Vegetable Biryani

About the recipe:

This is a very simple and easy biryani recipe which does not require much time and no big masala to grind, but still very yummy and tasty. This can be enjoyed with onion raitha and even with potato chips. Try it, and you will definitely enjoy it. Now, lets learn how to prepare this dish.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Serves: 2-3 

Ingredients needed:

Vegetables: 2 cups (carrot,beans,peas,potato,cauliflower,beetroot:8-10 pieces)

Rice: 1 Cup

Onion: 1

Tomato: ½

Green Chilly: 4

Ginger: 1 inch piece

Garlic: 3 nos

Yogurt: 1 tbsp

Mint leaves: a few

Coriander leaves: a few

Water: 3 Cups

Oil: 1 tbsp

Ghee: 1 tbsp

Cashew nuts: few

For the seasoning:

Bay Leaf: 1

Cloves: 2

Cardamom: 2

Cinnamon:  ½ inch piece

Star anise: ½ piece

Fennel seeds: ½ tsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Wash and cut the vegetables into medium sizes pieces

2. Chop onion, tomato and green chillies

3. Crush the ginger and garlic

4. Wash and soak the rice in 3 cups of water

5. Fry a few cashew nuts in ghee and keep it aside

Method:

1 .Heat ghee and oil in a pressure cooker, and add the ingredients mentioned under the seasoning section

2. Add onion, mint leaves, green chillies, crushed ginger garlic and saute it well

3. Add chopped tomato, vegetables and yogurt 

4. Add salt and the water alone from the rice and give it a good mix

5. When the water comes to a boil, check for salt and add the rice

6. Keep the flame in medium and cook for 3 whistles

7. Garnish the rice with cashew nuts and coriander leaves and serve along with onion raitha

Do not forget to Hit +1, if you really like the recipe :)

Green Gram (Moong Bean) Dosa/Pesarattu

About the recipe:
Green gram is a healthy, low-fat, high-fiber source of protein. It is considered a healthy weight loss food as it is low in fat. It helps to lower the high cholesterol level in the blood system. Green Moong can be highly beneficial for people having a high blood sugar level.

We are going to learn how to make Pesarattu. Pesarattu is a very popular recipe in Andhra Pradesh. There is no need to ferment this dosa batter. You can grind it and make dosas instantly. It is typically served with ginger or tamarind chutney

Preparation Time: 10 mins (excluding soaking time)

Cook Time: 5 mins (per dosa)

Yields: 9-10 dosas

Seves:  2 -3

Ingredients required:

Green Gram : 1 Cup

Raw Rice (pacharisi): ½ Cup

Ginger: ½ inch piece

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Green Chilly: 2

Onion: a small piece (optional)

Salt: as required

Preparation:

1. Wash and Soak the green gram together with the raw rice for 6 to 7 hours (preferably overnight)

2. Grind it into a smooth paste along with ginger, cumin seeds , onion and green chillies

3. Transfer it to a bowl, add Salt and mix it well

Method:

1.Heat a tawa, Sprinkle little water to check if it is hot enough

2.Pour a ladle of batter on the tawa, and and spread it in a circular motion as shown in the picture

3.Let it cook for a minute, then drizzle a tsp of oil around the dosa

4.When the dosa is slightly brown in color, flip it to the other side and cook for a minute

5.Transfer the dosa to a plate and enjoy it with ginger chutney or any other chutney of your choice

Note:
1. You can adjust the green chillies according to your taste
2. If you want the dosas to be soft, decrease the amount of raw rice.

Do not forget to Hit +1, if you really like the recipe :)

Bread Upma

About the Recipe:

Bored of eating bread toasts or bread and jam or sandwiches for breakfast?? Here is a simple and yummy recipe using bread, which can be prepared in just few minutes.. Try it and you will definitely like it.

