Venn Pongal

Its been a while since I cooked patiently, clicking away pictures and doing things at leisure. Just got back from a beautiful short vacation and still in the holiday mood. DH wanted to have vathakuzhambu. Luckily had butternut squash at home and made it in a jiffy. The best complement to vathakuzhambu couldn't be better than a plate of hot venn pongal. Realized quite late that I had not posted pongal on the blog and was just in time to click a couple of pictures for the same.

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

Moong dal - Split - 3 tbsp
Rice - 1 cup
Black peppercorns - 1 tbsp
Crushed black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - A few
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - A couple (optional)
Butter / Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste

Method:

• In a pressure cooker or a pressure pan, heat the butter / ghee and once it gets hot add cumin seeds, black peppercorns, grated ginger , curry leaves, green chillies, and crushed black pepper. Then add the moong dal and rice and roast all the ingredients well on medium flame for 3-4 minutes.

• Then add water and salt and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

• Pongal would have cooked well  after 3 whistles. You can adjust the proportion of water depending on whether you prefer it to be semi-solid or solid.

• Serve it hot with coconut chutney , tomato gojju or vathakuzhambu..

• Enjoy the hot and tasty pongal.

Notes:

• Adding green chillies is optional. If you prefer spicy pongal you can add it or you can omit it.
• Addition of crushed red pepper gives it a real pepper taste. You can add it according to your preference.
• You can cube up ginger and add or you can julienne it. Grated ginger blends well with rice and will not be felt while eating.

Mixed Dal Tadka

I have been so crazy busy from the past few days. All I am thinking and dreaming is about classes and assignments. Spending the entire day at school and getting back home hungry and starving....aaaaahhhhh... I craved for good home food prepared by Mom. But life as a wife in America is all about food cravings and missing dear ones. Left with no choice I had to prepare some yummy but simple food for myself and DH. What better dish could be comforting than making Dal and Rice. I made this yummy dinner for the both of us and trust me..It was so very relaxing!!

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Masoor Dal - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
Medium Tomato - 1 - Chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chillies - 3-4
Curry leaves - A few
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - A pinch
Cilantro - To garnish
Oil / Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste

Method:

• In a vessel combine the three dals and add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt and pressure cook it for 3 whistles.

• In a wok, heat oil/ghee. add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.

• Once they crackle and splutter, add the chopped tomato and cook on medium heat until the tomatoes are cooked well.

• Add asafoetida, red chilli powder and turmeric powder to the tomato mixture.

• Mash the cooked dal and add the dal to the tomato mixture. 

• Mix it all well.Garnish it with cilantro.

• Serve hot with Rice and Roti.. Enjoy the simple and comfort food that gets ready in no time.

Capsicum-Mushroom Rice

I have so fallen in love with mushrooms!!Oyster mushrooms are my favorite!! I have always used mushrooms to make dry curries and used it as toppings on pizzas. I just tried using it along with capsicum, peas and carrots and made a spicy rice. It tasted Awesome!! This is a very easy recipe to make and gets done in a jiffy!

Ingredients:

Mushrooms - 2 Cups (You can use any kind of mushrooms)
Capsicum - 1 medium sized - Diced
Green Peas and Carrots - 1 cup (I used frozen)
Cooked Rice - 3 cups
Butter - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - According to taste


Method:

• In a pan, melt the butter and add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds start to sizzle, add the capsicum and saute it for a few minutes.

• Once the capsicum is cooked halfway through, add the sliced mushrooms and mix well.

• Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.

• Mushrooms release a lot of water and get soft as they are being cooked.

• Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the frozen peas and carrots and mix all the veggies well.

• Once all the veggies are cooked, add the Garam Masala powder and mix well and turn off the flame.

• Mix the veggie masala with the cooked rice.

• Serve hot with Raita and enjoy your quick fix meal!!

Spinach Rice

Spinach Rice is a very easy dish to make and requires no much prior preparation. A quick fix solution for those who cannot wait for long to eat good food. I usually make this after I am back from a tired day of work. I have provided a very simple and step-by-step procedure to make the Spinach Rice

Required Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 3 cups

Baby spinach - 2 cups

Oil/Butter - 2tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1  1/2 tsp

Red chillies - 4-5

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat a pan and add the butter (or oil). Then add the cumin seeds, red chillies and asafoetida.

