Green Pearl Pulao ~ Peas Pulao

Simple but rich in flavours is Green Pearl (Peas) pulao. My mother used to make this pulao on every sunday and we used to have it with gujarati kadhi and lachko daal. One can have this pulao with any veg or non veg curry as well. The aroma and taste of whole spices and green pearl like peas will make you go Ummmm.......

Ingredients:
1 Cup of Basmati rice
1 Cup of peas
1 Chopped Onion
3 Cloves
1 Teaspoon of Cardamom powder
1/2 Cinamon stick
1 Bay leaf
1 Teaspoon of Black pepper powder
1 Teaspoon of Nutmeg powder
2 Green chillies
1 Teaspoon of Cumin seeds
5 - 6 Cashew nuts
Salt to taste
Ghee
Water

Method:
1. Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 20 Minutes.
2. Take a vessel, add ghee, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds.
3. Once cumin seeds starts spluttering, add onions, cashew nuts and splitted green chillies. Saute onions till they are light pink in colour.
4. Drain rice and add in the vessel. Add peas, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and black pepper powder along with salt and let it cook for 1 Minute.
5. Add water and cook the rice on low flame.
6. Once cooked serve it with dal, kadhi, or any curry

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Masala Bhaat - Masala Rice

''Masala Bhaat'' is a maharashtrian dish. Flavours and vegetables are added to rice. Special goda masala and coconut is added to this dish to make it spicy. I have made simple Gujarati Masala Bhaath, which any one can prepare by using basic spices.

Ingredients:
11/2 Cup of Long Basmati Rice
2 Cloves
1/2 Stick of Cinnamon
1 Medium sized chopped Onions
1 Medium sized chopped Tomato
1 Medium sized chopped Potato
1 Cup of peas
1/2 Cup of Beans (Optional)
1 Green Chilly
1 Teaspoon of Coriander - Cumin seed powder
1 Teaspoon of Red Chilly powder
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon of Cumin seeds
2 Teaspoon of Garam Masala powder
3 - 4 Curry Leaves
1 Tablespoon of Ginger-Garlic paste
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:
1. Soak rice for half an hour in water, wash and drain them
2. In Presure cooker, add oil, Cloves, Cinnamon, Split green chilly and cumin seeds, once cumin seeds start spluttering add ginger-garlic paste and onions.
3. Saute onions, till they are transparent. Add tomato, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander-cumin see powder and curry leaves. Saute chopped tomato till oil leaves the vessel.
4. Now add all vegetables and drained rice, along with salt and garam masala powder and let it cook for 1 Minute.
5. Add water and close the cooker and cook rice till 3 whistle blows.
6. Serve masla bhaath with curd, raita, dal or kadhi.

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Fada Khichdi ~ Broken Wheat Khichdi

''Fada'' means broken wheat in Guajarati. It is popularly known as Dalia in India and Buglar Wheat in Western Countries. Fada Khichdi is the ideal replacement for rice. So calorie conscious rice lovers who want to cut down on their rice intake whilst still enjoying the feel of it, can certainly try out this dish. Simple khichdi is made delicious by adding masala, dal and vegetables. People usually add yellow moong dal to this dish, however I like to make it with Toor Dal. Its simple, quick and a complete meal. When I am confused about what to cook on a typical mundane day, which all women will agree on, this dish is my my top solution.

Ingredients:
11/2 Cup of Dalia
1 Cup of Toor dal
1 Onion
11/2 Cups of Vegetables (Peas, Potatoes, Carrot, Cauliflower, Capsicum, Corn)
1 Teaspoon of Green Chilly Paste
3 - 4 Curry Leaves
1 Tablespoon of Ginger-Garlic paste
1/2 Teaspoon of Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon of Asafoedita
1 Teaspoon of Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon of Cumin Seeds
2 Cloves
1/4 Stick of Cinnamon
11/2 Teaspoon of Garam masala powder
salt to taste.
1 Tablespoon of Oil
3 Cups of Water.

Method:
1. Soak Toor dal and dalia for 20 minutes.
2. Take a pressure cooker add oil and cumin seeds. Once cumin seeds starts spluttering, add cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves.
3. Saute onions and when they are transparent add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, asafoedita, chilly paste, coriander powder and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add all the vegetables (Choice of vegetable may differ), drained dalia and toor dal and mix it properly. Add salt, garam masala and water and cook for 1 minute.
5. Then close the pressure cooker and cook till 4 whistles.
One can serve it with Gujarati Kadhi or raita or with simple curd.

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Vangi Bhaath ~ Auburgine Rice

''Vangi'' means Brinjal / Eggplant / Aubergine in Marathi language and ''Bhaat'' means Rice. The origin of this dish is from Maharashtra, but it is even cooked in parts of Karnataka. My hubby hates Brinjal, so the other day when I told him I have cooked Vangi Bhaat he immediately frowned. When he tasted the dish he really liked it and insisted on making this dish frequently. Keeping his dislike for brinjals in mind, I added less Brinjals and added other vegetables to enhance the taste. Tradionally Vangi Bhaath Masala was made in house, However, nowadays, one gets ready-made Vangi Bhaath Masala in pretty much every indian grocery shop. I recommend MTR Vangi Bhaath Masala.


Ingredients:

1 Cup of Rice
2 to 3 medium size Brinjals
1 Medium Sized Onion
1 Small Tomatoe
1/2 Cup of Boiled Peas
1 Tablespoon of Chana dal (Bengal Gram)
1/2 Tablespoon of Urad Dal (Split White Lentil)
1 Teaspoon of Mustard seeds
4 - 5 Cashewnuts
1/4 Teaspoon of Asafoedita
1/2 Teaspoon of Turmeric Powder
1/2 Teaspoon of Red Chilly Powder
3 - 4 Curry Leaves
1 Tablespoon of Ginger and Garlic Paste
2 Tablespoon of Tamarind Pulp
1/2 Cup of Crushed Roasted Peanuts
1/2 Cup of Freshly Grated Coconut
2 Tablespoon Oil
3 Cups of Water
Salt to taste

Vangi Bhaath Masala Powder:
1 Tablespoon of Chana dal
1 Tablespoon of Urad dal
1 stick of Cinnamon (Tuj / Dalchinni) 5 Cardamoms 5 Cloves 2 Tablespoon Cariander Seeds 2 Whole dry Red Chillies 4 Tablespoon of flaked Coconut 8 Black Pepper corns 6 Cassia Buds (Subject to availability) 1 Tablespoon of Oil

Method:
Vangi Bhaat Masala:
1. Roast all spices except flaked coconut in oil. Take out from the flame let it cool for few minutes and after adding flaked coconut grind all the ingredients in to powder.
2. One can store this powdered masala in an air tight container.

1. Boil the rice in water and once the rice is cooked keep it aside.
2. Wash all the vegetables and cut them in to desired shapes.
3. Take a kadhai add oil, and roast the cashewnuts. Then add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add curry leaves and saute the onions.
4. Once the onions become tansparent add tomatoe and add turmeric powder, asafoedita, chilly powder, cariander powder and ginger - garlic paste. Let it cook till the oil starts leaving the vessel.
5. Add boiled peas, crushed roasted peanuts, vangi baath masala, Tamarind pulp and salt to taste and mix well. Cook for 1 minute over the low flame.
6. Add cooked rice and fresh grated coconut and mix well. Let it cook for few mintues on a low flame.
7. Before serving garnish it with fresh grated Coconut.

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