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February 28, 2011

Quick Sambar Powder(podi) Rice

rice 3

Simple, easy, quick & delicious rice taste perfect with papads.  One of my comfort rice preparation for the lunch box menu.  Healthy & nutritious  way of using all leftover vegetables.  Either store bought / homemade sambar powder can be used for this dish.  I personally prefer to use homemade sambar powder, as you get the unique flavour comparatively.  

Ingredients :
  1. Raw Rice - 3/4 cup
  2. Toor dal - 1/4 cup
  3. Water - 2 1/4 cups
  4. Onion - 1 large sized
  5. Tomato - 1 large sized
  6. Tamarind pulp - 1 tbsp
  7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
  8. Sambar powder - 2 tsp (to taste)
  9. Oil  - 1 tbsp
  10. Ghee - 1 tbsp
  11. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  12. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
  13. Red chillies - 3 to 4 nos
  14. Curry leaves - 1 tbsp
  15. Cut Vegetables (carrot, beans, drumstick, potato) - 1 cup
  16. Roasted cashewnuts - 1 tbsp
  17. Salt to taste
  18. Corriander leaves for garnishing
rice 2

Method :

1.   Soak the rice & dal together for half an hour.  (optional)

2.   Heat oil & ghee together in the cooker, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, curry leaves & finely chopped onions.  Saute till tender.

3.   Add finely chopped tomatoes, tumeric powder & salt to taste.

4.   Add cut vegetables & tamarind pulp.  Cook for 3 mins.

5.   Drain & add the rice and dal.  Add sambar powder (Either homemade or store bought), water & corriander leaves.  Cook them till done.  (I cook this on low medium flame for 25 mins)

6.   Once cooked, add roasted cashewnuts & again some corrainder leaves.

rice 1

Serve with papads.

February 22, 2011

Spicy & Unique Prawn fry in South Indian style

prawn fry 1

Last Wednesday, I decided to make full meals for the dinner.  I made vegetarian dishes & when pravin returned back home he strongly denied to have the brinjal fry for sambar.  Finally, after a long arguments I made this spicy prawn fry with all the spices I have.  I cant believe it was too good & perfect for rice and rotis.  

Ingredients :
  1. Prawns - 500 gms 
  2. Onion - 7 nos
  3. Tomato - 1 no
  4. Black pepper corn - 1 tbsp
  5. Red chillies - 3 nos
  6. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  7. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
  8. Cinnamon stick - 1 no
  9. Cloves - 1 no
  10. Cardamom - 1 no
  11. Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
  12. Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
  13. Ginger piece - 1/2 inch
  14. Garlic pods - 3 to 4 nos
  15. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
  16. Red chilly powder - to spice taste 
  17. Salt to taste
  18. Oil - 1 tbsp
  19. Corriander leaves for garnishing
prawn fry2

Method :

1.   Clean the prawns & keep aside.

2.   Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in the frying pan, add cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, curry leaves (1tbsp), Red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, ginger piece, garlic pods, corriander seeds, black pepper corns, finely chopped tomatoes & onion (5 nos).  Add salt & cook till done.

3.   Allow it to cool & grind them coarsely.  

4.   Now, add 1/2 tbsp of oil in the pan.  Add finely chopped onions (2 nos), curry leaves & saute till tender.

5.   Add turmeric powder, chilly powder & grounded masala.  Adjust salt at this stage.  Cook till you get the required consistency.

6.   Finally, add the prawns & cook till done.

7.  Garnish it with corriander leaves.

prawn fry 3

Serve warm.

February 15, 2011

Rice Payasam (Arisi Payasam)

Rice payasam 2

Wish you all a happy Valentine's Day :)

That was a wonderful day yesterday.  As usual, pravin surprised me with bunches of roses & I made this delicious rice payasam as the day special.  It was absolutely perfect for the occasion & tasted yum !!!!

Ingredients :
  1. Basmati rice - 1/4 cup
  2. Milk - 4 cups
  3. Sugar to taste
  4. Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
  5. A pinch of saffron strands
  6. Nuts (Cashewnuts, raisins, almonds) - 2 tbsp
  7. Ghee
rice payasam 1

Method :
  1. Roast the basmati rice in the ghee & grind them coarsely.  Keep aside.
  2. Roast the nuts in the ghee till golden brown in color.  Keep aside.
  3. Boil the milk in the heavy bottomed pan & add coarsely grounded rice.  Cook till the rice is cooked & milk has reduced to half the quantity.
  4. Finally, add the cardamom powder, saffron strands & roasted nuts.
Rice payasam 3

Serve either warm or cold.

February 9, 2011

Hazelnut Cake

cake 2

Perfect treat for hazelnut lovers.  To make a chocolate hazelnut cake, add 100 gms grated chocolate to the sponge mixture.  It taste absolutely divine especially with tea.

Ingredients :

For the sponge :
  1. Ground Hazelnuts - 50 gms
  2. Chopped hazelnuts - 50 gms
  3. Butter / Margarine - 200 gms
  4. Sugar - 200 gms
  5. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
  6. A pinch of salt
  7. Rum - 1 tbsp 
  8. Eggs - 3 nos
  9. Plain flour - 150 gms ( 11/2 cups)
  10. Baking powder - 2 level tsp
For the glaze : (optional)
  1. Milk chocolate - 150 gms
  2. Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
  3. Chopped hazelnuts for sprinkling - 50 gms
cake 1

Method :

1.   To make the sponge, roast the hazelnuts lightly in a pan without fat, stirring all the time,  Grease & flour the baking pan.  Preheat the oven about 180 C.

2.   Whisk the butter until soft.  Add the sugar, vanilla essence, salt & rum little by little.  Whisk in the eggs one after the other, for about 1/2 min each on the highest setting.

3.   Mix together the flour & baking powder, stir in the roasted hazelnuts & whisk briefly in two instalments on the medium settings.  Spoon the cake mixture into the cake tin & bake for about 45 mins or until done.  Allow the cake to cool.

4.   To make the glaze, coarsely chop the chocolate & melt with the oil over low heat stirring all the time.  Coat the cooled cake with the chocolate glaze and sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top.

cake 3

Serve with tea
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