• Once the cumin seeds start to crackle, add the chopped spinach to the seasoning . Add salt according to taste and mix well.

• Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium flame. The spinach will wilt and reduce in quantity.

• Spinach takes very less time to cook. Once the spinach curry is done, add the cooked rice. Mix the rice and the curry well. 

• Let the cooked rice cool for a while before adding to the spinach rice. Otherwise the rice may get lumpy and mushy.

• Hot spinach rice is ready to serve.

• Spinach rice can be enjoyed best alone. There is no side-dish required. Raita can be used as an accompaniment if needed. Enjoy your spinach rice!

Notes : 

• Usually red chillies are added while cooking greens due to the fact that people who do not want to eat chillies can easily separate red chillies from the green curry as opposed to finding Green Chillies in Greens!

Cabbage Stir-Fry

Cabbage is one such veggie that is green, leafy and very rich in fiber content. It is a very versatile vegetable. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Since it is rich in fiber content it is a very good veggie that cleanses the intestinal system of the body. I usually make stir-fry, Dal and Kootu with cabbage and it is the most liked veggie in my home. This stir-fry is very easy to make and can be eaten with Rice, Roti or can be munched upon just like that.

Ingredients:

Small cabbage - 1
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dal - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - About 1/8 th of a tsp
Green chillies - 4-5
Cilantro - A few sprigs
Salt - To taste

Method:

• Shred the cabbage into small pieces. Wash and drain and set it aside.

• In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, chana dal and urad dal.

• Once the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns golden brown, add the green chillies.

• Now add the drained cabbage, salt and turmeric powder. Mix all the seasoning well with the cabbage.Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

• Keep stirring once in between. Once the cabbage has turned translucent it is cooked. Let the cabbage be a little crunchy. It tastes better that way.

• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

• Enjoy the stir-fry the best with Rasam rice!!

Notes:

• You can also use red chillies instead of green chillies..It will be a contrast to the green color of the cabbage.
• You can add shredded coconut about 2-3 minutes before turning off the flame. It is a variation from the normal cabbage curry.
• Using turmeric powder is optional. You may choose to skip its use.

Okra Stir-Fry

Okra also called as Lady's Finger and one of the most liked vegetable. It is one of the most versatile vegetables that I have known. My granny would always tell us that one can solve Mathematics very well if you eat a lot of Okra . I ate a lot of them for the very same reason . I guess there must definitely be a reason behind making kids eat different vegetables. Okra is very rich in fiber content. It is also considered good for people with elevated sugar levels.
Okra is used in stews and stir-fries. This stir-fry is very easy to prepare and gets ready in minutes.

Ingredients:

Okra - Cut into small pieces - 1 1/2 cups
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 Tsp
Chana Dal - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Salt - According to Taste

Method:

• Wash whole okra and pat it dry. Cut them into small round pieces.

• In a pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal.Let the mustard seeds crackle and allow the dal to brown a bit.

• Add the cut okra into the seasoning in the pan.

• Now add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.

• Mix all the ingredients well and cover and cook for 7-8 minutes.

• Serve hot with plain rice,Sambar/Rasam rice or with Phulkas.Enjoy!!

Vegetable Pulav

Vegetable Pulav is a very easy rice dish. It can be made with a lot of vegetables and the choice of vegetables is totally personal. I like to make it very colorful and vibrant using green peas, carrots and kidney beans. This is a very simple dish and mildly spiced. It tastes best served with Raita made out of cucumber, onions and curd.

Ingredients:

Cooked Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Butter - 2 Tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1" stick
Cloves - a few
Bay leaves - 2-3
Star Anise - 2
Mace - 2-3
Black Peppercorns - A Few
Frozen/ Fresh green peas and carrots - 1 cup
Butter beans / Kidney beans - 1 cup
Salt - To Taste


Method:

• Take 2 Tbsp of butter in a pan and allow it to melt.

• To this add cumin seeds,cinnamon sticks,cloves, star anise, cloves, mace, bay leaves and black peppercorns.

• Allow all these dry spices to roast in the butter for 3-5 minutes. Then add 1 cup of green peas and carrots and add salt to taste. Cook  for 5-7 minutes.

• Add the kidney beans/ butter beans and allow it to cook for 5 more minutes.

• Once the vegetables are cooked, add them into the bowl of cooked Basmati rice.

• Mix the vegetables well with the cooked rice. Serve hot!