Spicy Rice Kichadi

One pot meal and a comfort food, perfect for those lazy days. Kichadi is prepared using rice or semolina or even cracked wheat mixed with lentils and a variety of spices and vegetables. You can also add roasted peanuts or cashew nuts for a little crunch. This recipe can easily be doubled when you have company over. With just a few ingredients from your pantry and easy to cook vegetables, this kichadi will be perfect for lunch boxes too. Hope you will enjoy the dish just like i did. And here goes the recipe, 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Rice

1/4 cup Toor dal

! 1/2 cups Water

1/4 cup Peas

1/4 cup Carrot (chopped)

1/2 Onion (finely chopped)

2-3 Green Chili (Finely chopped)

1 1/2 tsp Garlic (minced)

1 1/2 tsp Ginger (minced)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Chili powder

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Black peppercorns

1/2" Cinnamon stick

1 Clove

1 pinch Asafoetida

1 tbsp Oil

Salt

 How to:

• Wash the rice and toor dal together, pour the water and soak for 20 mins.

• In a pressure cooker, heat oil, add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, clove, peppercorns, asafoetida and turmeric powder.

• Add the onions, saute for a min. Then add the ginger, garlic and green chilies and saute for a couple of mins.

• Add the carrots, peas along with chili powder and salt.

• Now add the soaked rice and dal along with the water, check salt and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

• Switch off, fluff the rice gently and garnish with cilantro.

• Serve warm with potato fry or chips.

Murungakkai Kara Kuzhambu (Hot Drumsticks Gravy)

After years of using frozen drumsticks, I laid my hands on fresh ones at the Indian store yesterday.  Immediately, i planned on cooking kara kuzhambu which i normally prepare with Indian eggplants (brinjal). It is a south indian dish served with cooked rice. This spicy and tangy kuzhambu is a variation from your usual sambar or rasam. So, go ahead and give this kuzhambu a try, i am sure you will love it. Here goes the recipe, 

Ingredients:

2 Drumsticks (14-16 pieces)

14-16 Red Pearl Onions

2 small Tomatoes

10-12 Garlic pods

6-8 Curry leaves

1 1/2 tbsp dried Tamarind

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Urad dal

1 pinch Fenugreek seeds

2 tbsp Sesame oil

Salt, to taste

 To grind:

2 tbsp shredded Coconut (frozen & thawed)

1 tbsp Sambar powder

2 tsp Coriander powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds

How to:

• Chop the drumsticks to 3" pieces and mince the tomatoes and onions.

• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and keep the juice aside.
• Grind the 'to grind' ingredients with 1/4 cup water and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a deep pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, fenugreek seeds and turmeric powder.

• Add the onions, little salt and saute until it turns translucent.

• Then add the tomatoes and cook with lid closed for 4-5 mins.

• Now add the drumsticks, garlic and curry leaves, mix well and cook for a min.

• Pour 1 1/2 cups of water along with tamarind juice and cook with lid closed until the drumsticks cook.

• Add the ground coconut mixture and cook until desired consistency. 

• Check salt for taste and switch off.

• Serve hot with rice.

Quinoa Pulav

Quinoa doesn't need much of an introduction. A lot of us started replacing rice with quinoa and experimented different recipes. And one such is this pulav, a spiced and healthy one-pot meal that is so colorful and flavorful that will make you feel full and satisfied. It has a crunchy texture, nutty flavor and turns out very aromatic when cooked with Indian spices. I am sure this recipe is a KEEPER. Check this out and here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa (pre-rinsed)

1/2 cup Carrot (chopped)

1/2 cup Green beans (chopped)

1/2 cup Peas (frozen and thawed)

1 1/2tsp Garlic (minced)

1 1/2tsp Ginger (minced)

1 Spring Onion (chopped)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1tsp Coriander powder

1/2tsp Cumin powder

1/2tsp Garam masala powder

1 Black Cardamom

2 small Green Cardamom

4-5 Whole black peppercorns

1/2" Cinnamon stick

2 small Cloves

1 Bay leaf

1/2tsp Cumin seeds

1 1/2 cups Water

1 tsp Lemon juice (optional)

1tbsp Oil

Salt

 How to:

• Soak the quinoa for 30 mins, drain the water completely and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a deep skillet, at medium heat, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and cardamoms.

• After a few secs, add cumin seeds, cloves and black peppercorns.

• Then add the onions followed by turmeric powder and some salt and saute until translucent.

• Now add the ginger, garlic and half of the spring onions and cook until raw smell disappears. 

• Add the soaked quinoa and roast'em for 5 minutes.

• Then add the carrot, peas and beans, give it a quick mix and then add the coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder.

• Mix well and pour the water and add salt for taste. 

• Bring water to a boil and then reduce the flame to low, close the lid and cook it for 30 mins.

• Switch off, open the lid, fluff the quinoa with a fork, add the lemon juice and garnish with the remaining spring onions.

• Serve hot with onion raita and chips.

Tofu Egg Fried Rice with Chilli Garlic Sauce

An irresistible one pot meal which is rich in protein and a lot of flavors is ready to dig in. Cooking with sesame oil really brings out the flavor just like the fried rice at the chinese restaurant. You can also add crushed chili flakes along with the chilli garlic sauce to increase the heat level. There are a countless way to prepare this fried rice. So, try this recipe with your twist on it and have fun cooking. 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Basmati Rice

14oz Firm Tofu   

2 Eggs

3/4 cup Cabbage (shredded)

1/2 Green Bell pepper (thinly sliced)

1 medium Carrot (sliced diagonally)

2tsp Garlic (minced)

1 Green onion (chopped)

1tbsp +1tbsp Light Soy sauce

2tsp Chilli Garlic sauce (Homemade)

1tbsp Sesame oil

Salt

Chilli Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

5 Dried Red chilies

1/2 cup Hot water

1 1/2tsp Garlic (minced)

1tsp Sugar

1/2tsp Salt

2tbsp White Vinegar

1tbsp Sesame Oil

How to:

• Break the dried red chilies and soak'em in hot water for 20 mins to soften.
• Then drain the water and grind the chilies in a mixie/blender.
• Now add garlic, sugar, salt and white vinegar and grind'em coarsely, and transfer'em to a bowl.
• Heat the sesame oil in a skillet until it starts to smoke and pour the oil over the ground chilli garlic sauce.

• Mix well and serve the hot sauce as a side or over the fried rice.

How to(Fried rice):

• Pressure cook the basmati rice, fluff it with a fork and keep it aside.
• Cut the tofu blocks into 8-10 squares and drizzle 1tbsp soy sauce and let'em soak for 10-15 mins.

• Heat 1tsp of oil in a wide skillet and sear the tofu squares to golden brown.

• Heat the sesame oil in the same skillet, add the minced garlic and saute for a min.

• Add the carrot, saute for a couple of mins and then add the bell pepper and cabbage along with some salt.

• After another couple of mins, push the veggies to the side and break the eggs. (I added 1 whole egg and 1 egg white.)

• Scramble the eggs, then add the seared tofu and cooked rice together. Mix well.

• Slightly increase the flame, pour the remaining soy sauce and the homemade chili garlic sauce over the rice and give it a good mix.

• Check salt for taste and cook until rice is heated through.

• Switch off and sprinkle the chopped green onions.

• Serve hot with more hot sauce as a side.