Tamarind rice (Quick and easy recipe)

I learnt this recipe from my dear friend Soujanya.

Ingredients:

• Sona masoori Rice: 1 cup 
• Oil: 3-4 tbsp
• Whole Red chilli (Sabut Lal Mirch) : 1-2 (broken in 2-3 pieces)
• Roasted Peanuts/ cashews: 2-3 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Mustard seeds: 1-1.5 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana Daal: 1 tbsp (wash and soak in water for atleast 1 hour)
• Urad daal: 1 tsp (wash and soak in water)
• Turmeric pwd: 1 tsp
• Green chilli: 4-5 (cut in halves and slit from centre lengthwise)
• Asafoetida: a pinch
• Tamarind: 1 lemon sized ball (Soak in hot water to get thick extract. Don't add too much water)

Method:

1. Cooking rice:
• Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins. Add salt.
• Take a boil and cook and low flame for 12-13 mins. (Make sure the rice is properly cooked but not too soft)
• Add 1 tbsp oil in cooked rice and mix well.
2. Tadka/ Seasoning:
• Dry roast peanuts for 3-4 mins. Take them out in separate plate.
• Heat oil/ ghee in pan. 
• Add chana daal and urad daal. Cook for 3-4 mins.
• Add hing, whole red chilli, haldi, green chilli, curry leaves and mustard seeds. Let them splutter. 
• Add peanuts. Mix and turn off the flame. 
• Now sieve the thick extract of tamarind and add tamarind extract and cook for 3-4 mins to get thick pulp. The oil will separate from the mixture.
3. Mix tadka in cooked rice.
4. Ready to serve. 

Puliyogare (Tamarind rice)

Ingredients:

• Puliyogare pwd: (You can refrigerate this puliyogare pwd for 1 year in air tight container)
• Tamarind- a big lemon size
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds: 4 tsp
• Coriander seeds: 2 tsp
• Jaggery:  2-3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds/ Methi seeds: a little less than 1 tsp
• Oil: 2 tsp
• Black sesame seeds: 2 tbsp
• Black pepper corns: 2 tbsp
• Hing: a pinch
• Dry red chillies: 4-6
• Haldi: 1/4 tsp
• Seasoning:
• Oil: 3-4 tbsp
• Green chilli: 2 (slit from center)
• Curry leaves 
• Peanuts: 1/4 cup
• (Cooked and salty) Rice: 1 cup 

Method:

• Puliyogare powder:
• Heat the pan and dry roast chana dal until it turns golden brown. Transfer it to a separate plate.
• Dry roast methi seeds until it turns golden brown. Transfer in a plate.
• Dry roast cumin seeds, black sesame seeds, mustard seeds and transfer to the plate.
• Roasted spices: Heat  1 tsp oil. Add hing, black pepper corns, red chillies (whole), coriander seeds and haldi. Add all other roasted ingredients ( methi seeds, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds) . Don't add sesame seeds and chana dal. Transfer them to a separate plate.
• Heat 1 tsp oil and warm the tamarind. (It will take 2-3 mins only) Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Once tamarind cools down, grind it to form powder with chana dal. You might see a few pieces of tamarind after grinding.Transfer it to the plate.
•  Now grind all the roasted spices to form a fine powder. Add tamarind mix , jaggery, black sesame seeds and grind again to form a powder.
• Cool it and Store it in an air tight container. You can refrigerate this puliyogare pwd for 1 year in air tight container

•  In a flat pan/ kadai, heat oil (3-4 tbsp). Add green chilli, curry leaves and peanuts. Cook until peanuts are roasted. Add rice. Mix well. 
• Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp of puliyogare powder and mix well. Turn off the flame and cover it.
• Ready to serve.

Meethe Chawal (Sweet Rice)

This is my mom's recipe. Simply Yummy.....

