Coconut Rice

Being a South Indian I grew up eating rice. Both plain and flavored. Though I am more of a rotis person I like having my doses of rice too. I especially like steaming hot plain rice. Unadulterated.

The best thing about rice is it can be cooked in various flavors. Being the staple food in most Indian houses, no festive meal is complete without rice. One rice item that is popular in my maternal side of the family is Coconut Rice. There are 2 types in this. One is made with coconut milk and the other with freshly grated coconut. I am sharing the former today. Though we use coconut milk in this id does not have a coconut flavor. Infact if not told you will not know that there is any bit of coconut in there. It tastes very good with chicken curry. I make it atleast once a month.

Serves 2
Preparation: 10 mins
Cooking: 25 mins

You will need:

Basmati Rice: 1 cup
Coconut Milk: 1 ½ cup (I use coconut milk powder as per the instructions on the box for thick milk.)
Onion (medium): 1 thinly sliced
Ginger Garlic Paste: ½ Tblspn
Oil: 1 tblspn
Bayleaf: 1
Cloves: 2
Cardamom: 1
Peppercorns: 5-6
Salt: to taste

Method:

Step 1:
Pour oil in a cooker. When it heats up add the bayleaf, cloves, cardamom and peppercorn to it.
When they start to splutter add the onions and fry till they turn pink.
Now add the ginger garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes (till the raw smell is gone.)

Step 2:
Now add the washed rice, the coconut milk and salt and mix well.
Cook for 1 whistle.
Note: When you open the cooker lid, the rice may seem very sticky on the top. Use a wooden ladle to gently fluff the rice before transferring into serving bowl.

Note: You can also add a few cashew nuts with cloves and other spices.
You could also use tinned coconut milk.

This is going to Monthly Mingle #33 – Ravishing Rice Recipes Event at the Edible Garden initiated by Meeta at What’s for lunch, Honey?

Mayo Cheese Dip

Before I was married, my friends and I used to spend most of our Friday nights watching FRIENDS on DVD and munching on something all night. I used to whip up something new on every such ‘FRIENDS’ night. There were a lot of good surprises and quite a few disasters as well.

Once in a while, especially on a weekend, I like not eating regular dinner but munching on snacks and playing/chatting/watching TV all night. One item that comes very handy on such occasions in the Mayo Cheese Dip. I learnt it from another friend years ago and is a favorite among my friends even now. Serve it with potato chips, french fries, khakra or even papad. Cut carrot, capsicum and cucumber length wise, dip and relish.

Serves: 2 - 3
Preperation: 15 mins

You will need:

Mayonnaise – 1 Tbspn
Cheese Spread – 1 Tbspn
Thick Curd – 1 Tbspn
Carrot – 1 tspn finely chopped
Capsicum – 1 tspn finely chopped
Green chillies – 2 finely chopped
Lemon juice – 1/4th tsp
Salt – to taste
Oregano- to garnish

Method:

Mix the mayonnaise, cheese spread and curd together in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except Oregano, and mix well.
Sprinkle oregano and serve.

Note: Make sure not to add any water from the curd to maintain a good consistency of the dip.

Beetroot Carrot Rice

I don’t really like biting into pieces of beetroot so I came up with this version. This way I get the goodness of it without biting into it. It is simple to make and kids will love it because of the colour. This recipe is great to make even with leftover rice.


Serves: 2
Preparation: 30 mins
Cooking: 10 mins


You will need:


Rice: 1 cup Boiled
Beetroot: 1 cup grated
Carrot: ½ cup grated
Onions (Medium): 1 thinly sliced
Green Chillies: 4-5 slit
Oil: 2 tspn
Channa Dal: 1 tspn
Urad Dal: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Coriander leaves: for garnishing


Method:


Step 1
Heat oil and add Channa dal. After a 15 seconds add Urad dal. As the colour changes add the cumin seeds.

When it splutters add the onions and green chillies and sauté for a minute.

Now add the grated beetroot, carrot and chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.

After a couple of minutes add the already cooked rice to this mixture and mix well making sure all the rice changes colour.

