Carrot Peas Stir Fried Rice

Rice is the staple food of South Indians. Its boiled and eaten with various accompaniments. There are many varieties of rice. But its boring to eat plain rice all the time So here is one. I will keep posting in the coming days more of them....

Carrot Peas Stir Fried Rice

Here its served with Hot Rasam.....

 

Ingredients:

Rice                  500 gms

Carrots             250gms

Onions              200 gms

Peas                  150gms

Green Chillies    4-5 

Ginger Garlic paste   2-3 tsps

Coriander greens chopped fine   2 Tbsp

Cardamoms       4-5

Cloves               5-7

Cinnamon           2 pieces  

Bay leaf              1-2

Garam Masala    1tsp  (powder)

Salt                    To taste

Oil                      3 Tbsp

Method:

1. Wash rice in water, two or three times. Add water one and half times  the quantity of rice and pressure cook till two whistles. You can add one tsp oil and one tsp of lemon juice so that the rice is not over cooked and each grain remains separate. Lemon juice makes it whiter.
2. When the cooker cools down, remove the rice and spread it on a platter. Fluff it with a fork and leave it to cool.
3. Clean carrots, peel and grate. Chop the onions finely. Slit the chillies length wise. Those who dont like it too spicy can use one or two chillies. Alternately pepper powder can be used. White pepper powder is less spicy.
4. Now heat oil in a pan. Ghee gives a better taste. Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. After a minute add chopped onions, mix and fry till they turn pink. Adding a tsp sugar gives a good taste and also adds shine to the onions.
5. Add ginger garlic paste and fry well.
6. Add carrots, peas, green chillies. Fry for two  to three minutes. Add salt and garam masala powder. Mix well. Now add the rice. Mix well
7. Fry till it starts crackling.
8. Serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander greens.

 Let me know how you like it.....

Tri Coloured Rice

Here is the recipe for the tri coloured Rice I prepared on our Republic Day....

 Tri Coloured Rice I

Ingredients:

Rice                          500gms

Onions                      150 gms  chopped finely

Cabbage                   100 gms shredded finely

Capsicum (Green)     100 gms cut into thin strips

Peas                          100gms

Carrot                       150 gms  grated

Green Chillies             3-4 slit lengthwise

Coriander greens        one bunch chopped fine

Ginger Garlic paste     3 tsps

Cardamoms                6

Cloves                        9

Cinnamon                   3 pieces

Garam Masala powder   3tsps

Salt                              To taste

Oil or Ghee           3 Tbsp

Method:

1. Measure the rice with a cup. Now wash the rice thoroughly in water. Take water equal to one and half times of the rice in a vessel , add one tsp of oil and cook in a pressure cooker. The rice should not be over cooked or sticky.
2. Spread the rice on to a platter and leave for a few minutes till the water content evaporates. The divide it into three equal portions.
3. Similarly divide all the ingredients (including chillies except for vegetables) into three parts.
4. White Rice:   Heat one Tbsp of oil in a pan. Turn the flame to low. Add  one part of the cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Fry for a minute and add one part of green chillies, onions, cabbage and one tsp of ginger garlic paste. Fry till the onions turn pink, add one part of rice, salt (to taste) and one tsp of garam masala powder. Mix well and fry till you hear the rice crackling. Remove and arrange it in the center of a platter in a row.
5. Orange Rice:  Again heat one Tbsp of oil, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon. Fry for a minute. Add one part of green chillies, one tsp of ginger garlic paste, fry for a minute. Add grated carrot, salt, one tsp of garam masala powder, mix well fry for few minutes. Add one portion of rice mix well, fry till you hear the crackling. Remove from fire and keep aside.
6. Green Rice: Now heat the remaining oil. Add the remaining cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, fry and add chillies and ginger garlic paste. Fry well. Add capsicum and peas and fry for few minutes. Add remaining garam masala powder, salt and rice. Mix well. Remove and keep aside.
7. Fill up a small cup with orange coloured rice. Pack it tightly into the cup by pressing the rice. Invert it onto a serving plate and tap it gently. Now do the same with white rice and finally the green one.
8. Serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander greens. This can be accompanied by any curry and raita along with salad of your choice

Tri Coloured Rice II

Ingredients:

Rice                          500gms

Onions                      150 gms  chopped finely
Radish                       50 gms grated

Cabbage                   50 gms shredded finely

Cauliflower                50  gms chopped into small florets

Capsicum (Green)     50 gms cut into thin strips

Beans                        50gms  chopped finely

Peas                          100gms

Carrot                       150 gms  grated or chopped finely

Green Chillies             3-4 slit lengthwise

Coriander greens        one bunch chopped fine

Ginger Garlic paste     3 tsps

Cardamoms                6

Cloves                        9

Cinnamon                   3 pieces

Garam Masala powder   3tsps

Salt                              To taste

Oil or Ghee           3 Tbsp

Method:

