Tomato rice in Briyani Flavor

Tomato rice in home style was the first tomato rice we all used to take to school (in my childhood). Then afterwards it was jazzed up by our mothers , sisters and aunts, and became 'Thakkali briyani '. This is the first dish my hubby tasted and he learned that I made it myself (as I was helping my mom to pack lunchbox ). I made this for our Valentine's Day lunch this year to recreate our special day and I think happy foods like this make love grow stronger each day and keeps loving couples together always. Hubby gifted me a designer handbag and some 'props' for my youtube channel. 

Gifts we exchanged for Valentine's Day

Ingredients:

Basmathi rice or any raw rice - 2 cups (400 gm)
Tomato - 5 (1/2 kg)

Red onion - 1 (medium size)

Ginger - 2 inch

Garlic - 1 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chili - 6  
Garam masala / Briyani masala  - 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cilantro- 10 stems
Mint leaf -1 handful.

salt - 2 tsp (check and add)
Peanut oil - 3 tbsp

To temper:
Fennel - 1 tsp
Bay leaves - 1
star aniseed - 1,
Cinnamom stick - 2 inch
cardamom - 4
cloves - 4

Rice preparation:
Wash the rice and soak it for 10 mins. Add 1/2 tsp salt.  Cook the rice to firm stage (100% cooked , but not mushy). Strain and remove the excess water using a colander. Keep open and let it cool.

Preparation:
wash and clean the tomatoes. Puree them. Keep aside.

Method:
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a broad flat bottom vessel.
Add fennel ,star aniseed , cinnamon stick,cardamom ,cloves, bay leaf , cashew and saute for a few seconds.

Put the chopped onion . Fry it till golden brown and add the ginger garlic paste and stir well till the raw smell goes. Then add the chopped chillies, chopped cilantro + mint and stir well.

Now add the tomato paste along with red chilly powder and biryani masala powders.

Add salt to taste. Cook till oil oozes out.

Mix with the cooked rice without breaking the grains.

Tomato biryani is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Garnish with 2 tbsp ghee , chopped cilantro , mint leaves.
Serve with onion raitha, potato chips etc.
Serves 3 adults.

Traditional Tamilnadu style Lemon Rice (Elumichai satham)

Lemon rice is a kind of 'Variety rice' 'sitharannam' prepared in Tamilnadu, Andhra, Kerala and almost whole South India. 

For variety rice we should consider taking uncooked rice 3/4 cup  for 1 adult whereas for plain rice with sambar or any other curries, we will need lesser quantity (1/2 cup for 1 adult). This measurement is based on a person who eats a 'city side' small size meal. But for hard working adults they may need more rice measurement.

I prefer 'Pacharisi' (raw rice. Smells just like Basmati rice) and sesame oil for preparing lemon rice, puliyotharai as they give these variety rices an authentic flavor.

Ingredients: (for 3 - 4 adults)

Rice - 2 cup 

Water - as per need

Lemon - 1

Mustard - 1 tsp

Bengal gram (channa dhal)- 2 tbsp

Dry red chilli - 2
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
salt - to taste

Method:
Rinse and cook the rice. 

Cook the rice in a pressure cooker or rice cooker or by boiling on stove top.

If cooking using a pressure cooker , the water measurement = (rice x2)-1/2 cup

If using a rice cooker, then add rinsed rice to the inner pot of electric rice cooker. Then add water upto the mark. (If we added 2 cups rice, then fill water upto line says 2). My electric rice cooker brand is Aroma and that's how I cook the rice. I have seen almost all the other brands also have the same instruction.

Cook the rice in a grainy finish (not mushy). Let it cool a bit, by spreading it on a plate.
Heat oil in a pan . Add mustard and as soon as it starts crackle, add channa dal. Let the channa dal get mild red.
Add curry leaves and cut dry chillies.
Switch off stove.
In a  separate bowl, squeeze a lemon and discard seeds .
Add the juice to the fried items in the pan.
Add salt and turmeric powder.
Cool the rice a little and mix it with the items in the pan.

