Pal Pongal

Ingredients 

• Moong dal/ Green Gram Split - 1/2 cup.
• Rice - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 3 cups
• Coconut pieces - 1/4 cup
• Cashew Nuts - 10 to 12 nos.
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Raisins (khish-mish - dry grapes)
• Cardamom/ Elaichi powder - 2 tsp
• Ghee / Clarified butter)

Time Required: 20 -25 mins


Method:

1) Fry the moong dal (before washing) till it becomes little light brown or till you start getting  aroma 

2) Soak rice and dal separately for 10 minutes. 

3)  Cook rice and dal in pressure cooker up to 3 whistles

4) Heat a pan with 2 tbsp of butter/ghee and fry the coconut bite size pieces and transfer into plate and in the same butter fry the cashews and raisins and keep it aside

5) In the same pan add cooked rice and dal smash them nicely and add milk and sugar and mix them thoroughly

7) Add three table spoons of ghee,  powdered cardamon and cook again for a while till all ingredients gets mixed up 

8) Garnish with fried coconut pieces, cashews and raisins.

Serve hot or cold as per your family preference.

[Continue reading...]

Tamil Nadu Ven Pongal Recipe

It is a wonderful, nurturing and comfort breakfast dish very popular in Tamil Nadu. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups Rice
• 3/4 cup Moong Dal / Green Gram Split
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Urud Dal/ White Lentils - 1 tsp
• Green Chili - 2 nos. 
• Few Curry Leaves 
• 1" grated Ginger  
• Black Pepper Powder - 3 tsp 
• Few Cashews and Raisins for garnishing 
• 5-6 tbsp ghee or butter 
• Salt to taste

Time Required: 20-25 mins

Method:

Step 01) Wash rice and dal. Cook it in a pressure cooker up to 4 whistles

Step 02) Heat ghee and roast cashews & raisins until golden, remove carefully and set aside.

Step 03) In the same pan add  seeds and allow to splutter

Step 04) Add ginger grated, curry leaves, black pepper powder and salt and saute them for about 1 min. 

Step 05) Add cooked rice, dal and cup of water and mix nicely with seasoning 

Step 06) Garnish with cashews & raisins.

Serving: Serve hot with any Sambhar / Churtney /Brinjal Curry 

[Continue reading...]

Pudina Rice / Mint Spiced Rice

Ingredients:

• Rice 2 Cups 
• Pudina / Mint Leaves 3 cups 
• Coriander Leaves/Cilantro 1 cup 
• Coconut grated 1/2 cup 
• Green Chilies - 4 to 5 (as per your taste) 
• Urad Dal / White Lentils  1 tbsp (grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)
• Tamarind tiny ball 
• A pinch of asafoetida / Hing 
• Salt to taste 
• Cashews for garnishing (Optional) 
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Time Required: 20 mins

Method:

Step 01) Cook rice in a pressure cooker once the cooker whistle cools down, take out the rice from the cooker and spread it out on a big plate and let cool for 10 mins. this process helps rice grains to separate nicely

Step 02) Heat oil in a pan, add urud dal, fry till golden brown (take care not to burn it) and keep aside.

Step 03) In the same pan add mint leaves, fry for 2 mins then add coriander leaves, green chilies, tamarind, hing/asafoetida and salt.

Step 04) Lastly add the grated coconut and fry for about 2 to 3 mins until it turns little brown and switch off the flame

Step 05) let them cool for 5 mins. and then transfer into mixer jar add the fried urad dal, half cup of water and blend it into a fine paste.

Step 06) Mix the paste in the cooled rice without breaking it too much. Garnish with the roasted cashews and serve.

[Continue reading...]

Restaurant Style Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

• Basmathi Rice -  1 cup
• Butter/ Oil/ Ghee (Clarified Butter) - 1 tbsp
• Fresh Coriander leaves / Cilantro  chopped
• Green chili – Vertically Slit – 2(Optional)
• Jeera /cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Black Pepper – 2 to 3 nos.
• Cloves – 2 
• Salt to taste
• Water – 2 cup

Time Required: 15-20 mins

Method:

Step 01) Wash rice and let it soak for 5-10 mins.

Step 02) Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan, then add cloves, black pepper, cumin seeds and green chilies

Step 03) Drain the soaked rice and add to the pan. Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Step 04) Meanwhile boil 2 cups of water in a separate pan and when starts to boil, add it to the stir fried rice

Step 05) Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the flame

Step 06) Allow rice to cook on low heat for about 10 mins (until water is absorbed by rice)

Step 07) If you are using pressure cooker, then cook till 2 whistles only

Step 08) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

[Continue reading...]

Pomegranate Curd Rice

This is a must have for me back in office regular lunch box meal. Which all my friends use to cherish. Having a 2 tsp of curd rice in the end of meal is like finishing touch to the lunch. It’s a very cool safe and comfort food. Combination of mango pickle that too vadu Manga /Small raw mango pickle with curd rice will give you amazing satisfaction in taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked Rice
• 1 cup Curd
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 tbsp Malai/milk cream /whip cream)
• Salt to Taste
• Pomegranate/ Grapes for garnishing (Optional)

>For Seasoning:

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 2 tsp Urad Dal/White Lentils (grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)
• Few Curry leaves
• 1" Ginger chopped/ grated
• 3 to 4 Green chili chopped
• Cashew nuts (optional)
• Oil for seasoning

Time Required: 15 mins

Method:

1) Heat oil in a small saucepan add the mustard seeds and urad dal and allow to splutter add curry leaves and ginger grated.
2) Pour this seasoning on hot rice ( instead of cold rice) this gives a good taste. and mix well
3) Add curd, milk, malai/milk cream and salt and mix it well.
4) Garnish with Pomegranate or with grapes.

Note: You can skip the spicy part process like adding ginger and green chili to get more soothing curd rice taste.

[Continue reading...]