Ingredients

Thai Jasmine rice/ Jeera Samba rice – 2 cups

Water – 3 cups

Boneless chicken – 200 gm

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Garlic – 1 big finely minced

Onions – 2 medium chopped

Carrots – 2 medium chopped

Beans – 100 gm chopped

Capsicum – 1 chopped

Leeks – 1 chopped

Spring onions – 1 cup chopped

Eggs – 3

Soya sauce – 3 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Aginomotto/ MSG – 1/4 tsp (optional)

Sugar – 1/4 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 3 tbsp

Method

Pour 3 cups of water into a rice cooker and add washed rice and salt.  Cook till done.  Allow the rice to cool.  Cook the chicken pieces in 1 1/2 cups of water, adding a little bit of salt.  Take them out of the broth and allow to cool.  Chop them into 2″ pieces.  Keep aside the broth.  In a large non-stick pan, heat oil and add finely minced garlic.  Fry till the aroma comes out.  Add the onions and fry till light brown.  Now add carrots, beans, capsicum and leeks.  Fry for a minute and add 1/2 cup of chicken broth.  Cook on a high flame till the vegetables absorb the broth.  Add the chicken pieces, pepper powder and salt.  Fry for a minute.  Make a well in the middle and add beaten eggs.  Stir fry the eggs and then fry it along with the vegetables and chicken.  Now add the rice, soya sauce, sugar and aginomotto.  Fry on a high flame for about 2 minutes and switch off the flame.  Enjoy!!!

I served this delicious ‘Chicken Fried Rice’ with Chilly Chicken. 

My daughter came home today after three years of study in Singapore.  It was really a joyous occasion for the whole family!  To celebrate the day, I made this delicious Kerala style ‘Chicken Biriyani’.  I made the Biriyani in the simplest way possible since I had very little time after coming back from the airport.  Hope it will be of use to many of you who would like to make the yummiest Chicken Biriyani within no time!

Ingredients

Chicken – 1.25 kg cut into pieces

Curd – 2 cups

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Onions – 3 big sliced

Ginger – 4″ piece

Garlic – 5 big

Green chillies – 15

Tomatoes – 6 chopped

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Garam masala – 2 tsp

Coriander leaves – 1 cup chopped

Mint leaves – 1 cup chopped

Oil – 3 tbsp

For the Rice

Basmati Rice – 4 cups

Water – 5 1/2 cups

Cardamom – 8

Cloves – 10

Cinnamon – 4

Bay leaves – 4

Ghee – 3 tsp

Salt – to taste

For Garnishing

Onions – 3 big sliced

Cashew nuts – 2 tbsp

Kismis/ Golden raisins – 2 tbsp

Oil – for frying

Milk – 1/4 cup

Rose essence – 1 tsp

Saffron essence – 1 tsp

Pineapple essence – 1 tsp

Lemon yellow color – 1 tsp

Method

Marinate the chicken pieces with curd, turmeric powder and salt.  Keep aside.  Crush the ginger, garlic and green chillies together in a grinder.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry the onions till light brown.  Add the crushed mixture and fry till the raw smell goes.  Add the tomatoes and fry till oil separates. Add coriander powder and garam masala.  Fry for a minute and add chopped coriander and mint leaves.  Now add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well.  Do not add any water.Close with a lid and cook till done.  Stir in between.  Open the lid and evaporate excess water till the gravy is really thick.

Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.  Pour 5 1/2 cups of water into a rice cooker.  Drain and add the rice into it.  Also add whole spices, ghee and salt to taste.  Cook till done.  Keep the lid open after cooking.

Fry the onions, cashew nuts and raisins in oil till golden brown.

Take 1/4 cup of milk and add all the essences and color.  Mix well.

Layer the cooked rice on top of the chicken mixture, garnish with fried onions, nuts and raisins.  Sprinkle the milk mixture on top of it.  Close with a tight lid and keep it on a low flame for 20 minutes.  Switch off the flame and allow the biriyani to sit for another 15 minutes before serving.

Layering can also be done in the rice cooker.  Put it in the cooking mode and cook till done.