1. Cook the rice as above and divide it into equal parts. Similarly divide the spices, green chillies, ginger garlic paste into three parts. 
2. White Rice: Heat one Tbsp of oil in a pan. Add one part of cloves, cardamom, cinnamon , ginger garlic paste, green chillies and fry for a minute. Now add onions, radish, cabbage and cauliflower. Cauliflower can be parboiled before using. Add salt and garam masala powder. Fry for few minutes. Add rice, mix well and fry till it crackles. Rermove and arrange it in a plate. 
3. Orange Rice:  Again heat one Tbsp of oil, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon. Fry for a minute. Add one part of green chillies, one tsp of ginger garlic paste, fry for a minute. Add grated carrot, salt, one tsp of garam masala powder, mix well fry for few minutes. Add one portion of rice mix well, fry till you hear the crackling. Remove from fire and arrange it on one side of the white  rice first placed on the platter.
4. Green Rice:  Heat the remaining oil. Add the spices, fry for a minute. Now add green chillies,ginger garlic paste and fry for few minutes. Add capsicum, peas, beans and fry till the vegetables are cooked. Add salt, garam masala powder and rice. Mix well and fry till it crackles.
5. Place cup fulls of the three on to a platter. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tri Coloured Rice III

Ingredients:
 Rice         500 gms
Spinach     2 big bunches
Carrot      2 big ones
Radish      2 big ones
Ginger garlic paste   3tsps
Cumin seeds    2 Tbsps
Garam Masala powder    3 tsps
White Pepper powder  To taste

Salt   To taste
Oil /Ghee      3 tbsps

Method:

1. Wash and cook rice as above. Divide it into three equal parts.
2. Wash all the veggies throughly.
3. peel and grate carrot and radish separately. 
4. Chop the spinach and grind it to a thick paste adding a little water.
5. Orange Rice: Now heat oil in a pan. Add one Tbsp cumin, fry for a minute and add carrot, one tsp ginger garlic paste, salt and pepper powder to taste. Mix well and fry for few minutes. Add one portion of rice and one tsp of garam masala powder. Mix well. Fry for few minutes and keep aside.
6. White Rice: Heat one Tbsp oil. Add one Tbsp cumin, fry and add radish, one tsp  ginger garlic paste, salt, pepper powder, mix and fry for some time. Add rice, mix in one tsp garam masala powder  and fry for few more minutes. Keep aside.
7. Green Rice: Heat the remaining oil. Add remaining cumin, fry for a minute. Add ginger garlic paste and fry well. Add spinach paste, salt and pepper powder. Mix and fry well. Add rice, remaining garam masala powder mix well and fry for some more minutes. Remove from fire and keep aside.
8. Now serve hot  all the three rices  as explained above with any curry or raita.

Hope you like them. Please try and leave your comments......

PONGALI

Pongali as is known in Telugu language is known as Khhichdi in North India. This is one of the dishes which is made universally throughout India. The basic dish is same all over India and is made in the same manner. There may be variations in some of the ingredients which differ from  from place to place or from house hold to household. People do add their own ingredients thereby giving a personalised touch and also a distinct flavor.

Any way the basic ingredients are Rice, Green gram (split and de-husked), Ghee(clarified butter). Other ingredients may differ. This packs quite some nutrition, easy to make and easily digestible as well as cheaper cost wise, as the ingredients are simple. So this was considered to be a poor mans' boon. Infants, old and those convalescing from long term diseases are fed this to get the required strength.

I am sharing with you the simplest or the basic recipe made in South Indian way. Later on I will post the variations too. So here itt is.

Ingredients :

Rice     1 cup

Green gram (split and dehusked)   1/2 cup

Green chillies slit length wise or chopped - 2 to 3

Curry leaves  2 sprigs (separate the leaves from the stems)

Coriander greens  chopped fine 1 tbsp

Pepper corns  1tsp

Ghee 1 to 2 tbsp

salt to taste

Sugar  or Jaggery 2 tsp (optional)

For seasoning:

Chickpea:     2 tsp

Black gram:  2tsp

Fenugreek seeds:   1/4 tsp (optional)

Mustard seeds:   1 tsp

Cumin:   2 tsp

Dried Red chillies 1 (broken into pieces )

Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
Asafoetida   1/4 tsp i.e 1gm

Method:

1. Wash rice thoroughly in water and keep aside.
2. Roast the green gram lentil on slow fire till it turns golden brown in colour and gives off a fragrance.
3. Crush the peppercorns slightly.  But if you dont like it very spicy use them un crushed.
   