Add salt and mix well.

Sprinkle chopped coriander before serving.
You could also sprinkle some more grated carrot before serving to make it colourful.


Note: You could also add boiled peas to this recipe. I did not have peas at home so I couldn’t.


Tip: If you want to add peas, you can boil them along with the rice. But if you are using leftover rice, you may boil the peas separately and add to the pan along with beetroot and carrot.

Majika Rasam

With the temperature soaring by the day our body and mind start craving for food that is soothing to the stomach. One such soothing item is majika/chaas/buttermilk.

Here is a quick recipe made from majika. It is a popular summer dish of South India. With the basic ingredient that you have in your kitchen you can make Majika Rasam.


Serves 2-3
Preperation: 10 mins
Cooking: 5 mins

You will need:

Curd: 1 cup
Water: 3/4th cup
Oil: 1th tspn
Onion (small): 1 thinly sliced
Tomatoes (small): 1 diced (optional)
Green chillies: 3-4 chopped
Cumin seeds: 1/4th tspn
Mustard Seeds: 1/4th tspn
Curry leaves: 5 to 6 leaves
Dry Red Chillies: 2 broken into half
Turmeric Powder: 1/2th tspn
Asafetida (Hing) : ¼ tspn (optional)
Salt: to taste

Method:

Step 1
Make buttermilk by adding water to the curd and keep aside.

Step 2
In a pan heat oil and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
When they splutter add the curry leaves, dry red chillies, asafetida, and turmeric powder.
After about half a minute add the green chillies and onions (and tomatoes if using) and sauté for a minute.

Step 3
Turn off the gas and add the buttermilk to the sautéed mixture and mix well.

Enjoy it with hot rice on a hot afternoon.

Note: Add the buttermilk after turning off the gas so that it does not curdle.

Cheese Sandwich Toast

A lot of times we let go of our desire to eat a particular dish because we do not have the equipment to make it. Isn’t that unfair? Especially when it is something as simple as a toast sandwich. I like toast sandwiches but don’t have a sandwich maker. But that does not stop me from making, serving and eating it.

Here is one such sandwich. It takes less than 10 mins to make and is perfect for those sudden hunger pangs or midnight cravings. And the best part, you don’t even need a sandwich maker.

Serves 2
Preparation: 5 mins
Cooking: 10 mins

You will need:

Bread: 4 slices (I use brown bread)
Cheese slices: 2
Mayonnaise: to spread on bread slices
Dry Chilli Flakes: 1 tbspn
Oregano: ¾ tspn

Method:

Step 1:
Apply mayonnaise on one side of each of the bread slice.
Place the cheese slice on one of the slices and sprinkle dry chilli flakes and oregano and cover it with another bread slice.

Step 2:
Put a pan on low flame and place the sandwich in it. After a minute flip the sandwich. Remove when it is crisp on both sides.

Repeat for the other sandwich.

You will love the way the cheese melts in your mouth with every bite that you take.

Note: You could also use butter instead of mayonnaise.

This sandwich is on its way to Spices etc... for the 15 minute cooking event.

The Simple Fish Fry

In the coastal areas, fish is a very popular item in meals. Not just fresh fish but dry fish also is a favorite along the Andhra coast. A lot of people have an aversion for its smell though.

In this post I will give you the recipe to a simple fish fry. This is the easiest recipe ever. My mom-in-law once made this for me and when you make it you will also know why I just love it.

Preperation time: 10 mins

Marination time: 45 mins

Cooking: 20 mins

Serves: 2

You will need:

Fish cut into 1 inch pieces – 4 to 5 pieces (I used pomfret)
Ginger Garlic paste – ¾ tbspn
Chilli powder – 1 tspn (If u want it spicier add a little more)
Salt – to taste
Lemon and Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method
Step1:
Rub the salt and ginger garlic paste well to the fish pieces and leave them covered to marinate for about 45 minutes.

Step2:

Shallow fry the fish pieces, in a non-stick pan with the lid, for 5 minutes on each side.
Sprinkle coriander and a few drops of lemon and serve hot. You can serve it with chilli sauce or mint chutney.

