Tomato Rice

Serves - 2
Spice level - 3.5/5
Source - Chef Kurma Das's recipe

What you would need -

Rice - 1 cup
Tomato - 4 large, finely chopped
Green chilly - 2 -3 (depending on their hotness), finely chopped
Curry leaves - 6 to 8
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For masala -

Dried red chilly - 4 small or 3 large
Coriander seeds - 1tsp
Chana dal - 1tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Coconut - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 5 to 6 seeds
Oil - 1tsp

Procedure -

Cook the rice in double the amount of water.

Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients mentioned under For masala except, fenugreek seeds and coconut and saute till they get fragrant and the dals become darker in color. Now, add fenugreek seeds and coconut and saute till the coconuts are nice brown in color. Cool this mixture and then grind them.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when they start popping, add green chillies, curry leaves and hing and saute for a minute.

Next, add the tomatoes and let it cook till they become soft and mushy. Add little salt to speed up the cooking of tomatoes. Now, add the grounded masala, mix well and let it cook for few mins.

Finally add the cooked rice, mix slowly till all the rice grains are nicely coated with the tomato and grounded masala paste. Serve hot with some papad and raita.

Phodnicha Rice (Tempered Rice)

Phodnicha Rice (Phodni means tempering in Marathi) is a dish which is very popular in Maharashtra. I am sure almost all Maharashtrians must have had this atleast once in their lifetime.

It is normally made with leftover rice. It is very simple and super easy to make with no special ingredients except for the basic stuff which is almost always available in everyone's khitchen.

Serves - 1

Spice level - 3.5

What you would need -

Cooked/Left over rice - 2 cups
Onions - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green chillies - 1 large, cut into big pieces
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 4 to 5
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Oil - 1tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Coriander leaves - finely chopped (for garnishing)

Procedure -

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when they start bounching around, add cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves and fry for few seconds.

Now add, green chillies and onions and fry till the onions are translucent. Add salt and turmeric powder and fry for a minute.

Finally add the left over rice and mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and server hot with raita, pickle and papad.

Spinach Rice

Serves - 2
Spice level - 3.5 out of 5

What you need -

Rice - 2 cups
Spinach - 1 bunch
Onions - 2 cups
Green chillies - 5 to 6
Garlic - 1tbsp finely chopped
Tej Patta - 2
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Cloves - 5 to 6
Black pepper - 5 to 6
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 to 3 tblsp
Lemon juice

Procedure -

Wash the rice, drain water and keep it aside

Wash and blanch the spinach in hot water. Grind the blanched spinach and green chillies to smooth paste.

Heat oil in a cooker, add mustard and when it starts to splutter, add cumin, tej patta, black pepper and cloves and fry for half a minute.

Add onions and fry till they are translucent. Add garlic and fry till the raw smell of garlic goes off. Now add spinach and green chilly paste and cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add rice, salt and 4 cups of water and let it cook for 2 whistles.

Sprinkle lemon juice before serving.

Prawns Pulao



Serves - 2 to 3
Spice level - 3.5/5

What you need -

Prawns - 12 to 15 (deshelled & deveined)
Rice - 1 cup (soaked)
Onion - 1 cup (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 medium (finely chopped)
Potato - 1 small (peeled and cut into large pieces)
Yogurt - 1/4 cup
Green chilies - 3 to 4 (depending on the hotness of your green chilly)
Ginger - 1 tsp
Garlic - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1"
Bay Leaf - 1
Star anise -1
Clove - 3
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Biryani Masala/ Garam Masala - 1tsp
Coriander leaves - a handful
Water - 2 and 1/2 cups
Salt as taste
Ghee/Oil

For Marination -

Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Procedure -

Marinate the prawns with the above marination ingredients for 30 - 40 minutes.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, star anise and fennel seeds and fry for half a minute.

Add onions and fry till they are translucent. Next, add ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry till their raw smell goes off. Now, add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and biryani/ garam masala and fry till the oil starts separating out.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and 1/2 of the finely chopped coriander leaves and fry till the tomatoes are fully cooked.

Next, add the prawns, potatoes and curd, mix well and cook till the prawns are partially cooked.

Now add the rice, 2 and 1/2 cups of water and mix well. Pressure cook for one whistle on medium heat.

Garnish with remaining coriander leaves and lemon juice and serve hot with raita and papad..

Corn Biryani

4th March 2012

I don't remember the source of this recipe, but, its one of those recipes that I lean on when I want to make something quickly. This recipe has a nice blend of hot and sweet - the hotness comes from the green chilies and the sweetness from the sweet corn.

Spicy - 3.5/5
Serves - 2

What you need -

Rice - 1 cup
Corn - 1 cup
Green chilies - 3 small finely chopped
Ginger - 1 tblsp finely chopped
Onions - 1 medium finely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 tspn
Black Pepper - 3
Tej Patta - 2
Cloves - 3
Curd - 1tblsp
Garam Masala/Biryani Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil
Salt as per taste.

Procedure

Wash the rice thoroughly and keep it soaked in water for 15-20 mins.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter, add black pepper, tej patta and cloves and fry for few seconds. Next, add onions followed by ginger and green chillies and fry till the onions are translucent.

Next, sprinkle some salt and garam/ biryani masala, mix it well and fry for a minute or so. Now add corn and again mix well and let it cook for few secs. Finally add the soaked rice (after draining the excess water), 2.5 cups of water and curd. Mix all the ingredients well and let it cook for 2 whistles.

Serve hot with papad and curd.