Or layer the biriyani in a microwavable dish and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Use rose water, saffron strands and pineapple, if available.

Cheers!!!

Ingredients

Frozen Corn – 3/4 cup

Methi leaves / Menthi keerai – a bunch (take only the leaves)

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Water – 4 cups

Cardamom – 4

Cinnamon – 2″ piece

Cloves – 4

Bay leaf -1

Onion – 1 sliced

Green chillies – 2 slit

Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Tomato paste – 4 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Maggi chicken/veg stock cube – 1 crushed

Salt – to taste

Ghee – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Clean, wash and drain the methi leaves.  Wash and soak the rice in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes.  Heat oil and ghee in a non-stick pan and add the whole spices.  Then add the onions and green chillies. Fry till the onions turn light brown.  Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry on low heat for 2 minutes.  Now add the tomato paste and fry for one more minute.  Add the methi leaves and fry for 5 minutes.  Switch off the flame.  Transfer the rice to a rice cooker along with the water.  Add the methi mixture, corn, crushed stock cube, salt and pepper powder.  Mix well and cook till done.  Yummy ‘Corn and Methi Pulao’ is ready to be served!  Serve it with any side dish of your choice or with curd, pickle and paddads.  Enjoy with your loved ones!!!

If you are using a pressure cooker, use a 5 litre cooker and cook for 5 minutes on low flame after the first whistle.

You can use two chopped tomatoes instead of tomato paste.

‘Corn and Methi Pulao’ is going to participate in Priya’s event “CWS – Cardamom Seeds”

‘Curd Rice is a comfort food for sure!  It is a quick fix dish which can be made using left over cooked rice.  And also a light meal, especially good for the sick.  ‘Curd Rice’ is best served chilled, garnished with grated carrots, seedless green grapes or pomegranate arils.

Yummy ‘Curd Rice’ is off to SriLekha for the event “EFM -  Rice Series”

Ingredients

Well Cooked Raw Rice – 3 cups

Curd – 2 cups

Milk – 1/2 cup

Butter – 1 tsp

Green chilly – 1 chopped

Ginger – 1 tsp finely chopped

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Dry red chillies – 3 broken

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Asafoetida powder/ Perumkayam/ Hing – a pinch

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Cook the rice well and add butter and milk.  Mix well and allow it to cool.  Add curd, green chilly (I used Bird’s eye chilly), ginger and salt.  Mix well.  Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Lower the heat and add curry leaves and red chillies.  Stir and switch off the flame and add asafoetida.  Pour it over the curd rice.  Mix well and serve with mango pickle or fried curd chillies (milagu kondattam).  Cheers!!!

Hi dear friends!  This is my 100th post…  I never ever thought that I would post so many recipes!  It is because of your love and encouragement that I am able to do so….!  My FireStats shows 68902 visits and 164033 page views as I am posting!!!  This is one reason why I want to continue blogging…!

I realize that I have not posted a Biriyani recipe so far… and to celebrate the occasion, I am posting a delicious Mutton Biriyani which I hope you all will like…

Ingredients

Mutton – 1 kg cut into pieces

Curd- 1 1/2 cups

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Onions – 2 sliced

Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp

Green chillies -6 slit

Tomatoes – 4 chopped

Coriander powder – 3 tsp

Chilly powder – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Pineapple – 3/4 cup chopped

Coriander leaves – 1/2 cup chopped

Mint leaves – 1/2 cup chopped

For the Rice

Basmati Rice – 3 cups

Water – as required

Salt – to taste

Bay leaves -3

Cardamom – 6

Cloves – 8

Cinnamon – 2″ 4 pieces

Star anise – 1

For Frying

Onions – 2 sliced

Cashew nuts – 2 tbsp

Raisins – 2 tbsp

Oil – for frying

For Garnishing

Milk – 1/4 cup

Saffron – few strands

Rose Water – 2 tsp

Ghee – 3 tsp

Method

Marinate the mutton pieces with curd, turmeric powder and salt for 30 minutes.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the onions.  Saute till it turns light brown.  Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.  Now add the tomatoes and green chillies and fry till oil separates.  Add the spice powders and fry till aroma comes out.  Now add the marinated mutton and mix well.  Do not add any water.  Close the lid and cook till done.    Open the cooker and add chopped pineapple, coriander and mint leaves.  Simmer till the gravy is thick.