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup
• A pinch of saffron dipped in 2 tsp milk
• Yellow food colour- a pinch (optional)
• Sugar: 1/2 - 3/4 cup ( to taste)
• Ghee: 2 tbsp
• Green cardamom pwd: 1/2 tsp
• Dryfruits: Almonds, cashews, Raisins

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in ample water for 10-15 mins. Drain the rice.
2. Heat ghee in pan. Add dry fruits and green cardamom pwd.
3. Add rice and 2 cups water. Take a boil at high flame.
4. Cover and cook rice on low flame.
5. When rice is 80% cooked, add sugar, saffron and yellow colour. Mix well.
6. Cover and cook for few more mins until done.
7. Serve hot.

Thai Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• Sona Masoori Rice- 1 cup
• Coconut Milk- ½ cup
• Water- 1.5 cup
• Oil: 4-5 tbsp
• Whole Dry Red chilli:1-2
• Sesame seeds:1 tsp ( I added sunflower seeds)
• Onion : 1 ( thinly sliced) 
• Spring onions: 4-5 (chopped- green and white part)
• Garlic: 2-3 cloves ( finely chopped or minced)
• Ginger: a small piece (finely chopped or thinly sliced)
• Lettuce/ cabbage: chopped
•  Lime: 1 (halved & deseeded)
• Green chilli: 1 -2 (finely chopped or thinly sliced)
• Green Beans: 10-12 ( cut into 2 halves to get long beans)
• Bell Peppers/Capsicum: 1 (cut into thin long strips)
• Celery: 1 stick (chopped)
• Light soy sauce: 2 tbsp
• Chilli Sauce : to taste
• Roasted Peanuts: 2 tbsp (Roughly crushed)
• Salt
• White Pepper powdered: to taste
• Fresh Basil : a few leaves 

Method:

Preparing Rice:

• Wash and soak rice in 1.5 cup water in the pan.
• Now heat the pan (with rice and water) and add coconut milk. Take a boil and cook on low flame for about 8-10 min until rice is cooked. (Make sure the rice is not over cooked).
• Now spread the rice on flat pan/ plate to cool it down.

Preparing the tempering and mixing the rice.

• Heat oil in a pan. Add the sesame seeds and red dry chillies.
• Now add garlic, ginger and green chilli.
• Add spring onions and other onions and lime. Stir fry for about 5 – 7 minutes.
• Now add bell pepper and green beans. Toss quickly and stir fry at high heat for about 5 mins.
• Add the soy sauce, chilli sauce and peanuts to the vegetables.
• Toss them to mix everything up. Add salt, white pepper powder and mix well.
• Add the rice to stir fry. Carefully mix everything making sure the rice doesn’t get mushy. Stir fry for 7- 8 minutes.
• Switch off the heat and add basil. Mix well.
• Serve hot.

Rice Chapati/ Rice Roti

I tasted this recipe at my dear friend Asha's house for the first time. And also learnt from her.

Ingredients:

• Rice Flour: 1/2 cup
• Boiled Water: 1/2 cup (The ratio of rice flour to water is 1:1 but you can use more water, if needed) 
• Salt: to taste
• Oil

Method:

• Boil water in a pan or kettle. Add salt. Mix well.Turn off the flame.
• Slowly add rice flour and mix with spoon/ wooden stick at the same time.

• Once the flour comes together, let it cool for 1-2 mins.
• Now, try to knead it into dough with hands.

• The more you knead, the more softer dough will be. Keep it aside for 30-40 mins.
• Make small balls out of the dough.
• Heat non- stick pan/ tawa.
• Roll the ball to make small chapati. Dust it with rice flour, if needed. 

• Put it on tawa.
• Now you have to cook chapati on the medium to low flame.
• Slighlty oil it and flip the chapati. Apply oil on other side and cook well.
• When both sides are cooked, serve hot with any curry (like kadala curry)

PS:

• You can knead rice dough few hours before making chapatis.
• Don't keep leftover dough in fridge. The dough will become dry.

Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

• Cooked Rice (Boil rice with ample water, salt and turmeric pwd)

  

  Cooked Rice

• For tamarind mix:
• Tamarind juice: 1 bowl 
• Soak (lemon size) tamarind ball in hot water for 15-20 mins.
• Mash well.
• Sieve to get tamarind juice.
• Raw Peanuts- 1 tbsp
• Chana daal: 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds/ Rai: 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Whole Red chilli: 1-2 (broken into pieces)
• Hing: a pinch
• Sesame seeds : 1 tbsp(Dry roast and crush in mortar-pestle to form a powder)
• Green chilli: 1 (finely chopped)
• Red chilli pwd: to taste
• Coriander pwd: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1/4 tsp (as we have already added salt in rice)
• Roasted Cumin pwd: 1 tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in pan.

   

   Cooked Tamarind Pulp

2. Add hole red chilli, mustard seeds. Let mustard seeds splutter.
3. Add fenugreek seeds, red chilli pwd, chana daal, peanuts, curry leaves, hing, green chilli.
4. Cook for 5-6 mins on low flame.
5. Add tamarind juice. Mix well. Cook for 4-5 mins.
6. Add salt and sesame seeds powder. Cook for 10-15 mins until the mixture becomes little thick. (See pic on the right)
7. Turn off the flame.
8. Mix it will cooked rice.
9. Serve hot.
   
   

Samak ke Chawal

Its a dish prepared in Navratras- Holy 9 days of Goddess Durga.
I have tried namkeen (salty) version of this rice. Although there is sweet version called Samak ki Kheer.

Ingredients:

• Samak ke Chawal: 1 cup (see pic on right)
• Water: 3 cups
• Jeera/ Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Tomato: 1-2 (chopped/ pureed)
• Oil: 1-2 tbsp
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak chawal in 3 cups water for 10 mins.
2. Heat oil in pan.
3. Add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
4. Add tomatoes. Cook for 2-3 mins.
5. Add chawal, salt and water (in which it was soaked).
6. Take a boil on high flame.
7. Lower the flame and cook for 5-6 mins until done.
8. Serve with yogurt or any vegetable curry.

Samak ke Chawal ki Kheer

Happy Durga Ashtmi..... Jai Mata Di!!

Its a sweet version of Samak ke chawal. Its a dish made in Navratras- 9 Holy days of Goddess Durga.

Serves: 4 bowls
Ingredients:

• Samak ke chawal/ rice: 1/2 cup
• Milk: 2.5-3 glass
• Sugar: to taste
• Green Cardamom pwd: 1 tsp
• For Garnish:
• Almonds, Pistachios (chopped)

Method:

1. Wash rice and keep it aside.
2. Boil milk. Add rice. Take a boil again.
3. Lower the flame. Add cardamom pwd, sugar.
4. Cook on low flame for 7-10 mins until it becomes thick.
5. Garnish with almonds, pistachios.
6. Serve hot or cold.

Vegetable Khichdi

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1/4 cup
• Washed Moong daal: 3/8 cup
• Red masoor dal: 3/8 cup
• Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Salt: to taste
• Vegetables:
• Peas: 1/4 cup
• Green Beans: 3-4 (chopped)
• Cauliflower florets: 4-5
• Potato: 1 (small) (chopped)
• Carrot: 1 (chopped)
• For Tempering:
• Ghee: 1-2 tbsp
• Jeera: 1 tsp
• Red whole chilli: 1/2
• Coriander pwd: 1 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Wash daals and rice properly. Soak them in 2.5 cups water for 10-15 mins. 
2. Heat ghee in cooker.
3. Add jeera, red whole chilli.
4. After 1-2 mins, add ginger garlic paste. Add chopped onions. Cook for 2-3 mins.
5. Add coriander pwd, garam masala, salt, chopped vegetables, rice and daals (with water in which they were soaked)
6. Take 1 whistle and turn off the gas. Add more water, if needed to adjust the consistency.
7. Serve hot with little ghee on it.