4. Now in a deep pan or better a cooker, heat ghee.
5. Add peanuts and cashew nuts fry for a minute or two.
6. Now add the chickpea and black gram fry for a minute.
7. Add the Fenugreek and mustard seeds, pepper corns and fry for two minutes until the mustard seeds start crackling
8. Add cumin, red chillies and green chillies along with curry leaves. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida powder. Mix well
9. Add 3-4 cups of water and bring it to a boil
   
10. Add the roasted lentil cover and cook for ten to fifteen minutes on low heat.
11. Now add the rice, salt cover and cook for another fifteen to twenty  minutes on sim fire till done . In between just check up whether there is enough water. If not add more.
    
12. I dont keep the whistle on cooker as sometimes the water content may not be enough. So its easy to check in between.
13. Once cooked it must be almost like a stew or semi solid and the rice and lentil should be well cooked and mashed.
14. Serve topped with melted Ghee and garnished with coriander greens.
15. This can be served with fresh coconut or peanut or tomato chutney fried or roasted papad, pickles curries and curds. Just check my recipes on Chutneys.

I have used only peanuts to make it more nutritious and this does not look yellow at all since I have used just a pinch of turmeric.

NOTE:

• This dish is a meal in itself.
  
• Green gram is a lentil. When it is split  and de husked it looks light yellow in colour.
  
• The ratio of rice to lentil is 1:1/2. But thi can be varied to suit your taste-that is you can have  less of lentil.
• This is a bit spicy and goes well for Indian tastes. I would make it more spicy by adding more green chillies if you like it hot. But those from other countries who dont eat so spicy, please decrease the amount of green chillies and pepper corns.
• Adding sugar or Jaggery (I prefer this) balances all the tastes-that is salt and spicy well and blends them in. The quantity of sweetener can also be slightly increased to avoid the spiciness. Some
  
• To make it more nutritious and tasty add 1-2 Tbsp Peanuts or Cashew nuts or both. They can be fried in the ghee at the beginning itself. But you can fry them separately and pour over the Pongal just before serving. This way it would be crunchy. 
• I have suggested low quantity of Ghee. Traditionally more quantity of Ghee is used. It almost drips of Ghee. That way it is quite tasty and gives more energy-but mind you MORE calories as well.
• Fenugreek seeds helps in reducing gasses especially when one is using the lentils in a dish and also add flavour. But it is optional
• This is a popular dish with  infants and children. AVOID CHILLIES n PEPPER  or decrease the quantity of spices if serving them or old and convalescing.
  

Jeera Rice

Jeera Rice is a very simple and easy dish. This is almost bland with a subtle flavor of Jeera or Cumin. One thing I want to clarify here is, there are many ways to make a dish. The method and ingredients may vary from region to region or household to household. Traditional methods are always preserved. So, as far as possible I will try to give the traditional method but also the variations. Apart from that, one should try out a dish and then experiment with it to suit  their taste. Unless one experiments, how new dishes  can be created?

Ingridients:

Rice:    500 gms

Cumin seeds:  1 -1 1/2Tbsp

Green Chillies: 5-6

Curry leaves: Fist full

Garlic Chopped: 1/2 Tbsp

Black Pepper  powder: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Oil: 2 Tbsps

Method:

1. Clean the rice well, with water . Add water in 1:1 ratio by measure and cook in a cooker. Remove it from the cooker on cooling, spread it on a plate and keep aside. The grains should not be sticky.

1. Now in a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic and fry for few minutes till they turn light brown.
2. Then add the green chillies slit length wise into halves. Fry for two minutes.

1. Add curry leaves and cumin seeds. fry for a minute. Cumin starts crackling.
2. Now add cooked rice and mix . Add salt, pepper powder. Fry for few minutes.
3. A dash of Garam Masala powder can also be added.
4. Serve hot with any curries with gravy, and raitha (curd mixed with vegetables).

Tips:

• Rice should be long grained, preferably Basmathi Rice( a variety) which gives off a subtle fragrance. But I have used ordinary Rice which we eat daily. Its better to use Rice that is at least six months old. New ones have moisture content and become sticky.

• Clean the rice thoroughly with water before use.
• While cooking Rice, generally water in the ratio of  1: 1  is used. In some cases 1(rice);1 1/2(water) can also be used. Please check how the rice cooks. The grains should not stick to each other.
  

• The quantities of chillies, pepper, garlic can be varied according to taste. Ginger can also be added along with garlic.
  
• Use of  garlic can be avoided all together for a different taste
• Refined oil is best but Ghee or clarified butter is traditionally used and gives a very good taste. 
• This will serve two  to three persons.