Tomato rice

Ingredients:

Rice-1-1/2 cup

Tomatoes-2

Onion-1

Pudina/Mint leaves-4 sprigs

Green chillies-2

Oil-1 tbspmper must

Mustard-1/2 tsp

Fenugreek-1/4 tsp

Salt,Chilli powder,asafoetida for taste

Tumeric powder-1/4 tsp

Procedure:

1.Cook rice and allow to cool.

2.Temper mustard and fenugreek.Add turmeric powder, finely chopped onions and fry well. Then add tomatoes, mint and green chillies.

2.When it cooks well, add chilli powder, asafoetida and salt.Leave it in stove for 5 mins.Garnish with corianderleaves and switch off stove.

3.Spread rice in a bowl, add a teaspoon of sesame/gingelly oil and then add the cooked tomato paste.

Tomato rice,raitha and papad would be a good combo!

Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2 cups

Cumin seeds / Jeera -1 tsp

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Cloves-3

Bayleaves-2

Cashew nuts-5

Procedure:

1.Soak basmati rice in water for 30 mins.

2.Drain the water form soaked basmati rice and keep aside.In a pressure cooker add 1/2 tbsp of ghee ; temper jeera,cloves and bay leaves.

3.Now add rice and 3 -1/2 cups of water and cook until one whistle.

4.Switch off stove and keep the cooker aside.

5.Roast cashews in the other half tbsp ghee and pour it on rice.

Sakkara Pongal

Ingredients:

Jaggery-1.5 cup
Rice-1 cup
Elaichi/Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp

Fry :
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Cashews-10
Raisins-10
1/2" Sliced coconut pieces

Cooking procedure:
1.Pressure cook rice in 2.5 cups of water until 2 whistles.
2.Soak jaggery in boiling water. Leave until all the jaggery dissolves well and starts to boil.
3.Now add the rice,cardamom powder and mix well.
4.Fry coconut,cashews and raisins until golden brown and add to the rice.
5.Leave the rice until all the water evaporates.

Lemon Rice

Lemon-1
Rice-1cup
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt
Finely Chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
For tempering:
Mustard
Oil
Urad dal
Curry leaves
Green chillies

To Fry:
Oil
Cashews
Raisins

Cooking procedure:
1. Pressure cook rice in 2 cups of water.
2.Squeeze lemon and add turmeric powder,salt to the cooked rice.
3.Temper and fry all the said ingredients and add to the rice.
4.Mix it well with the rice and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

Yum Yum Curd Rice

Ingredients:

Rice- 1 cup
Curd- 2 cups
Salt for taste
Coriander leaves/Cilantro for garnishing

For tempering:
Mustard
Oil
Curry leaves
Chopped green chillies

To Fry:
Oil
Cashews & Raisins

Cooking procedure:
1.Pressure cook rice in 3 cups of water until 3 whistles.Give enough standing time .Rice should get mashed.
2.When rice cools down, add curd and salt.
3.Temper and fry all the said ingredients. Mix it with the cooked rice. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro.

*Ensure not to add much salt and the curd should not be sour.Sweet curd enhances the taste. Add curd only before serving or else the rice gets too dry.

Coconut Rice

Serves-2
Cooking time-20 mins

Ingredients:

Rice-1 cup
Salt for taste
Hing for taste

For tempering:
Oil-1 tsp
Red Chillies-5
Curryleaves-1 spric
Urad dal-1 tsp
Mustard-1 tsp

For frying:
Grated coconut-2 tbsp
Oil- 2 tsp
Cashews-10
Raisins-10

Cooking procedure:
1. Cook rice in 2 cups of water until 2 whistles.
2.Temper all the said ingredients. Fry coconut in oil until it turns light brown and crispy. Fry cashews and raisins in oil too.Add this to cooked rice.
3.Splutter all the ingredients said for tempering. Add this to the rice.
4.Now add salt and hing and mix well. Do not stir much as it the rice will get broken and shapeless.

Bisibelabath/Sambar rice

Serves-4

Ingredients:

Rice- 1 cup
Toor dal/Lentils- 3/4 cup
Small (pearl) onions -10
Brinjal-1
Drumstick-1
Carrot-1
Potato-1
Tomato-1
Tamarind- 1 small lemon size
Salt for taste
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves to garnish

To dry roast and powder:
Channa dal- 1 tbsp
Urad dal-3/4 tbsp
Coriander seeds-1 tsp
Fenugreek-1/2 tsp
Red chillies-10

For tempering:
Oil-1 tsp
Mustard- 1 tsp
Fenugreek-1/2 tsp
Red chillies-4
Curry leaves-1 sprig

Cooking procedure:
1. Cook rice and dal in 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker until it whistles twice
2.Dry roast and powder the said ingredients.Soak tamarind in water and extract the juice.
3.In a pan, temper the said ingredients,turmeric powder and fry the onions. Then add all the other vegetables, tamarind extract. Close the lid and allow the veggies to cook well.
4.Now add the ground powder adequate water and cook until it starts boiling. Take out a couple of scoops of this sambar and set aside.
5.Add the cooked rice and dal and mix well.Garnish with cilantro.
Bisibelebath will get dry and hard soon. Therfore before serving, pour the scoops of sambar set aside.

Puliyodharai

Ingredients:
Rice-1 cup
Tamarind- size of a big lemon
Salt-for taste
Hing-a pinch
Gingelly Oil- 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder-a pinch

Dry roast and powder:
Channa dal-1 tsp
Urad dal-1 tsp
Red chillies-3
Sesame seeds-1 tsp
Fenugreek-1/4 tsp

For tempering:
Channa dal -1 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Ground nut-4 tsp
curry leaves - 1sprig
Red chillies- 2

Method:

1. Pressure Cook rice and keep aside.
2.Dry roast the ingredients mentioned above and make into a coarse powder.
3.Soak tamarind in water; squeeze out the juice and sieve all the sediments.The syrup should be very thick (Fluid consistency) unlike the normal tamarind juice we use for sambar/rasam.
4.Boil the tamarind syrup for 10-15 mins; add salt,hing,tamarind powder and half the quantity of coarse powder.
5.Soak urad dal and channa dal in water for 10 mins before tempering. Now temper all the ingredients in gingelly oil and drop it in the tamaring syrup.
6. Pour 2 tbsp of gingelly oil in rice and mix well. The add the tamaring syrup, mix well. Add the rest of the coarse powder fully or as required.

Enjoy adi perukku!

Tips:
1.Soak tamarind in lukewarm water; gives better and more tamarind extract.
2.Do not cook tamarind syrup more than 15 mins and do make the tamarind extract thick (tomato sauce consistency).

Mushroom Freid Rice

Cooking time : 30 mins

Ingredients:

Button Mushroom - 20 pieces
Basmati Rice- 2 cups
Onion -1
Green chillies - 2
Cloves,cinnamon,bay leaves,cardamom as required
Oil to fry
Ghee - 1 tsp
Salt for taste

Procedure:

1.Soak basmati rice in water for 10 mins.
2.Heat oil in a pan; add cloves,cinnamon,bay leaves,cardamom.
3. Now add the chopped onions and fry until it turns golden brown.
4.Add chillies and mushroom. Fry for a min.
5. Add basmati rice, salt and 3 cups of water.
6.Close the lid of pan and allow it to cook.
7. Add ghee at the time of serving.