If needed add some lime juice, salt after checking the taste.
Lemon rice is ready.

Serving suggestions:
Serves 3 people as lunch or travel food.

If prepared along with curd rice, then this quantity will be enough for 4-5 people.
Serve with Sesame chutney , coconut chutney or ulunthu chutney.
This lemon rice will not get spoiled , if prepared without touching by hands or adding water at the end. It stays good for 2 days even outside the refrigerator.

Best side dishes for lemon rice are potato fry or boiled egg stuffed with masala or masal vadai and also a piece of lemon pickle or a tbsp of thick coconut thogaiyal.

Potato fry (Urulaikilangu varuval)

Potato fry (urulaikilangu varuval) is a famous but simple side dish in Indian cuisine. This can be prepared in a jiffy and a staple in many people's lunch packs. I think this is more popular in Tamilnadu , as we all have childhood memories about this curry. Lemon rice and puli rice are permanent friends for those travelers. 

My mom used to prepare this and coconut chutney (specially made to withstand Indian summer), along with a 'variety rice' like tomato rice, lemon rice, Puli rice, curd rice etc for lunch pack as well as for our 'picnics / temple vists / one day tours'. We were a big family and we won't consider eating out as binging our own lunch pack was more economical as well as hygienic. But economical was the first point to consider in these situations while growing up. We used to go to Tiruchendur temple or any nearby temples as they were like our picnic spots. Amma, chithi, athais would get up early and prepare these variety rices and pack them in large lunch carriers. These kind of activities made the ladies love each other more and kind of encouraged us all in some group activities. I like my modern life style too. After marriage, we never pack lunches for picnics as we all started to like to eat at restaurants and dress nicely and love to stay pretty. I won't blame the modernization, as I always love growing modern. But still sometimes I used to pack some picnic lunches for us during our Chennai picnics and here in USA too. Nowadays,  I understand amma more, when I cook like her for picnics . LOL.

Still the memory of my amma and her love to prepare these 'variety rices' and 'potato fry' 'fried coconut chutney', or 'paruppu vadai' lingers in my mind and I love my memories very much. Yes, food is such a powerful force, as those nostalgic feelings makes us a better person everyday !

Ingredients:

Potato - 4 (200 gm)
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Fennel - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp (to taste)
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

Peel and cut the potato into small cubes.
Heat oil in a thick bottom wok and add fennel.
After it starts becoming mild red, add the potato and fry for 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat, add salt, turmeric and cook covered.
After it is cooked and starts turning little crispy , add the chilly powder and garam masala powder. Again stir till raw smell vanishes. 

The entire process takes just 10 mins (not including the dish washing time. LOL).
Switch off.
Potato fry is ready!

Serving suggestion:

Serve hot with sambar rice, curd rice, lemon rice or chapathi.
Makes a good side dish for lemon rice for picnics.

Rava upma

Easy tasty Rava upma without stirring too much.

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Ingredients: 

Rava (Sooji) - 2 cup 

Water - 4 cups

Salt - 1/2 tsp 

Onion - 1 

Green chilly - 2 

Ginger - 1 inch 

Curry leaf - 1 sprig 

Cilantro - few

Carrot -1  / Beans 10 / Peas 1/4 cup

Channa dhal - 1Tbsp 

Mustard - 1  tsp 

Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp (optional) 

Sesame oil - 2 +1 Tbsp

In Tamil:

ரவை - 2 கப் 

தண்ணீர்  - 4 கப் 

உப்பு - 1/2 தேக்கரண்டி 

பெல்லாரி வெங்காயம் - 1 

பச்சை மிளகாய் - 2 

இஞ்சி - 1 இஞ்ச்  

கறிவேப்பிலை  - 1 இணுக்கு 

மல்லித்தழை  - சிறிது 

கேரட் -1  or  பீன்ஸ் 10 or  பட்டாணி 1/4 கப் 

கடலைப்பருப்பு  - 1 மேசைக்கரண்டி 

கடுகு  - 1 தேக்கரண்டி 

துருவிய தேங்காய் - 2 தேக்கரண்டி 

நல்லெண்ணெய் - 2  + 1 மேசைக்கரண்டி 

Measurement 

water = number of cups of ravai x 2

Salt - 1/2 tsp (1/4tsp per cup of rava) 

Rava for 1 adult = 3/4 cup

Method: 

Heat a wok. Add ravai and mix 1 Tbsp Sesame oil with ravai.

Dry roast the rava till it smells good / starts to become coarse like sand. 

Transfer it to a plate .

Chop the onion, curry leaf, ginger, green chilly, Carrot finely. 

Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same wok. 

Add mustard seed. let it splutter. Once it starts popping ,  add the channa dhal and let it turn mild red.

Then add chopped onion, chili, carrot , curry leaf cilantro.

Fry all the chopped ingredients till the onion starts to become transparent ( 2 mins in medium heat).

Add the water + Salt and let it come to a boil. (Water for rava upma is twice the measure of rava). (For very coarse upma reduce 1/2 cup water from the total measure. For sticky upma the ratio is 1 part rava :3 parts water).

Then reduce flame and sprinkle the rava in equal spacing , just like shower. 

Don't stir. (Stirring will result in uneven cooking) .

Immediately cover with a lid. 

Reduce flame to minimum. 

After 2-3  minutes in low flame , open the lid and start to stir using a spatula. 

we can see the uppuma got cooked well and starts leaving the edges. 

Cook covered in low flame once again for 5 mins.

Switch off. 

Add shredded coconut or ghee and mix well (optional). 

Perfectly cooked upma is ready !

Serving suggestions: 

Serve as breakfast or dinner along with coconut chutney or sugar. 

I like my upma with pickle or some karakulambu.

Creamy Rich Paneer Mattar Masala

Paneer -  Paneer or  panir, is a non melting , non aged Indian cheese made from full fat cow's milk, by curdling it with lemon juice or vinegar. 

Mattar -  Peas, pachai pattani.

Paneer mattar masala is a quite popular dish all over India. It is a less-spicy (sweetish touch) curry and hence it's popularity has spread globally to a point that, you will definitely get this curry if you go to an Indian restaurant buffet. We love this paneer mattar masala very much and make it once a month.Whenever I make it, I do this in a large batch , so that we could have this along with chapathi for almost 4 dinners and I could focus on my other works. So this is like a blessing dish for anyone who likes 'meal preps'. 

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Ingredients:

Paneer -300 gm 
Green Peas - 2 cup
Peanut oil - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 4

(or) 2 cups Diced tomato from can

Onion - 1 (big)
Gnger - 2 inch
Garlic - 5 cloves
Almond or cashew  - 10
Cinnamon - 2 inch
Cumin - 1 tsp

Fennel - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 6

Sugar - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 3 tsp
salt - 2 tsp
Cilantro - a handful
Dried methi leaves  - 1 tbsp
Butter - 1  tbsp

Method:

Add hot water to almond or cashew and soak for 1 hour. Let cool.

Grind ginger garlic together to a fine mixture without adding water.

Heat oil in a wok. Chop the paneer into 1 inch size cubes. (Fry the chopped paneer till golden brown and keep aside - Optional).
Slice the onion lengthwise. 
Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a kadai. Add onion, fennel, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom.

Fry till onion becomes golden brown. 

Then  add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 minute. 

Add chopped  tomato and saute till oil separates. Add 1 tsp sugar.

Remove skin of almond. Add it to the frying tomatoes.

Add 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 3 tsp coriander pdr, 1/2 tsp garam masala powder.

Saute for 1 min to remove raw smell. Then switch off and let cool.

Grind this to a fine paste using 1/2 cup water.

