Khandeshi Khichdi

This is one of the simple and quick dinner recipe when ever you are back from office late or in hurry time.

In the language of Marathi "Khanda" means Onion and "khichdi" means mixture. In this recipe rice is cooked in the mixture of lentils, onion, tomato and spices.

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Rice
• ½ cupMoong Dal / Green Gram Split
• 2 cups Water (apprx. 1. times the quantity of rice and 2 times the quantity of dal)
• 1 Onion - finely chopped
• 1 Tomato - finely chopped
• 4-5 flakes Garlic (chopped)
• 1 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp Haldi  /Turmericpowder
• 2 tsp Garam Masala Powder (Mixture of many Indian spices - available in Indian Store)
• ½ tsp Red Chili powder
• Salt to taste 

Time Required: 30 mins

Method:

1) Wash rice and moong dal, drain and keep aside.
2) Heat oil in pressure cooker pan, add  seeds, allow to splutter, then add garlic and onion. Fry till onion turns pink.
3) Add tomato, once tomato starts leaving oil add turmeric, garam masala and red chili powder.
4) Now add water (apprx. 1. times the quantity of rice and 2 times the quantity of dal/lentil) and then add salt.
5) Once the water starts boiling add rice and dal.
6) Cover and pressure cook (3 whistles) the khichadi. Smear some ghee.

Serving: Serve hot with roasted papad & onion tomato Raita

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How to cook Rice in Microwave

Don't worry if you don't have the rice cooker, you can cook the rice in microwave too. Follow the steps.

Ingredients:

• Rice 1 cup 
• Microwave bowl with covering lid 
• A microwave:) 
• Water  

Step by Step Method:

Step 01: 
Measure 1 cup of rice

Step 02:

Nicely rinse rice with water.

 Step 03: 

Drain the water.

                                  

Step 04:

Add 2 cups of water i.e. 1:2 is the ratio. If you like the rice more fluffy then add 1/2 cup of water more i.e. 2 1/2 cups of water.

Step 05:
Keep the rice bowl inside the microwave and set the microwave for 15 mins. Make sure you cover the bowl with plate. Failing to cover the bowl will lead to dried the rice on top.

                                         
Step 06:
After 15 mins. leave it covered for minimum of 5 -6 minutes. Remaining heat will cook the rice to completion. Rice will comes out well-cooked and fluffy.

Serve the rice with your favorite dish.

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Pumpkin kootu / Pumpkin Curry

Check out some other Pumpkin recipes which i tried:

Pumpkin kootu / Pumpkin Curry

Pumpkin Spicy Curry

Poosanikai/ Kaddu/ Pumpkin Masala Sabzi 

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Pumpkin curry in Rajasthani Style

Pumpkin Masala Sabzi

Pumpkin Beans/Mixed Pulses Sabzi

Ingredients:
1 (Medium Piece) Pumpkin cut into small cubes
1/2 cup channa dal / kadala paruppu/ Bengal gram

For Gravy:
1/2 cup grated coconut
A pinch of turmeric
1 tsp jeera /cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder/ 2 to 3 whole Red chili
Salt to taste

For Seasoning:
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal / White Lentils (optional) (grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)

A pinch of hing / asafoetida
Curry leaves few

Method:

1.Wash the Bengal gram and add to the chopped pumpkin pieces and add 3 cups water and cook on a low flame until the pumpkin is cooked soft and the Bengal gram is cooked yet firm. Add salt and turmeric.
2.Grind the above ingredients and add to the cooked pumpkin mixture. Mix well and simmer until all extra water is absorbed and the mixture takes a thick consistency.
3.Heat oil for seasoning once the mustard seeds pop add the urad dal turns brown, dunk everything into the kootu mixture and mix well. Adjust salt if any.

Serving: Serve hot with rice.

