Sunday, March 28, 2010

Mango Rice (Mango Pulihora)

It is that time of the year, yes season for Mangoes! Time to dig out those mango recipes to spice up pallete.
Mango pulihora is popular in Andhra especially during Ugadi when you get raw mangoes.
(For the most part, this recipe is same as lemon rice except that lemon juice is replaced with grated mango.)

Ingredients:

1 cup - rice, Basmati or long grain
2/3 cup grated green mango
2 Green Chilies - cut the length wise.
3 Red chilies
1 tbsp Ginger finely chopped
1/4 tbsp Turmeric Powder1 ½ spoon salt (or to taste).

For Seasoning

1/2 tbsp Mustard
1 tbsp Chana Daal
1 tbsp urad daal
2 tbsp groundnutsa pinch of asafetida
Few curry leaves
1 to 2 tbsp oil

Method:

Cook the rice the way that the grains are separable from each other and allow it to cool in a wide bowl or a basin.
Add salt to the grated mango.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, chana daal, urad daal, groundnuts, red chilies and fry just a little, then add green chilies and ginger and fry till daal and nuts become golden brown, now add curry leaves and asafetida fry few more seconds and remove from heat. (Basically fry all the ingredients so that they give out nice aroma and not over fried).

Pour this seasoning mixture over rice, and then add turmeric, grated mango & salt mixture.
Mix well with a wide flat spoon (or hand) until it is evenly mixed and serve.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Cucumber Raita

Raita is North Indian word for yogurt dish. In south it is known with different names depending on the state and the area.

Ingredients:

2 cups yogurt
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
1 medium cucumber peeled and chopped (about 1.5 cup)
1 cup cut tomatos
1 tbsp finely cut coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1 green chilli chopped - optional
1/2 tsp chaat masala - optional

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and serve fresh. Optionally, chill the dish for couple of hours before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated to use the following day.

Palak (Spinach) Fried Rice



Palak rice is easy to make and tastes good even for those who are fussy to eat spinach, especially kids. In a short amout of time a tasty and healthy dish is ready. I cooked it one evening recently when I had only 10 - 15 min of time to cook simple meal, then had to rush out and return an hour later to eat dinner. I just did the prep, transferred to rice cooker for cooking (many thanks to those who invented these kitchen applicances with timers etc).  By that time I returned, warm spinach rice was ready to serve with Raita!!!

Main Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati rice
3 cups fresh chopped Spinach
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 green chilli or to taste (or substitute with chilli powder)
2 tsp lemon juice - optional
3 & 2/3 cups water (little less than double the rice quantity) or
                               per the requirement for the rice variety being used.
(substitute 1 cup water with fat free milk)

Spices:
2 tsp oil
1.5 tsp coriander and cumin powder
1.5 tsp garam masala

 Or if you have all of the following ingredients available use them to substitute garam masala.
  1. 2 sticks cunnamon
  2. 2 cardamom
  3. 5-6 cloves
  4. 2 anise seed
  5. 1/2 spoon shahjeera
Method:

Wash rice and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. If using raw spices, add all those spices 1 thru 5 to the oil, fry for just a few seconds until you smell aroma. Add onions and fry 3 min or so in medium heat until transparent (if using garam masala powder, start off with frying onions).



Add ginger garlic paste and fry until golden brown. Add rice, chopped spinach and coriander jeerra powder to the onion mixute in the pan. Fry all ingredientts while mixing carefully for 3-5 min. Transfer these contents to rice cooker, add salt, lemon juice and water and cook until done.


Fluff the rice and serve hot.


This rice is tasty and nutritious by itself and good even without any side dish or a curry. But goes well with ginger chutney (or any other pickle/chutney),  cucumber raita, papad or even an omlette!!


Monday, March 1, 2010

Palak Tomato (with Blackeye peas)

This is an easy to make dish. Blackeye peas are optional in this dish. Some potatoes can be used instead. This dish goes well with both Rice and Roti.

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
1 lb washed and chopped spinach (palak)
4 medium tomatos chopped
1 cup blackeye peas cooked - optional
4-6 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder to taste


For garnish:
1 tsp olive or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad daal
1 tsp cumin seeds or powder


Method:

Heat oil in saucepan. Add mustard, and urad daal. After it starts spluttring, add garlic, fry for few seconds and then add onion. Fry until transparent and add cut tomatoes. Cook for 5 min, then add chopped spinach (and cooked blackeye peas if using), salt and chilli powder mix well, cover the pot and cook for about 10 min. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Variation for Pasta:
If cooked without mustard, cumin, urad and with less chilli powder and substituting half of the cut tomatoes with pureed tomato, this dish goes well wih Pasta!!