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 5-10 mins

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients required:

Bread slices: 6-7

Oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds:  1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1tsp

Ginger:  ½ inch piece

Green Chilly: 2

Sambar powder: 1tsp

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Onion: 1 medium

Tomato: 2 medium

Coriander leaves: a few

Salt: as required

Preparation:

1. Cut the bread slices into medium sliced cubes

2. Chop Onion, tomato, green Chilly and ginger

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds crackles, add cumin seeds

2. Add ginger and onion and saute till the onions become transparent

3. Then, add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, sambar powder, salt and saute well

4. Finally add the bread cubes and mix everything gently

5. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve hot

Do not forget to hit +1, if you really like the recipe :)

Paneer Pulao

About the Recipe:

“Paneer”- Everyone loves it. Here is a simple recipe which would be a perfect lunch on a lazy  Sunday- “Paneer Pulao”.Enjoy the dish with a simple onion or tomato raitha.

 Let’s see how to prepare it.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10-15 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients required:

Boiled Rice: 2 Cups

Paneer: 200 gms

Peas: A handful

Capsicum/Bell Pepper: 1/2

Onion: 1

Green Chilly: 2

Crushed ginger and garlic: 1 tsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Ghee: 1tbsp

Cashew nuts: a few

Lemon : 1/2

Salt: as required

Coriander leaves: a few

For the seasoning:

Oil: 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Bay leaf: 1

Cardamom: 2

Cinnamon: 1 inch piece

Preparation:

1. Cut the paneer into medium sized cubes and soak it in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Heat a tsp of ghee in a pan and fry a few cashew nuts and keep it aside

3. In the same oil, fry the paneer cubes soaked in water till light brown as shown in the picture

4. Chop the onions, capsicum and green chillies lengthwise

Method:

1. Heat a tbsp of oil and add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning section

2. Add chopped onion, green chillies and the finely crushed ginger and garlic

3. Add a little salt since it brings out the moisture from the onions and makes it to cook faster.

4. Once the onions becomes transparent, add the chopped capsicum and the peas

5. Saute the capsicum till it becomes soft then add pepper powder

6. Now,add the boiled rice, fried cashew nuts, squeeze half a lemon and mix everything gently

7. Check for salt and Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it hot with onion/tomato raitha

Note:

1. Adding peas is optional

2. U can adjust the number of green chilles to your taste

Do not forget to hit the +1, if you really like the recipe. :)

Thakkali Kuzhambu/Tomato Kuzhambu

About the Recipe:

This is one of the best side dish for idli/dosa. Whenever I decide to prepare idli/dosa, my husband's first opinion for the side dish will be "Thakkali kuzhambu". I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law.Now, let us see how to prepare this yummy dish                

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15-20 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients needed:

Onions: 2 medium

Green Chilli: 1 (optional)

Turmeric powder: ½ tsp

Salt: as required

Water: 1 to 1½ Cups
Jaggery/Sugar: ½ tsp

Coriander leaves: a few

Curry leaves: a few

For the grinding:

Tomato: 4 nos

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Roasted gram(pottukadalai): ½ tbsp.

Red Chilly: 4-5

Shredded Coconut: 2 tbsp

For the seasoning:

Oil: 1 ½ tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

Preparation:

1. Grind the ingredients mentioned under the grinding section to a smooth paste adding a little water

2. Chop onions lengthwise and slit the green Chilly

3. Chop coriander leaves finely

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning

2. Add chopped onion and green chilly

3. Add a little salt since it brings out the moisture from the onions and makes it to cook faster.

4. Then add turmeric powder and saute till the onions becomes transparent

5. Now, add the grounded tomato paste and add water

6. Add curry leaves and cook for sometime till it comes to a good consistency and you see oil on top.

7. Check for salt and add a little jaggery/sugar at the end
8. Put off the flame and  garnish it with coriander leaves and serve with hot idli or dosa

 Do not forget to hit +1, if you really like the recipe :)

Coriander(Cilantro) Rice/ Kothamalli Sadham

About the Recipe:

Coriander leaves(Cilantro) is a wonderful source of dietary fiber. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and protein. It lowers the bad cholesterol and increases the levels of good cholesterol.

Here is a simple coriander dish, which will be a perfect lunch box recipe especially for kids. Pack in some onion raitha along with the rice in a small box and you would totally enjoy the the dish at lunch.

