Ingredients:

• Concentrated Lime or Lemon juice – 4 tbsp (extracted from 2 medium sized lemons)
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Gram Dal – 1 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 7
• Dry Red Chillies – 2 or 3
• Green Chillies – 1 (finely chopped) (optional)
• Salt – to taste
• Rice – 2 cups
• Oil – 3 tbsp

Method:

Cook the rice separately adding 4 cups water and allow to cool.

In a pan, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, then add the urad dal, gram dal, chillies and curry leaves and fry till the dals turn a slight brown. Then, add the lemon juice with little water and turmeric and salt and mix well. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Then add this mixture to the rice and mix thoroughly.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips: Depending on the tanginess preferred, you can adjust the lemon juice proportion. Serve with any hot side dish or fried items, or chips.
• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 20 min
• Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• Rice – 2 cups
• Oil – 4tbsp
• Tamarind – 1 lemon sized ball
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Red Chillies – 10
• Gram Dal – 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida – 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Groundnuts – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander seeds – 2 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 10

Method:

Cook the rice separately (do not overcook) and allow to cool.

Soak the tamarind and salt in water and squeeze out the pulp. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, and then add the gram dal and 5 chillies (break into half). Fry for a while. Add curry leaves, ground nuts and fry for 1/2 minute. Then add the tamarind extract and turmeric powder into it. bring to a boil and then allow to simmer until the mixture becomes slightly thick. Fry fenugreek, asafoetida, remaining red chillies and coriander seeds with some little oil separately and then powder them. Add this powdered mixture to the boiling tamarind mixture. Stir well and remove from heat. This is called “Puli Kaaichal” and can be mixed with the cooled rice.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips:The “puli kaaichal” can be stored upto 10 days in the fridge. Tamarind rice goes well with appalams, vathal or chips.
• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 30 min
• Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• Carrots – diced finely or grated 1/4 – 1/2 lb
• Onion – 1 medium chopped
• Tomatoes – 1 medium chopped
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Green chillies – 1 slit
• Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
• Garam masala items – saunf – 1/4 tsp, cinnamon stick – 1, bay leaf – 1, cloves – 2 or substitute with 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• Rice (basmati) – 2 cups

Method:

In a pressure pan/cooker, heat oil and add the garam masala items. Then, add the onions, saute for a while. Then, add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste and saute. Then add the chilli, coriander,turmeric powders,salt and tomatoes and mix well. Add a little water. Then, add in the diced carrots and fry for a while. When the veggie is half done, add in the rice and mix well. (If using grated carrots, can fry for a couple of minutes and then immediately add water and allow to cook). To this add, 3.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium heat (so that the rice doesnt get burnt and stick to the bottom of the cooker). Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips: Make sure not to overcook the rice. Be sure to add the right amount of water depending on the rice you use.
• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 20 min
• Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• Peas – 1/4 lb
• Onion – 1 medium chopped
• Tomatoes – 1 medium chopped
• Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Green chillies – 1 slit
• Chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
• Garam masala items – saunf – 1/4 tsp, cinnamon stick – 1, bay leaf – 1, cloves – 2 or substitute with 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• Rice (basmati) – 2 cups

Method:

In a pressure pan/cooker, heat oil and add the garam masala items. Then, add the onions, saute for a while. Then, add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste and saute. Then add the chilli, coriander,turmeric powders,salt and tomatoes and mix well. Add a little water. Then, add in the peas and fry for a while. When the veggie is half done, add in the rice and mix well. To this add, 3.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium heat (so that the rice doesnt get burnt and stick to the bottom of the cooker). Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips: Make sure not to overcook the rice. Be sure to add the right amount of water depending on the rice you use.
• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 20 min
• Serves 4 – 5

Ingredients:

Onions – 1 medium chopped
Tomatoes – 2 chopped
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Garlic – 2 cloves – roughly chopped
Red Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper – fresh ground (preferred) – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Oil – 3 tbsp
Rice – 1.5 cups

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds, then add the onions and garlic and saute for a while. Then add the tomatoes and chilli, pepper powders and salt with some water and allow to cook till the oil comes out on top.

