Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice soaked for 1/2 an hour - 1 1/2 cups
• Onion diced - 2 medium
• Carrot ( cut in to 1/2 inch pieces ) - 2 medium
• Beans ( 1/2 inch pieces ) - 20
• Cauliflower - 10 - 15 florets
• Green Peas ( shelled ) - 1 cup
• Salt - as per taste
• Green cardamom - 8
• Black cardamom - 1
• Cloves - 15
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Fennel seed ( sombu ) - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger- Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
• Rose water - 1 tsp
• Curd - 1 cup
• Saffron - a few strands ( optional )
• Fresh tomato puree - 1 cup
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves - 2 tbsp

    Method : 

•        Boil rice in three cups of salted boiling water along with two green cardamoms, one black cardamom, five cloves, half inch stick of cinnamon, until done. Keep aside.
•         Heat a non-stick pan. Add the remaining green cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon along with bay leaf and fennel seeds and roast. 
•         Add onions, carrots, beans, cauliflower florets and green peas. 
•         Sprinkle salt, cover and cook on medium heat for two minutes. 
•         Now add ginger-garlic paste mixed with a little water and stir. Cover and cook for two minutes. 
•        Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder and cook. 
•        Add tomato puree to the vegetables along with half teaspoon garam masala powder and mix well. Simmer for two minutes and then switch off the flame.
•        Whisk Curd with rose water and saffron. Add a little water or milk and whisk well. Keep aside.
•        Take a deep bowl. Arrange a layer of rice at the bottom. Over that arrange half the cooked vegetables followed by another layer of rice. 
•       Sprinkle half of the remaining garam masala powder, half the coriander leaves, half the mint leaves and half the curd mixture. Now add the remaining vegetables followed by the remaining rice.
•      Sprinkle the remaining garam masala powder, remaining coriander leaves, remaining mint leaves and the remaining curd mixture. Cover with a lid and cook it for five minutes on medium flame. Let it stand for five minutes. 
•  Tasty Vegetable Biriyani is ready to eat now. Serve hot. 

Mutter Paneer

Mutter Paneer is the most frequently ordered dish in Indian restaurants. Now, you can also make this delicious recipe in your home. 

Ingredients :

500 gms paneer ( cubed )

200 gms shelled peas

2 large onions

3 medium tomatoes

1 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsps garlic paste

2 tsps coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsps garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 green chillies chopped fine

6 tbsps of oil

1 1/2 cups water

Salt to taste

3 tbsps full cream

Coriander leaves chopped fine to garnish

              

 Preparation::

1. Grind onions into a fine paste in a mixie. Keep aside.
2. Next grind tomatoes into a fine paste and keep aside.
3. Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a pan and stir fry paneer cubes till golden brown. Transfer it to a plate and keep aside.
4. In the same vessel heat 3 tbsp of oil and add onion paste. Fry till raw smell goes.
5. Add tomato paste, ginger and garlic paste to this and fry for another 2 or 3 min.
6. Now add coriander, turmeric, cumin and garam masala powders and add green chillies. 
7. Stir continuously till oil seperates from the masala mixture.
8. Add peas and stir for 2 min.
9. Then add paneer, water and salt and reduce the flame to simmer. Cook till the gravy thickens.
10. When the gravy thickens as you desire, switch off the flame and stir in the full cream.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
12. It tastes delicious with naans, parathas and jeera rice.

Note :

If you are very diet conscious then add tofu cubes instead of paneer.

Tomato Thokku

Tomato improves eye sight, lower hypertension, relief from diabetes, relief from skin problems and urinary tract infections. It consists of a large number of antioxidants which have been proven to fight different forms of cancer. So, we will make use of tomato everyday. 

Ingredients:

Tomato - 1/2 kg
Salt - as per taste
Red Chilli - 2 or 3
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

• Bring Water to boil. Wash and cut tomatoes in to two halves. Put the tomatoes in boiling water. Switch off the flame and close it with a lid for 10 min.
• Peel off the skin and puree the tomatoes in a blender or mixer.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. After it splutters, add urad dal, red chillies, channa dal and asafoetida. Once it turns golden brown, pour tomato puree and add turmeric powder and salt.
• Cook covered in medium flame, stirring in between till it leaves oil on the side.
• Once it cools, store it in an air-tight container and refrigerate it.