PS:

• The ratio of daals: rice is 3/4 cup: 1/4 cup.
• You can either use both daals (3/8 cup each) as recipe above or you can use only masoor dal (3/4 cup)
• You can use any vegetables of your choice.

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup 
• Fresh Coconut: 1 cup (grated)
• Coconut Oil : 3-4 tbsp
• Whole Red chilli (Sabut Lal Mirch) : 1 (broken in 2-3 pieces)
• Green chilli: 2-3 (slit from centre)
• Cashews : 1 tbsp
• Peanuts: a handful
• Salt: to taste
• Hing: a pinch
• Cumin seeds/ Jeera: 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana Daal: 1 tbsp (wash and soak in water)
• Urad daal: 1 tsp (wash and soak in water)
• Ginger: a small piece (grated)
• Coriander leaves: (chopped finely)

Method:

1. Cooking rice:
• Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins. Add salt.
• Take a boil and cook and low flame for 12-13 mins. (Make sure the rice is properly cooked but not too soft)
2. Tadka/ Seasoning:
• Heat oil in pan. Add whole red chilli, hing and mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
• Add peanuts. Cook for a few mins. 
• Add jeera, curry leaves, green chilli and ginger. Cook for a min.
• Add chana daal and urad daal (Drain water from the daals). Add a little salt(~ 1/4 tsp).
• Add cashews. Cook till cashews turn little brown.
• Add a little water (1 tsp), if needed. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins till chana daal and urad daal are done.
• Add coconut  and Mix well.
3. Mix the cooked rice in tadka. Add coriander leaves and mix well.
4. Ready to serve hot with pickle . 

Hyderabadi Veg Dum Biryani

Ingredients:

• For rice:
• Basmati rice: 1.5 cups
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Ghee: 1 tbsp
• Cloves/ Laung: 2-3
• Black Cardamom/ Badi Ilaichi: 2
• Bayleaf/ TejPatta: 2
• Cinnamon stick/Dalchini: 1 inch piece
• Saffron Milk:
• Dissolve a few saffron strands in 2 tbsp warm milk.
• For shallow frying onions:
• Oil: 5-6 tbsp
• Onions: 2 (Large) (Slice lengthwise)
• Nuts:
• Cashews: 1-2 tbsp
• Almonds: 1-2 tbsp
• Raisins: 1-2 tbsp (optional)
• Spices:
• Ginger Garlic paste: 1 tbsp
• Mint Coriander paste: 1/2 cup (Gring mint and coriander leaves together)
• Biryani Masala/ Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Red chilli pwd: to taste (optional)
• Turmeric pwd: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Vegetables:
• Onion: 1 (Large) (chopped)
• Potatoes: 1 (medium) (chopped)
• French Beans/ Green Beans: 1/4 cup (chopped)
• Carrots: 1 (chopped)
• Cauliflower Florets: 1/4 cup
• Oil/ghee: 2-3 tbsp
• Beaten Curd: 1/2 cup
• Milk:1/4 cup
• Fresh Coriander leaves: chopped
• Dough : to seal the pan

Method:

