Pulao / Pulav

Pulav or Pulao whatever it is called, is a very simple and yummy dish. Easy to make, A perfect lunch box for kids, for day outings n all..

Serves -2

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice- 1 cup
2. Onion- 1/4, sliced
3. Carrot,cut into small cubes- 1/2 cup
4. Green peas-,fresh/frozen- 1/2 cup
5. Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
6. Ghee- 3 teaspoon
7. Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
8. Salt- 1-2 teaspoon,as required
9. Water-1 1/2 cups
10. Bay leaves- 2
11. Cinnamon stick- 1 small
12. Cardamom- 2
13. Cloves-2
14. Cashew - 10
15. Raisins-10

Method:

1. Wash,drain and keep the rice aside
2. Heat 2 teaspoon ghee in a pan and add bay leaves,cinnamon,cardamom,cloves and saute till the aroma fills the air. 
3. Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell is gone
4. Add the sliced onions and saute till light colour
5. Add the cut carrots and fresh green peas and saute for 2 mins.
6. Now add the drained rice,salt,turmeric powder and saute for a min (check for the salt requirement adn add salt)
7. Add the water,cover and cook till rice is cooked and water is absorbed
8. Heat the remaining ghee in another pan and toss the cashews and raisins
9. Mix them with the rice
10. Pulao is ready

Serve hot with cucumber raita! When you dont prefer to bite the cinnamon sticks or cardomom, u can grdng them to a powder and add it. Its yummy yummy. Just give a try.

Kadhai Paneer

Healthy vegetarian side dish, but if you are a weight watcher, beware of paneer!

Serves-2/3

Ingredients:

1. Paneer,cubed-1 cup
2. Onion-1 large,sliced
3. Tomato- 1 medium,sliced
4. Capsicum- 1,cubed
5. Garlic- 2 pods,crushed
6. Ginger- 1 inch,crushed
7. Red chilly powder- 1 teaspoon
8. Turmeric powder- a pinch
9. Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
10. Salt-1 1/2 teaspoon or as required
11. Oil- 1 tablespoon
12. Water- 1/2 cup
13. Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the paneer cubes
2. Drain and keep aside
3. To the same pan, add chilly powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder and heat for a min.
4. To this add crushed garlic and ginger, saute till raw smell goes
5. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn light
6. Add tomatoes, cover and cook till tender.
7. Allow them to cool for a while.
8. Coarse grind them in  a mixer with 1/2 cup water and keep aside
9. To the former pan add cubed capsicum and saute for a while.
10. Add the ground paste,salt and mix well.
11. Test for the spice requirements
12. Add the fried paneer cubes, cover and cook till gravy thickens.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves

Serve in a Kadhai(Indian style pot) to get a restaurant touch! If you love biting onions, then you can omit grinding them. A very good side dish for roti/chapati/naan/rice.b Serve hot!

Aloo Gobi Dry

An apt side dish for potato lovers! Served with roti,rice.

Serves-3

Ingredients:

1. Potato-3 large(cut into chunks)
2. Cauliflower florets- 2 cups
3. Green chillies- 2,slit
4. Ginger garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
5. Cumin seeds- 1teaspoon
6. Chilly powder- 1/2 teaspoon
7. Coriander powder- 1/2 teaspoon
8. Garam masala- 1/2 teaspoon
9. Salt- 1 teaspoon
10. Curry leaves- 10 nos
11. Oil- 3 teaspoon
12. water-1/2 cup

Method:

1. Pressure cook the potato chunks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water for 2 whistle.
2. Drain and Keep aside.
3. Heat Oil in a pan and splutter cumin seeds when hot.
4. Add the green chillies,ginger garlic paste,saute for a while
5. Add the turmeric powder,chilly powder,coriander powder,salt,mix well and saute.
6. Add cooked potatoes,cauliflower florets,remaining water mix well
7. Cover and cook in low flame till the cauliflower is cooked
8. Add curry leaves, Cook for another min.

Aloo Gobi Dry is ready to be served. Serve with rice as a side dish or rotis as a sabji!!!

Spicy chicken curry

This simple chicken curry is very easy to make, less time consuming, a perfect match for rotis,ghee rice.

Serves-4


Ingredients:

1. Chicken- 1/2 kg
2. Onion- 3 large
3. Tomato-2
4. Slit green chillies-4
5. Garlic- 5 pods
6. Ginger- 2 inch piece
7. Curry leaves- a handful
8. Salt- 1 teaspoon
9. Turmeric powder- 1 teaspoon
10. Red Chilly powder- 2 teaspoon
11. Pepper powder- 3 teaspoon
12. Oil for cooking
13. water- 1 cup
14. Coriander leaves-handful(optional)

Ingredients for marination:

1. Red chilly powder- 2 teaspoon
2. Pepper powder- 2 teaspoon
3. Turmeric Powder-1 teaspoon
4. Coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
5. Salt-1 teaspoon
6. Ginger garlic paste- 2 teaspoon

Method:

1. Marinate the cut chicken pieces and keep aside for minimum 30 mins.
2. Thinly slice the onions and tomatoes
3. Cut the ginger into fine parts, garlic into half.
4. Heat oil in a pan
5. Saute the onion till golden brown. 
6. Add ginger,garlic,chillies and tomatoes.
7. Add turmeric powder,red chilly powder,pepper powder.
8. Cover and cook for 1 min.
9. Add the chicken pieces , pour water,stir well.
10. Cover and cook in medium flame for about 20 mins, stirring in between
11. Cook till the gravy becomes thick.
12. Add curry leaves,mix well,cook for another 5 mins.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Spicy chicken curry is ready! for spice lovers, more pepper or chilly powder can be added to match their taste. Serve them hot with rotis,ghee rice.