Beetroot Kuzhambhu

Beetroot increases blood flow to the brain. It is also used to treat fever, constipation, wounds and skin problems. It contains Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Vitamin A, B6, C, Folic acid, Carbohydrates, Protein and soluble fiber.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 Medium
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Tamarind - medium lemon size
Rice Flour - 1 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Kuzhambhu Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Peel, wash and cut Beetroot in to cubes. Half boil it with little water and salt. Keep aside.
• Soak Tamarind in hot water for 10 min and pulp it with little water.
• Heat oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan on low flame. Add Mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then, add urad dal, channa dal, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves, let it turn to light golden brown.
• Add Kuzhambhu Powder and fry for a minute or till raw smell goes. 
• Add Tamarind pulp,turmeric powder, salt and stir it well. Let it boil for 5 min.
• Add 1/2 cup water, cooked Beetroot cubes and make it to boil further for 10 min.
• Mix rice flour with 1/2 cup of water and pour it to Kuzhambhu to thicken it. Stir it continuously for 5 min. Take away from flame. Serve hot with rice.

Coconut Chutney

Ingredients:

Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Green chillies - 2 medium
Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
Roasted Channa dal - 1tbsp
Salt - as per required

For Tempering:

Oil - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 1
Curry leaves and Coriander leaves - few

Method:

• Add Roasted Channa dal, Grated Ginger, Salt and Green chillies in a mixer and grind it to a paste with little water. 
• Add Grated Coconut at the last and grind it again for just a few seconds. 
• Heat Oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds. Let it splutter completely. 
• Add Red chilli, Asafoetida, Coriander leaves and Curry leaves, stir it well.
• Pour it over Chutney and mix well.

Potato Bajji

Ingredients:

Besan Flour - 3/4 cup
Rice four - 1/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per required
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Potato - 2 medium sized
Orange Food Colour - a pinch ( Optional )
Oil - for deep fry

Method:

1. Wash the Potatoes and pat them dry. Peel off the skin. Then slice it in the slicer. Set aside.
2. In a bowl add Besan flour, Rice flour, Baking soda, Salt, Chilli Powder and Orange food colour. Mix well using little water to form a thick batter. The batter should be like dosa batter.
3. Heat Oil in a heavy bottomed pan in low flame.
4. Dip each slice of the potato in the batter and make sure that both sides are coated well.
5. Put it in to the preheated oil carefully. Turn both sides to cook well till golden brown.
6. Serve Bajji's hot with Coconut chutney.

Tofu Kuzhambhu

Consuming Tofu regularly helps lower bad cholesterol., alleviates symptoms associated with Menopause and even lowers the risk of Cancer. 

Tofu is a great source of Calcium and Vitamin E. Every 100 gms of Tofu yield's 17.19 gram of Protein. The primary health benefit of tofu is to lower your risk of atherosclerosis, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

I tried to use Tofu in our daily food. It is practically difficult to make Butter masala or kofta etc. daily. So, i used Tofu in our daily making Kuzhambhu and it was fantastic. Here is how i prepared Tofu Kuzhambhu...

Ingredients:

Tofu - 1 packet or 200 gms
Tamarind - a gooseberry size
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:

1. Soak Tamarind in hot water for 5 min and make pulp using little water. Keep aside.
2. Wash properly and squeeze the extra water from tofu. Cut in to cubes. 
3. Heat oil in a pan, add Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Channa dal, Fenugreek seeds, Curry leaves, Asafoetida and Cubed Tofu and saute for 5 min on medium flame or till golden brown.
4. Add Tamarind Pulp to it. Add Turmeric Powder,Salt and let it boil for 10 min or till tamarind's raw smell goes.
5. Now add Sambar powder and 1/4 cup water and cook till oil starts to leave the side of the pan, on medium heat.
6. This can be served with Rice.

Notes:

• If Kuzhambhu becomes too runny you can thicken them by adding 1 tbsp of rice flour with water and make it to a paste. Then pour it to Kuzhambhu and boil for few min stirring constantly.