1. Boiling Rice:
• Wash and soak rice in 3 cups of water for 5-10 mins .
• Tempering (for rice):
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in pan.
• Add cloves, black cardamom pwd, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cook for a min.
• Add soaked rice with water (3 cups) to the tempering.
• Add salt and 1 tbsp oil . Take a boil and Cook rice on low flame for 8-10 mins until it is 3/4th cooked.
• Keep it aside.
2. Shallow frying onions:
• Heat oil (5-6 tbsp) in pan.
• Add onions and shallow fry onions until golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
3. Shallow fry nuts as well. (You can omit this step and use the nuts as such)
4. Preparing vegetables:
• Heat oil/ghee (2-3 tbsp) in pan.
• Add ginger garlic paste. Cook for a min.
• Add onions. Cook till onions turn translucent.
• Add biryani masala/ garam masala, mint coriander paste, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, salt, vegetables (cauliflower florets, french beans, potatoes, carrots) and milk (1/4 cup).
• Cover and cook on low flame till vegetables are done.
• Remove the lid, turn off the flame. Let it rest till the moisture evaporates.
• Add curd and  mix well.
5. Preparing the biryani (Layering):
• In a pan, spread a  layer of vegetables. Then spread a layer of rice. Spread a few shallow fried onions. Spread a layer of vegetables and a layer of rice.
• Repeat the process and finish with rice on the top.
• Spread saffron milk on top.
• Sprinkle nuts and spread remaining shallow fried onions.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
6. Preparing Dum:
• Cover the pan (containing biryani). Seal it with dough on all sides.
• Next  step can be done in either of the two ways,
1. If you have hot plate/ electric hob,
• Put this biryani pan on hot plate and cook on low heat for 15-20 mins. (I cooked on number1 on electric hob)
2. If you have cooking gas/ stove (in which you cook on direct flame)
• Place an iron tawa on the gas/ stove and put biryani pan on it.
• Cook for 15-20 mins on lowest flame.
7. Ready to serve with raita of your choice. (In Hyderabad, it is served with Mirchi ka Salan)

PS:

• Instead of making coriander mint paste, you can add coriander and mint leaves (without chopping) while boiling rice.
• You can add shahi jeera, green chilli (chopped) also while making tempering for rice.
• You can also sprinkle some lemon juice before sprinkling nuts and shallow fried onions on the top of biryani.
• In Layering, you can first spread the layer of rice (instead of vegetables, as above) but make sure the top layer should be of rice.
• Baking Biryani:
• You can bake biryani instead of dum.
• Assemble the biryani in oven proof dish like Pyrex .(Layering step no. 5 above)
• Cover the dish with aluminium foil.
• Now, preheat oven to 180 deg C.
• Bake for 15-20 mins.

Zucchini/ Courgette Rice

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup
• Water: 2 cups
• Zucchini/ Courgette (grated with skin): 1 cup
• Oil/ Butter: 1-2 tbsp
• Cumin seed (jeera): 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seed (rai): 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli (whole): 1-2
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil/ butter in a pan.
2. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds to the oil. Let them splutter.
3. Add whole red chilli. Add rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
4. Add water, zucchini and salt. Stir and take a boil.
5. Lower the flame and cook for 12- 15 mins until rice is cooked.
6. Serve with curd/yogurt, vegetable curry, daal or pickle.

Bisi Bele Bhaat (Karnataka dish)

Its a Karnataka Dish...

 Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup (washed and soaked)
• Toor daal: 3/4 cup (washed and soaked in 1 1/2 cup water)
• Vegetables:
• Carrot: 1 (chopped into small pieces)
• Potato: 1 (chopped  into small pieces )
• Cauliflower Florets: 5-6
• Peas: 1/4 cup
• Aubergine: 1(small) (chopped  into small pieces ) 
• Drum Stick: 1(  into small pieces )/ lady finger: 4-5 (chopped  into small pieces )
• Green Beans: 1/4 cup (chopped  into small pieces )
• Green chilli: 1-2 (chopped)
• curry leaves: a few
• Tomatoes: 1-2 (chopped) (optional)
• Ginger paste: 1 tsp (optional, as traditionally it is not added)
• Salt: to taste
• Turmeric pwd: 1 tsp
• Hing: a pinch
• Tamarind juice: 5 tbsp
• Desi Ghee: 1tbsp 
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Jeera: 1 tsp
• Whole red chilli: 1
• Broken cashews: 4-5 pieces
• Jaggery: 1 tsp (optional)
• Fresh coriander leaves: chopped
• For powder:
• Cinnanmon: 1 inch stick
• Black Cardamom: 1
• Cloves: 2
• Whole Red chilli (dried): 2-3
• Dessicated Coconut: 1 tbsp [or u can add freshly chopped coconut pieces: 1/4 cup (cut coconut into v.small pieces)]
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Chana Daal: 1tbsp (wash properly)
• Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Washed Urad daal: 1 tbsp (wash properly)
• Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Coriander seeds: 1tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in cooker. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, 1 whole red chilli (optional), cashews. Add onion, ginger garlic paste, green chilli and curry leaves. Cook for few mins.
2. Add all chopped vegetables. Saute them for some time. Add salt and turmeric pwd.
3. Add toor daal, rice and enough water (~2-3 cups). Cover the cooker and take 1 whistle. 
4. Powder:  (Dry roast the ingredients. Don't add oil)
• In a pan, add whole red chilli, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds. Cook them on low flame.
• Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and cumin seeds. (These masalas are also called Whole Garam masala)
• Add coriander seeds. Cook till light brown.
• Add chana daal, Urad daal. Cook until all the ingredients become dry.
• Add coconut pieces (1/4 cup)/ pwd (2 tbsp). Cook for 2-3 mins.
• Cool and grind the masalas into coarse powder.
5. Add the entire powder (grinded above) to the daal and rice.
6. Add tomatoes and tamarind juice. Cook for 2-3 mins.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with papad/ pickle/ curd.

Badi wale chawal

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 1 cup 
• Oil/ Ghee: 2-3 tbsp
• Badiyan: 4-5 (crushed) (see pic on right)
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Tomato: 1 (chopped)
• Salt: to taste
• Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins.
2. Heat oil/ ghee in pan. Add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
3. Add badiyan. Cook for 1-2 mins.
4. Add onions and cook till they turn translucent.
5. Add tomato, salt, rice and water (in which rice was soaked).
6. Take 1 boil on high flame and cook for ~10 mins on low flame.
7. Ready to serve with curd or any vegetable curry or daal.

Daal Chawal

Ingredients:

• Rice: 1 cup
• For Daal: 
• Washed Moong daal: 3 tbsp
• Moong sabut: 3 tbsp
• Chana daal: 2 tbsp
• Moth: 2 tbsp
• Washed Urad daal: 2 tbsp
• Tomatoes: 2-3 (chopped)
• Ginger: a small piece (grated/ chopped)
• Garlic cloves: 1-2  (chopped)
• Onion: 1(large) (chopped)
• Turmeric pwd: 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Red chilli pwd: to taste
• Green chilli: 1 (chopped)
• Fresh Coriander leaves: chopped
• Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Rice:
• Wash rice. Dip it in 2 cups water for 10-15 mins.
• Take a boil and cook on low flame for 10-15 mins. Keep aside.
2. Daal:
• Wash all the daals  and soak them in ample water for 1 hour.
• In a pressure cooker, add all the daals and water (~ 3-4 cups), salt and turmeric pwd.
• Take a boil. Simmer and cook for 50 mins. Keep aside.
• Seasoning/ Tadka:
• Heat oil in pan. Add cumin seeds. Let them splutter. 
• Add garlic, ginger, green chilli, onion. Cook till onions turn translucent.
• Add tomatoes, red chilli pwd. Cook till tomatoes are done.
• Add seasoning to the cooked daal and mix well.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
3. Daal Chawal ready to serve with salad and pickle of your choice.

PS:

• You can make any daal like moong dhuli, moong sabut, masoor, sambar daal, daal fry.

Coriander Rice/ Green Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 1 cup 
• Coriander: 1/2 cup (chopped)

• Oil/ Ghee: 2-3 tbsp
• Onion: 1-2 (chopped)
• Carrot: 1(chopped)
• Salt: to taste
• Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins.
2. Grind coriander with a little water to form puree.
3. Heat oil/ ghee in pan. Add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
4. Add onions and cook till they turn translucent.
5. Add peas, carrot, salt, coriander puree, rice and water (in which rice was soaked).
6. Take 1 boil on high flame and cook for ~10-12 mins on low flame.
7. Ready to serve with curd or any vegetable curry or daal.