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Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients:

• Vegetables (cut them little longer size)
• Potato Medium  - 2 nos
• Fresh Green String Beans - 10 to 12 nos
• Cauliflower - 15 to 20 florets
• Carrot - 2 medium
• Green Peas - 1 cup
• Onion medium - 2 nos. (Sliced)

For saute Fry

• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Green Chili- 2 nos.
• Souf/Fennel Seeds - 2 tsp
• Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1tsp
• Cloves- 3 to 4 nos.
• Cardamom - 3 nos.

Masala Powder

• Biryani Masala - 2 tsp (Available in Indian Store)
• Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
• Cinnaman Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red chili Powder - 1 tsp
• Haldi/Turmeric  Powder - 1 tsp

Gravy Ingredients

• Saffron soaked in water
• Curd - 1 cup
• Salt to taste

Method:

1) In a pot take 3 cups of water, add salt, 3 cardamom, 3 cloves and 1 bay leaf bring them to boil and then add soaked rice(1 to 1/2 hr soak the rice) and cook 75% and strain the rice

2)  In a medium flame heat a pan add 2 tsp of oil fry the onions and keep it aside
3)  In same pan add 2 tsp of oil saute ginger garlic paste, add vegetables, salt, and all above masala powders mix well and cook till half cooked

4) Take big pan spread 2 tsp of oil/ghee, spread half cooked vegetables all over the pan, then add some curd, salt, fried onions, add half cooked rice, sprinkle the saffron water repeat the same process again.

5) Take a big pan fill 1/4 of water then keep your filled biryani pan with closed lid and cook it for 10 mins in a very slow flame or you can set them in oven bowl pre heat the oven for 350 degree for10 mins and cook them for 5 to 7 mins.

6) Serve hot with onion tomato raita or with cucumber raita ( Raita is an Indian side dish of yogurt containing chopped cucumber or other vegetables and spices.

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Mexican Veg Burrito Bowl

Chipotle Mexican grill is famous for tacos, burrito bowl and tortilla wraps. Evey ingredients are put to your bowl in front of you according to your taste and spiceyness. We really liked this dish and it becomes our favorite lunch spot. As it is very simple and easy and healthy full of vegetables. So i thought to prepare this dish at home and it came awesome. :) Here is my version of Mexican veg burrito in Chipotle style...

Ingredients

• Cooked Rice - 1 Cup
• Capsicum - 1 cup chopped
• Onion - 1 cup chopped
• Tomato - 1 cup chopped
• Palak/ Spinach - 1/2 cup chopped
• Lettuce - 1/2 cup chopped
• Kidney Beans or soya bean  boiled - 1 cup
• Corn  Kernels -  1/2 Cup
• Lemon
• Cilantro/ coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped

Preparation:

Mexican Salsa or Pico de gallo

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add tomato, onion, jalapeno, spinach,  salt & pepper and saute it nicely  To make it more tasty I added Garlic powder, Thyme & Rose merry

 

Lemon Cilantro Rice

Add cooked rice in a bowl and squeeze half lemon and 1/2 cup cilantro/coriander leaves mix everything well and keep aside until use. or (You can use the rice as per your flavors. Either use plain rice or  lemon cilantro mix rice or cumin seeds/jeera rice. Here I used jeera rice)

Baked Beans

Cooked baked beans till soft and tender. Usually in chipote they use kidney beans as I did't have the stock at home, I used black chana/bengal gram instead. It tastes good too.

Baked Corn

If it is frozen corn keep outside for 5 mins and then keep it in a microwave for 4 to 5 mins.

Oven Roasted Bell Pepper or Capsicum

Cut the capsicum into long strips. sprinkle salt of pepper and keep it in a oven for 7 to 8 mins or till crisp

To Serve:

Take a bowl add jeera rice or lemon cilatra rice, baked beans, salsa, lettuce, extra spinach, corn, roasted bell pepper and mix well and enjoy the burrito. If you are a cheese lover add a shredded cheese on top.

To make it more spicer add dash of a tabasco pepper sauces and sequeez lemon on top for the ultimate taste.

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