Cook the rice separately (for 1.5 cups rice add 3 cups water) and mix well with the masala.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Cooking Time: 30 min
• Cuisine: Indian
• Serves – 4

Ingredients:

• Grated coconut – 3/4 cup
• Finely diced coconut pieces – 1 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Gram Dal – 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 4 or 5
• Dry Red Chillies – 2 or 3
• Salt – to taste
• Rice – 2 cups
• Oil – 3 tbsp

Method:

Cook the rice separately adding 4 cups water and allow to cool. In a pan, heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, then add the urad dal, gram dal, chillies and curry leaves and fry till the dals turn a slight brown. Then, add the grated coconut, coconut pieces and salt and fry for a few minutes on low-medium heat.
Then add this mixture to the rice and mix thoroughly. Optionally, can add roasted cashews to this.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 20 min
• Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• Moong Dal – 1.5 cups
• Jaggery – 1/4 cup
• Raisins – 5
• Cashews – 6
• Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
• Ghee – 4-5 tbsp
• Coconut grated – 1/4 cup
• Milk – 1/4 cup (optional)

Method:

Fry the dal in a dry pan and then cook the dal with some cardamom powder. After it has been cooked, mash it well. To this, add the powdered jaggery and bring the mixture to a boil. To this, add the coconut gratings.

In a pan, heat the ghee and fry the raisins and cashews and add this to the above mixture.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips: Optionally, warm milk can also be added to this before serving.
• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 30 min
• Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• Semiya – 1.5 cups
• Sugar – 1/2 – 3/4 cup
• Raisins – 5
• Cashews – 6
• Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
• Ghee – 4-5 tbsp
• Milk – 1/2 cup

Method:

In a dry pan, fry the semiya and remove before it starts browning. In another pan, heat the ghee and fry the raisins and cashews and set aside.

In another pan, boil some water (about 2.5 cups for 1.5 cup rava), stir in the sugar and allow to dissolve completely. Add the cardamom powder and mix well. When the water has come to a boil, add in the semiya and allow to cook till the semiya is done. Add the raisins, cashews with the ghee and mix well.

Before serving, warm up some milk and add to this.
Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips: This dish can be stored without the milk for upto a week in the refrigerator.
• Cuisine: Indian
• Cooking Time: 20 – 30min
• Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• Rice – 1 cup
• Moong Dal – 1/4 cup
• Cardamoms – 2
• Raisins – 6
• Cashews – 6
• Kesari coloring – a pinch
• Jaggery – 1/2 cup
• Ghee – 7 tbsp

Method:

Pressure cook the rice and dal together with cardamoms and kesari color. In a bowl, mix the jaggery with some water to form a syrup like mixture. In a pan, warm up the jaggery mixture and then add the cooked rice & dal and mix well. In a pan, heat the ghee, fry the raisins and cashews and add to the rice and jaggery mix. Stir well.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Cooking Time: 40 min
• Serves 4-5
• Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

• Rava – 1 cup
• Orange Food coloring(Kesari) – a pinch
• Sugar – 1/2 – 3/4 cup
• Raisins – 5
• Cashews – 6
• Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp
• Ghee – 4-5 tbsp

Method:
In a dry pan, heat the rava and set aside. In another pan, heat the ghee and fry the raisins and cashews and set aside.

In another pan, boil some water (about 1.5 cups for 1 cup rava), stir in the sugar and allow to dissolve completely. Add the kesari color, cardamom powder and mix well. When the water has come to a boil, add in the rava slowly while stirring so as to not form lumps of the rava.? Allow to cook till rava is done. Add the raisins, cashews with the ghee and mix well.

Miscellaneous Info:

• Tips: Alter the amount of sugar to make a more or less sweeter version of the kesari.
• Cooking Time: 30 min
• Cuisine: Indian
• Serves 4