Plain Boiled Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 1 cup

Method:

1. Wash rice properly and soak in 2 cups water for 10-15 mins.
2. Take a boil and Cook on low flame for 10-15 mins till done.
3. Serve with any daal or vegetable curry.

Mushroom rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 1 cup 
• Oil/ Ghee: 2-3 tbsp
• Onion: 1-2 (chopped)
• Carrot: 1(chopped)
• Peas: 1/2 cup
• Button Mushrooms: 1 cup (washed properly)
• Haldi: 1 tsp
• Salt: to taste
• Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins.
2. Heat oil/ ghee in pan. Add cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
3. Add onions and cook till they turn translucent.
4. Add peas, carrot, mushrooms, salt, haldi,  rice and water (in which rice was soaked).
5. Take 1 boil on high flame and cook for ~10 mins on low flame.
6. Ready to serve with curd .

Black Pepper Rice/ Pepper Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 1 cup 
• Oil/ Ghee: 2-3 tbsp
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Black Pepper pwd : 1 tsp (Freshly ground)
• Salt: to taste
• Mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana Daal: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins.
2. Heat oil/ ghee in pan. Add mustard seeds. Let them splutter. Add curry leaves.
3. Add chana daal. Roast till golden brown.
4. Add onions. Cook till they turn translucent.
5. Add salt, black pepper pwd, rice and water (in which rice was soaked).
6. Take 1 boil on high flame and cook for ~10 mins on low flame.
7. Ready to serve with curd . 

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice is a very tangy and nutty version of rice. Basically, a new makeover for left over rice :) 

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice: 1 cup 
• Oil/ Ghee: 3-4 tbsp
• Whole Red chilli (Sabut Lal Mirch) : 1 (broken in 2-3 pieces)
• Roasted Peanuts: 1-2 tsp
• Cashews : 1 tbsp
• Salt: to taste
• Cumin seeds/ Jeera: 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Chana Daal: 1 tbsp (wash and soak in water)
• Urad daal: 1 tsp (wash and soak in water)
• Lemon juice: 2-3 tbsp 
• Turmeric pwd: 1 tsp
• Green chilli: 1 (cut in halves and slit from centre lengthwise)
• Ginger: a small piece (grated)
• Coriander leaves: (chopped finely)
• Asafoetida: a pinch
• Onion: 1 (chopped)

Method:

1. Cooking rice:
• Wash rice properly and soak them in water(2 cups) for 10 mins. Add salt, turmeric pwd and 1 tsp ghee/ oil.
• Take a boil and cook and low flame for 12-13 mins. (Make sure the rice is properly cooked but not too soft)
2. Tadka/ Seasoning:
• Heat oil/ ghee in pan. Add hing, whole red chilli and mustard seeds. Let them splutter. 
• Add jeera, curry leaves, green chilli. Cook for a min.
• Add ginger and onions.Cook for 2-3 mins. (Don't overcook onions)
• Add chana daal and urad daal (Drain water from the daals). Add a little salt(~ 1/4 tsp).
• Add peanuts. Cook for a min.
• Add cashews. Cook till cashews turn little brown.
• Add a little water (1 tsp), if needed. Cover and cook for 2-3 mins till chana daal and urad daal are done.
• Add lemon juice. Turn off the flame.
3. Mix the cooked rice in tadka. Add coriander leaves and mix well.
4. Ready to serve hot with pickle . 

PS:

• Use 1 big lemon for 1 cup rice.
• You can also use previous day's leftover cooked rice. 
• The rice should be cooked. Don't cook rice after adding tadka/ seasoning.