Rajma Pulao with Drumstick Leaves / Kidney Beans Rice with Moringa Leaves ~ Day 19

  

Moringa leaf / Drumstick leaf is best known for its high nutritional value and medicinal benefits. Though it is widely available in India, it is a rare find here in the U S of A.  But, where I live, fresh leaves are available all the time at the Indian or Asian store, for only $2/pack.   I love incorporating this super green into various dishes, so the kids get all the nutrients from it.  This power-packed, healthy, one pot dish is a great choice for a quick lunch or dinner.

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Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 3

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Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Dark kidney beans - 2, 15oz cans, rinsed and drained 
• or
• Dry beans - 1 cup (soaked overnight with enough water, cooked until soft and drained)
• Moringa leaves / Drumstick leaves - 1 cup (leaves separated from the stem and washed)
• Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
• Carrot - 1, large, grated
• Onion - 1, medium, thinly sliced
• Green chilli - 2, slit 
• Ginger - 1-inch piece, grated
• Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
• Dried Pomegranate / Anardana powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - to taste

For tempering:

• Ghee and Oil - 2 tbsp, each
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Bay leaves - 2
• Cinnamon stick - 1
• Cloves - 4
• Cardamom - 1

Method:

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat ghee/oil in a large, deep skillet.  Add cumin seeds.  When it starts to splutter, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom.  Fry for 20 seconds.
3. Add the sliced onion, grated ginger, garlic and green chillies.  Saute, over medium heat, until onions turn translucent and slightly brown.
4. Add the grated carrot, moringa leaves and mint leaves.  Saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add the kidney beans, pomegranate powder and garam masala powder.  Mix well and cook for 7 to 8 minutes.
6. Drain the rice and add it to the kidney beans.  Gently mix and add 2 cups water and salt.
7. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is done.
8. Remove from the heat and gently fluff the rice with a fork.
9. Serve hot with your favorite raita.

Barnyard Millet Yogurt Rice / Kuthiravaali Thayir Saadam (Bhagala Bhath) ~ Day 14

The quintessential Thayir Saadam, every South Indians comfort food, gets a healthy makeover with barnyard millet.  Barnyard millet is high in fiber, has low glycemic index and gluten free too. Here is my version of creamy, scrumptious and divine thayir saadam / yogurt rice.

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Preparation time: 10 min

Cook time: 15 min

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:

Barnyard Millet / Kuthiravalli - 1 cup

Water - 3 cups

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For mixing the rice:

Yogurt / Curd - 2 cups

Milk - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

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For tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Green chillies - 3, small, finely chopped

Curry leaves - 5

Ginger - 1 inch piece, finely chopped

Green pepper - 1/2, finely chopped (combination of red, yellow and green can be used as well)

Carrot - 1, small, grated

Red onion - 2 tbsp, finely chopped (optional) 

Oil - 2 tsp

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For Garnishing:

Cucumber - 1/2, finely diced

Apple - 1/2, finely chopped

Grapes - 10, halved

Pomegranate arils - 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped

Barnyard Millet

Method:

1. Wash the millet couple of time and drain the water.
2. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook the millet until soft.  Once done, transfer the millet into a large mixing bowl and mash well and let it cool.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet and splutter mustard seeds.  Add urad dal, and asafoetida and fry until golden.
4. Add curry leaves, green chilies, ginger, onion (if using), peppers, and carrot.  Give it a quick toss (about 30 sec) and remove from the heat.  This will retain the crunchiness of the veggies.  If you want them to be softer, cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add milk to the millet rice and mix well with a wooden spoon without any lumps.  The best way to mix the rice is to use your hand.  
6. Combine yogurt and salt.  Add the vegetable mixture and combine well.
7. Lastly, add the cucumber, apple, grapes, pomegranate arils and coriander leaves.  Mix everything well. 
8. If the rice is too thick, add milk or yogurt accordingly.
9. Serve with Indian pickle of your choice.

Young Ginger Pulao / Rice

Young ginger, also called spring ginger, has a pale pinkish skin that requires no peeling.  It is very tender, mild and juicy compared to matured ginger.  It is mild enough to eat raw and great tossed in salads. This pulao / rice I prepared today is full of fresh flavors from the whole garam masala and thinly sliced fresh juicy young  ginger.  If you like ginger like I do, you will love this rice.  Go ahead, try it.