You must be thinking I forgot to add some more ingredients in the recipe. Well, that’s what I thought when my mom-in-law first told me how to make it. But it is as simple as it sounds. Now you know why I call it ‘The Simple Fish Fry.’

Note: Cook it on slow flame to make sure the fish does not burn.
If you want you can also deep fry the fish pieces instead of shallow frying.

Tomato Rice

I am not at all a morning person. Hence cooking dal, subji and making roti’s in the morning is something I can’t do at 6 in the morning. As my husband leaves home by 7 am, so I see how I can cook something healthy yet tasty in a jiffy, every day. And I keep the masalas and the spices low during the summers. I give in during the weekends though.

Today I am sharing with you the recipe for simple Tomato Rice.

Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 2

You will need:

Rice: 1 cup
Tomatoes: 1 Big (cut into 6 pieces)
Green chillies: 5 -6 slit
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tspn
Coriander pwdr: 1 ½ tsp
Oil: 1 tspn
Water: 1 3/4 cups
Salt: to taste

Method:

Step 1:
Pour the oil in the cooker and let it heat.
Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add the tomato pieces and the green chillies. Add the coriander powder and salt.
Mix well and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Step 2:
Add the rice to this mixture and mix well.
Wait for a minute before adding water. Mix and cover with the cooker lid.
Cook for 1 whistle.

Serve with plain curds or raita.

Note: We are using only 1 ¾ cups of water because a big tomato also has water in it. If you want it spicier you can add ½ tsp red chilli powder along with coriander powder.

Methi Pulao

Methi Pulao (Fenugreek Pulao)
I love greens. I cook them in as many ways as possible. Yesterday I made Methi pulao and I am now sharing the recipe with you.

I am a miser when it comes to using oil. I use very little oil in all my cooking, except for when it is a fry. Also I cook most of my vegetables and rice items in a cooker. This ways it cooks faster and consumes less fuel. And I will need less oil too.

Preperation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Serves 2

You will need:

Basmati Rice: 1 cup
Water (to cook): 1 ¼ cup
Methi Leaves (Fenugreek leaves): 1 bunch
Tomatoes (small size): 1 diced
Green Chillies: 4-5 chopped
Oil: 1 tspn
Cumin seeds: ½ tspn
Red Chilli Powder: ½ tspn
Coriander Powder: 1½ tspn
Turmeric Powder: ¼ tspn
Salt: to taste

Method:

Step 1:
Chop off the roots of the methi.
Wash the methi well and further chop it.
Sprinkle some salt to the washed methi leaves, mix and keep it aside for 15 minutes. (This will drain out the bitterness from the leaves.)
Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it for 20 mins.

Step 2:

Add oil to a cooker.
When the oil heats up add cumin seeds and wait till it lightly changes colour / splutters.
Add the diced tomatoes, green chillies and turmeric powder and mix well.
Squeeze the water from the methi leaves and add to the cooker.
Add the coriander powder and chilli powder and mix.
Cook for a minute.
Now strain the rice and add it to the methi leaves.
Add salt and water and with the cooker lid.
Cook for 1 whistle.

Serve with cool carrot cucumber raita or pickle of your choice.

Note: Basmati rice cooks faster hence less proportion of water. If you are using regular rice, cook in 1:2 ratio (2 cups water for 1 cup rice)

Another food blog???

Of course we don’t need another food blog. We already have so many of them. The truth is I have been contemplating on starting a food blog for some time now and I couldn’t help but give in.

I am a food enthusiast. I enjoy anything that has to do with food...everyday cooking, trying new recipes, downloading recipes, watching cookery shows, shopping for my kitchen, experimenting and of course eating.

There are lots of wonderful bloggers who share with us their original creations, family recipes and secret ingredients. In this blog, my attempt is only to share with you recipes that I have enjoyed cooking, eating, watching or reading. To be more precise, this is my on-line recipe book.

BTW- Aruna, you are the inspiration behind my Kitchen Concoction. I admire your passion for cooking and commitment towards your blog.