In the same pan, add 2 cups of water. Add 1 cup fresh peas (or frozen peas thawed for 30 mins).  Cook till soft.

If using Indian fresh peas, then cook it for long time. If using American sweet peas, we can cook it within 10 mins.

After cooking the paste, add the prepared 'finely ground masala'. Reduce flame and cook covered for 10 minutes.

As the raw smell vanishes and oil starts showing up add the fried / chopped paneer and mix well.
Keep it in low flame for 5 minutes and switch off.

Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and kasuri methi.

Paneer mattar masala is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot with chapati or paratha.

Note:
No need to fry the paneer. It is optional only.

Chicken Kofta kebab using Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment

This is a protein rich healthy chicken kebab recipe. In this recipe and video I have shown how to use kitchenaid meat grinder attachment and various appliances to prepare this chicken kofta kebab from scratch. Grinding the meat is a much economical process when compared to buying ground meat. Also we can get to choose our favorite meats. 

Appliances used in this recipe are : Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment,  Flat blade and bowl to mix the meat, cuisinart 13 cup food processor to chop the onion and herbs, Baking oven, Dishwasher.

Parts of Kitchenaid meat grinder attachment:

Body of meat grinder

Grind worm

Blade

Plates for output

Cover

Meat pusher / wrench / spanner

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) - 3 lb

Red onion (big) - 2

Green chili - 3

Cilantro - small bunch

Mint - small bunch

Ginger - 2 inch

Salt - 4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 3 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Besan flour - 1 1/4 cup

Peanut oil (any oil) - 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp

Method:

Remove the skin, bones, fat from chicken.

Grind the chicken.

Finely chop veggies, add to minced meat.

Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, Turmeric powder , Besan flour, oil 2 tbsp.

Attach the bowl to stand mixer and attach the flat beater.

Mix the above all together at speed 2-4 for 1 minute.

Then check if we need little salt or besan (we should be able to roll them as soft balls).

Add few tsp of oil to the side of the mixed meat (to touch while making the kofta).

Coat a baking tray with 1 tsp of oil.

Shape the kofta into small balls or oblong shapes.

Bake at 375 F (preheat for 10 mins before baking) for 15 min one side. Then flip and bake 10 more mins.

It should get mild golden red color.

Baked Kofta kebab is ready !

Serving suggestion:

Make required kofta using the meat batter. Keep the remaining dough in freezer and use it at convenience.

(To bring it to room temp, just leave it on kitchen counter for 3-4 hours).

Serve as side dish along with hot sauce.

Broccoli Poriyal

This is an  ' Indian version of broccoli stir fry'. I love this vegetable very much and we buy this always. I buy this broccoli as crowns (whole). But we can buy them chopped and frozen packs too. So I cook many recipes using broccoli.

In America, I have seen many people enjoying this as raw along with a dip. That's a nice choice too. But I cook it tender crisp to reduce the bloating effect of broccoli. This is one of the healthiest vegetables in the world. The athletes call this as smart carb. It reduces cholesterol, supports vision, liver, muscles and it is totally an amazing veggie. 

Ingredients:

Broccoli (chopped) - 1 lb (1/2 kg)
Red onion - 2 (small)
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seed - 1 tsp

Urid dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaf - few

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 1/4 cup
Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Rinse and clean the broccoli.
Chop it into medium size pieces.

Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard, as it starts popping add Urid dal.

Immediately urid starts getting red, then add  the chopped onion, curry leaf and fry till the onion turns golden brown.

Then put the chopped broccoli and fry for a minute.
Add salt, Turmeric, Red chilly powder, and mix well.

Add 1/4 cup water and cook covered till the vegetable is cooked (3 mins) and water would be absorbed / evaporated by that time (medium heat).

Take off lid and saute till all the moisture is gone.

Add shredded coconut, cumin and mix well.

Switch off.

Broccoli poriyal is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with sambar rice or roti or any rice.