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Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 3

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Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Young ginger - 1/4 cup. thinly sliced ( no need to peel)

Onion - 1, small, thinly sliced

Green chilies - 2, slit

Bay leaf - 2

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cloves - 3

Green cardamom - 2

Shahi jeera / black cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Water - 1 1/2 cups

Cilantro - for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat ghee in a medium saucepan.  Add black cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom.
3. Fry for 30 seconds.  Add the sliced onions and green chilies.  Saute until soft.
4. Add the raisins and saute until it plumps up.  Now add the ginger strips and fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the drained rice and gently stir to mix with the spices.
6. Add  1 1/2 cups water and salt.  Let it come to a boil over medium heat.
7. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the water.
8. Remove from the heat.  After 5 minutes, gently fluff the rice with fork.  Garnish with cilantro.
9. Serve hot.

Chana Pulao / Chickpeas Rice

Preparation time: 1h 15min (including rice soaking )

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

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Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Chana / Chickpeas - 2 cans, rinsed
Onion - 1, thinly sliced
Carrot - 2, shredded
Bay leaves - 2
Black cumin seeds / kala jeera - 1 tsp
Ginger and Garlic - 1 tsp each, minced
Green chilies - 2, slit
Red chili powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Yogurt - 1 cup
Light Coconut milk - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Ghee + Oil - 2 tbsp each
Mint - 1/2 cup, chopped
Fresh coriander / Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
Salt - to taste

For the garam masala powder:
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 3
Cardamom - 1
Black pepper - 5
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Rinse and soak the rice in 2 cups of water for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  After soaking, cook the rice along with 2 cups of coconut milk in a pressure cooker until soft ( 3 to 4 whistles).
2. Dry roast the ingredients listed in the garam masala powder for 45 seconds on low flame.  Let it cool and grind into coarse powder.
3. In a small mixing bowl,  mix in the yogurt, ground masala powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and red chili powder.  Whisk well and keep it aside.
4. Heat oil and ghee in large deep skillet.  Add bay leaves, black cumin seeds.  Fry for 20 seconds.
5. Add the sliced onion, ginger, garlic and slit green chilies.  Fry until the onions are soft and transparent.
6. Add the shredded carrots, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and saute for 2 minutes.
7. Mix in the yogurt mixture, chana and salt.  Cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
8. Switch off the flame and add the chopped mint and coriander.  Mix well.
9. Spread the cooked rice on top of the chana and let it cool for 5 minutes.  Gently mix the rice to coat with all the spices.  Let the rice sit for 10 minutes to soak in all the flavors.
10. Serve with your favorite raita.

Mint Pulav with Paneer

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups
Onion - 2 (thinly sliced)
Frozen Peas and Carrots - 1 cup
Paneer Cubes - 1 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2  stick
Cloves - 5
Bay Leaves - 3
Salt - to taste
Ghee and Oil - 2 TBSP each

To grind:
Mint Leaves - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 5
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 2 cloves (optional)

Grind the above ingredients with little water into a smooth paste.  Keep it aside.

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes and pressure cook it with three cups of water.
2. Steam cook or microwave the frozen peas and carrots until tender.
3. In a wide non stick pan, heat oil and ghee.
4. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves.  Fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the sliced onion and fry till it turns translucent.
6. Add the ground mint paste and fry for 10 minutes or until the oil separates.
7. Add the carrots, peas and salt.  Mix well.  If the mixture is dry add 1/4 cup water.
8. Add the paneer pieces and cook for 5 minutes.  Turn off the flame.
9. Add the cooked rice and mix gently to coat. 
10. Serve hot with raita.

Mangai Sadam ~ Mango Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 2 cups
Peeled and Shredded raw mango - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Slit green chillies - 3
Broken red chillies - 2
Grated ginger - 1 TBSP
Urad dal- 2 tsp
Chana dal - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves - 5-6
Oil - 2 TBSP

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds.  
2. Now add green chillies, red chillies, ginger, urad dal, chana dal, turmeric powder, asafoetida and curry leaves.  
3. Fry until the dals turn to golden brown.  
4. Add the shredded mango and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Make sure not to over cook the mango.  It will become mushy.
5. Add salt and mix gently.
6. Add the mango mixture to the cooked rice and mix well.
7. Serve hot with raita.

Ellu Sadam / Sesame Seed Rice

Ingredients: 


To make Sesame Powder:
White Sesame Seeds - 3/4 cup
Black Sesame Seeds - 1/4 cup
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 8 to 10
Oil - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry urad dal and red chillies until golden brown.  Transfer it to a plate and let it cool.
In the same pan, dry roast both the sesame seeds in a low flame until it turns light brown in color.
Let it cool completely.  Grind all the fried ingredients into a coarse powder.

To make Sesame Rice:
Cook rice and allow it to cool.  Do not over cook the rice.

For tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Asafetida - small pinch

Curry leaves

Sesame oil - 2 TBSP

Heat oil in pan and fry the tempering ingredients except salt.  

Add this to the rice along with salt and required amount of sesame powder and mix well.

Add more sesame oil if required.