Preparation Time: 10 mins (excluding soaking time)

Cook Time: 15-20 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients needed:

Fresh Coriander leaves: 1 bunch

Rice: 1 Cup

Fresh green peas/ Frozen green peas: a handful

Onions: 2 (medium)

Green Chilly: 2

Ginger: 1 inch piece

Garlic: 1 piece (optional)

Turmeric Powder: a pinch

Salt: as required

Water: 3 Cups

Cashew nuts: a few

Ghee : 1 spoon (optional)

For the Seasoning:

Oil: 1 ½ tbsp.

Mustard Seeds: 1 spoon

Cumin Seeds: 1 spoon

Bay leaf: 1

Cinnamon:  ½ inch piece

Cardamom: 1

Preparation:

1. Wash the Rice and soak it with 3 cups of water for 20 mins

2. Wash the coriander leaves to and put them in a colander/Food Strainer to get rid of the excess water

3. Chop the onions lengthwise and keep it aside

4. Grind the coriander leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilly into a fine paste (Do not use more water for grinding.sprinkle a little if required)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add the ingredients mentioned under seasoning one by one

2. Now add chopped onions and turmeric powder

3. Add salt since it brings out the moisture from the onions and makes it to cook faster.

4. When onions have become light brown, add the peas and the grounded paste of coriander leaves.

5. Saute it for 3-5 mins, then add the water alone from the rice which was soaked.

6. Now, check for salt. It should be a little more as we are going to add rice into it.

7. Add the soaked rice into the cooker, close the lid, put the flame to medium and cook it for about 3 whistles

8. Open the cooker once all the pressure within it releases

9. In a small frying pan, add a spoon of ghee/oil and fry few cashewnuts and add them into the rice.

10. Enjoy the rice with curd raitha.

Note:

1.If using the frozen green peas, wash it a couple of times, put them water for sometime them before cooking

2.I have used the normal rice, if you are using the basmati rice, soak them for atleast 30 mins add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice and cook them to 1 whistle.

Do not forget to hit the +1, if you really like the recipe. :)

Capsicum Curry/Bell pepper Curry

About the recipe:

Capsicums are beautifully colored vegetables and each of them have a unique taste. The green capsicum have a slightly bitter taste. Red and yellow are milder flavored, sweeter and pleasant to taste. A small capsicum could provide up to three times more than the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C, much more than any citrus fruit.

Now, Lets make a quick and yummy dish using capsicum. This dish goes well with chapathi, phulka and plain rice.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients needed:

Capsicum/Bell Pepper:2 Cups  (Any color of your choice)

Onion: 1

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Grated Coconut: 1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 spoon

Turmeric Powder:  ½ spoon

Chilly Powder: ½ tbsp

Coriander leaves/Cilantro: few

Salt: as required

For the Seasoning:

Oil: 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds: ½ tbsp

Preparation:

1. Cut Capsicum into medium size cubes

2. Chop onion finely

3. Dry roast (do not add oil) coriander seeds and coconut for 2-3 mins, powder it using a mixer/blender without adding water and keep it aside.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.

2. Wait till the cumin seeds become light brown, then add the chopped onion

3. Add salt since it brings out the moisture from the onions and makes it to cook faster.

4. When the onion becomes transparent, add the chopped Bell Pepper/Capsicum

5. Add the dry roast powder(coriander and coconut) and chilly powder

6. Saute till the Capsicum is soft. Cook the capsicum in open pan. Do not close the pan with a lid for cooking the capsicum as this will turn the capsicum mushy

7.When the capsicum becomes soft (this would take around 10 mins), check for salt and put off the flame

8. Garnish it with coriander leaves/Cilantro and serve it hot

Note:

1.If you have the store bought coriander powder, u can use that. In that case dry roast only the coconut

2.In case if you have the store bought coriander powder and coconut powder, then u can use them directly and skip the dry roasting step

3.I have used two colors of capsicum(red and green), Using only green capsicum also gives equal taste