Ghee rice/ Ney Chor

One of my favourite dish. Easy to cook, loves serving them to my guests any time.

Serves-4

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice- 2 cup
2. Cloves- 4 nos
3. Cinnamon stick- 3 pieces
4. Cardamom pods- 4 nos
5. Star anise- 2
6. Onion- 1 large (thinly sliced)
7. Cashews- for garnishing
8. Raisins- for garnishing
9. Water- 4 Cups
10. Ghee- 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Rinse and drain the rice
2. Shallow fry them in 2 tablespoon ghee, keep aside
3. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and fry cloves,cardamom,cinnamon,star anise till they crackle.
4. To the same pan add the thinly sliced onions and fry them till golden brown.
5. Add the rice along with salt,water to the above and cook covered till rice is cooked.
6. Remove from fire, gently separate the rice with fork.
7. Fry the cashew and raisins in 1 teaspoon ghee and spread over the rice along with onions.

Can be served along with raita, chicken curry, mutton curry, veg kurma. Simple but grand feast!

Raita/Salad

Raita!!! a very simple side dish. Can have it any time, any season. Its simply refreshing and healthy!

Ingredients:

1. Tomato- 1 big ripe (thinly sliced)
2. Onion- 1 large (thinly sliced)
3. Green chillies- 2 nos (cut finely)
4. Salt- 1 teaspoon
5. Thick Curd- 1 cup
6. Water- 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Mix the cut onions, tomatoes and green chillies
2. Add salt
3. Mix thoroughly the veggies and salt with hand(to crush the veggies)
4. Add curd and mix evenly
5. Add water and mix thoroughly

Simple and delicious raita is ready. All age groups love this dish equally. Can be served with rice, biriyanis, rotis ,also can be eaten alone

Gobi Manchurian

Mouth Watering Chinese dish rich in Sauce.

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

1. Cauliflower,cut into florets-1 cup
2. All purpose flour/Maida-2 tablespoon
3. Corn flour-3 tablespoon
4. Red chilly power-2 teaspoon
5. Ginger-garlic paste-1 teaspoon
6. Salt-as required
7. Pepper powder-a pinch
8. Capsicum, cut into cubes- 1/2 cup
9. Onion,cut into cubes- 1/2 cup
10. Water-1 cup
11. Tomato sauce-2 tablespoon
12. Chilli sauce-1 tablespoon
13. Oil-for frying
14. cumin seeds- a pinch

Method:

1. Neatly cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets.
2. Boil it in water ,with little salt for 2 minutes to make the cauliflower soft (Please take care that its not over boiled, it will cause the florets to break).
3. Meanwhile mix thoroughly Maida, corn flour, red chilly powder,pepper powder,salt in half cup water, to make a thick batter.
4. Fry the oil on low flame.
5. Dip the florets in the thick batter very gently and put into the hot oil for frying.Set aside for cooling.
6. To make the gravy,fry a little oil and add cumin seeds to splutter.
7. Add the chopped onions and capsicum and fry till soft.
8. To this add the fried florets, both the sauces , salt and mix well. Stir well for a while in medium flame.

Dry Gobi Manchurian is ready!!!
If you wish to have a gravy one, mix tablespoon cornflour in 1/2 cup water and add to this Manchurian. Mix evenly. Gobi Manchurian gravy is ready!!!

This is a very famous combination with fried rice. Vegetarians too would love this dish.Yummy Yummy!

Chinese Egg Fried Rice.

An easy to cook, delicious dish, liked by all... Here goes the recipe..

Serves-2

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice- 1 Cup
2. Onion- 1/4 cut into slices
3. Vegetables cut into small cubes-1 1/2 cups(carrot,cabbage,cauliflower,beans)
4. Tomato sauce-3 teaspoon
5. Chilli sauce-2 teaspoon
6. Soy sauce-1 teaspoon
7. Ginger-garlic paste- 1teaspoon
8. Cumin seeds- a pinch
9. Salt-as required
10. Pepper- as required
11. Turmeric powder-a pinch
12. Egg- 2
13. Oil-for frying
14. Water-2 cups

Method:

1. Cook the rice with 2 cups of water adding a little salt.
2. In the mean time, cut the veggies into small cubes. You can choose veggies of your likes.
3. Heat Oil in a pan.
4. Add cumin seed.
5. Add ginger garlic paste to it when it splutters. Mix well till the raw smell is gone. Add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
6. Add the chopped veggies along with salt, turmeric powder and pepper powder.
7. Mix well on a low flame.
8. Add the sauces one by one. Mix well. Can add pepper powder to ones desire.Remove from fire and keep aside.
9. Now break the egg into pan n mix well adding pepper and salt on low flame.
10. Now add the veg mixture n egg onto cooked rice and mix thoroughly till the mix is spread all over.

Chinese Egg fried rice is ready
Veg fried rice can be made in similar way omitting the egg part
serve hot with Gobi Manchurian /sauce.