Wash and soak the rice for 20 minutes.  Boil water in a large vessel.  Drain and add the rice, whole spices and salt.  Cook till the rice is done.  See that it is not over cooked.  Strain through a sieve and allow it to cool.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown.  Fry the cashew nuts and raisins in the same oil.  Keep aside.

Soak the saffron in the milk and add rose water to it.

Take a large vessel and smear the bottom with 1 tsp of ghee.  Spread 1/3rd of the cooked rice.  Sprinkle the rice with some milk mixture.  Spread some fried onions, nuts and raisins.  Layer it with half of the cooked mutton.  Add some ghee.  Repeat the process and end with rice on top.  Sprinkle milk mixture and add some ghee.  Decorate with fried onions, nuts and raisins.  Close with a tight lid and keep it on a low flame on the small burner for 20 minutes.  Switch off the flame and allow the Mutton Biriyani to sit for  another 15 minutes before serving.  Serve hot with tomato salad, pickle and pappads.  Enjoy!

Tomato Salad

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 3 chopped

Curd – 1 cup

Onion – 1 chopped

Green chillies – 2 chopped

Salt – to taste

Method

Take the onions and green chillies in a bowl.  Add well beaten curd and salt. Mix well.  Add the chopped tomatoes and mix together.  Serve Tomato Salad with Biriyani or Pulao.

This recipe is for all those who love Mexican food!  ‘Mexican Beans and Rice’ is a very tasty  dish which is quite easy to prepare.  Here I am posting my version of the recipe.

This recipe goes to Sunshinemom who is hosting “MMLA – 13″ which was started by Susan

Ingredients

Basmati or Long grain rice – 2 1/2 cups

Dry Kidney Beans – 3/4 cup

Onion – 1 sliced

Tomatoes – 2 sliced

Green Capsicum – 1 sliced

Peppercorns – 1 tsp

Bay leaves – 3

Cumin/ Jeera powder – 1 tsp

Maggi Veg Cubes – 2

Salt – to taste

Water – 5 cups

Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Butter – 1 tsp

Method

Soak the beans in water for 12 hours or overnight.  Next day, wash it and cook in a pressure cooker with enough water for 12 minutes.  Do not add salt.  When it cools down, open the lid and drain the excess water and keep aside.  Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.  Pour water into the rice cooker and add rice and salt.  Let it cook.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and splutter peppercorns.  Add bay leaves and onions.  Saute till the onions turn pink.  Now add the tomatoes and capsicum and saute for a minute.  Finally add the cumin powder and switch off the flame.  Transfer it to the rice cooker.  Also add the cooked beans, butter and crushed stock cube.  Mix well and cook till done.  Yummy ‘Mexican Beans and Rice’ is ready to be served!

All my Non Vegetarian friends can replace Veg stock cube with Chicken cube.  For best results, use real stock!

‘Vegetable Pulao’ is an all time family favorite!  It is a North Indian vegetarian rice dish.  Here I am posting a simple method to make a really tasty ‘Vegetable Pulao’.  Serve it with any chicken, mutton or veg side dish or simply enjoy it with raita, pickle and pappad!

I am sending this recipe to Priya for the event “AFAM- Bell Peppers” which was initiated by Maheswari.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Water – 4 cups

Frozen green peas – 1/2 cup

Green capsicum – 1 cubed

Carrots – 2 cubed

Potato – 1 cubed

Tomatoes – 3 sliced

Onion – 1 sliced

Green chillies – 5 slit

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Cardamom – 3

Cinnamon – 2″ piece

Cloves – 3

Bay leaves – 2

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 2 tsp

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.  Heat oil and ghee together in a pressure cooker.  Add the whole spices and fry for a minute.  Then add the onions and green chillies and fry till the onions are light brown.  Put the ginger garlic paste and fry.  Now add the tomatoes and fry well.  Add all the vegetables and garam masala.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Strain the rice and add to the cooker.  Mix well and add salt.  Pour water over it.  Close the lid and when the first whisle comes, reduce the flame and cook for 4 minutes.  Switch off the flame and let it cool.  Open the cooker and add coriander leaves.  Serve it with your favorite side dish.  Cheers!

