Check her blog for the recipe to make the Haryanvi thali ready. Here is the link;

http://foodieshope.blogspot.com/2009/02/haryanvi-cuisine-pakodi-di-kadhi-jeera.html

I prepared, Mooli paratha, carrot-ginger pickle, Besan kadhi with pakodi, Aloo Raita and Jeera rice.

I hope you will like it! the way I prepared and arranged in a thali.

And this is going to

Ashwini's Announcing Tried and Tasted event!!!!

Keep smiling,

Tomato Dosa

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All

Now a days, as I am at home, and getting chance to watch TV, I am watching some cookery shows. My mother watches all the cookery shows, and writes down the recipes. She tries most of the recipes also. Now I have joined her!!!

Yesterday, we were watching one show in Kannada channel, and she prepared tomato dosa, which was different from other normal dosa(I felt it!!) And in my mind, came the event hosted by Padma. So I am preparing the same for her event.

Here is the recipe:

Raw rice - 2 cup

Urad dal - 1 cup

Tomato - 2 big, chopped

Red dry chilly - 2

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Oil to make dosas

(The guest garnished the dosa with few ingredients. But it is optional and according to your taste and time)

For garnishing,

Onion -1 chopped finely

Carrot - 1 grated

Coriander - chopped

Green chilly - 1 chopped

Soak the rice and urad dal for 4 to 6 hours. Before grinding, wash both and add other ingredients except oil. Keep it over night or 8 hours.

Heat tava, spread the batter to make thin dosa. Spread the garnishing ingredients if you like. Let it roast. Add little oil. Remove it and serve hot.

I am sending this to Padma's

Announcing my first event "DosaCorner".

Keep smiling

Curd Rice Balls(ಮೊಸರು ಬುತ್ತಿ ಉಂಡಿ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Yesterday, after I posted the recipe for "Paapad Samosas" I was feeling guilty for those who are facing scorching heat. Now to make myself feel good, I am posting the recipe for curd rice balls(ಮೊಸರು ಬುತ್ತಿ ಉಂಡಿ).

This food was common in our house, for picnics. At least once in 2 months, My mother and her sisters and cousins always arranged for short picnics. There used to be so many relatives. And we were about 15 cousins. We always had great fun. There were variety of dishes prepared by our grannys, packed nicely and systematical. We visited fields, farm houses or temples. If nothing, we used to meet in some one's house at least. Those were the days!!!, I never wish to forget! This "curd rice ball" was common, as its was easy to give in our hand. We used to run and play while holding it in the hand and eating.

Now, for my daughter, its like a feast!

Here is the recipe,

Rice - 2 cups(cooked with more water)

Fresh curds - 1/2 cup

Milk - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 medium (chopped)

Garlic - 3 to 4 flakes

(Optional, skip it if you do not like the garlic taste!!, but tastes great with garlic.)

Green chilly - 1

Fresh coriander - 1 hand full

Curry leaves - few

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Mix ready rice, curds, milk, sugar and salt in a bowl.

Crush garlic, green chilly, fresh coriander and curry leaves together. Mix it with rice.

Adjust the quantity of curds and milk. After mixing, the rice should not be very watery, as we need to make balls. Keep aside for half an hour. Make balls and serve in the hands.

Great refresher for the summer!!

Keep smiling,