‘Vellayappam’ is a must for Christmas, New Year and Easter in the Christian homes in Kerala.  It is also made as an everyday breakfast dish and is served with stew or egg roast.  Here is a recipe to make quick and easy ‘Vellayappam’.  In this recipe, rice flakes/ aval is added and coconut is totally avoided.  I have mentioned only a table spoon of sugar to be added to the batter.  You can increase the amount of sugar according to your taste.

I am sending this recipe to Nags who is hosting “MM – Ravishing Rice” which was started by Meeta.  My apologies for the delay in sending it!

Ingredients

Rice flour – 2 cups

Rice flakes/ Aval/ Poha – 1 cup

Sugar – 1 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Water – as required

Dry yeast – 1 tsp

Warm water – 1/2 cup

Sugar – 1 tsp

Oil – as required

Method

Add yeast and 1 tsp of sugar to the warm water.  Mix well and keep covered for 15 minutes.  Take a large vessel and add the rice flour to it.  Grind the rice flakes to a fine paste in a mixie, adding enough water.  Add this paste to the rice flour.  Pour the yeast into it and make a batter of dosa/ pancake consistency by adding water.  See that there are no lumps in the batter.  Keep covered overnight or for 12 hrs.  The next morning, add salt to the batter, mix well and keep covered for another half an hour.  Heat an ‘appachatti’ or a small non-stick wok/ kadai and smear a little oil on it .  Pour a large spoonful of batter and rotate the wok once.  Cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame for about 3 minutes or till the appam is ready.  Open the lid and transfer it to a plate.  Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the batter.  You can also serve Vellayappam with dhal, channa curry or vegetable kurma.  Enjoy!

‘Peas Pulao’ is quite easy to prepare and I have made it simpler by following the rice cooker method.  It is a delicious dish and can be served with mutton or chicken curry or simply with raita, pickle and pappads.  I always add coconut milk to makes it tastier!

This goes to ‘WYF: Quick Meal’  hosted by easycrafts.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 3 cups

Frozen green peas – 2 cups

Water -6 cups

Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Onions – 2 medium chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Green chillies – 6 slit

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Cashew nuts – 1 tbsp

Cardamom – 4

Cinnamon – 4″ piece broken

Cloves -6

Bay leaves – 3

Salt – to taste

Ghee – 2 1/2 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.  Pour 6 cups of water into the rice cooker.  Drain the rice and add it to the cooker.  Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts.  Keep aside.  Add the whole spices and bay leaves .  Then add the onions and green chillies and fry till the onions are transparent.  Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.  Put off the fire and add it to the rice.  Also add green peas, coconut milk, coriander leaves and salt.  Mix well and cook till done.  Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fried cashew nuts.  Enjoy!

Wish you all a Happy Easter!

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 3 cups

Bay leaves -2

Peppercorns – 6

Cinnamon – 3 (1″ pieces)

Cardamom – 4

Cloves – 4

Curd/yogurt – 1 1/2 cups

Water – 4 1/2 cups

Salt – to taste

Ghee – 2 tbsp

Onions – 2 sliced

Cashew nuts – 1/4 cup

Raisins/kismis – 1/4 cup

Oil – for frying

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.  Beat the curd and mix well with the water.  Pour it into a rice cooker.  Add all the spices, rice and salt.  When it is warm, add the ghee and mix well.  Cook till done.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and fry the cashew nuts and raisins.  Keep them aside.  Then fry the onions till golden brown.  Garnish the ghee rice with the fried nuts, raisins and onions.  Serve with any special non veg or veg curries and salad, pickle and pappads!

Adding curd (should not be too sour) gives the rice a special taste.  It tastes much better than the regular Ghee rice.  Try it and you will love it!