MEXICAN RICE RECIPE | VEGETARIAN MEXICAN RICE

        As promised in my previous post of Vegetable stock I am posting the recipe of how to make Mexican Rice which i wanted to try for a long time after tasting this in a Vegetarian restaurant and the recipe i tried from here.
It turned out very well and my hubby who always loves fusion cooking and loves to try new dishes liked this Mexican rice a lot.
Also check out my

• Rajma pulao
• Mexican fried rice

INGREDIENTS:

BASMATI RICE |LONG GRAIN RICE	1 AND 1/2 CUP
ONION	1 NO
VEGETABLE BROTH | STOCK	3 CUPS
RED KIDNEY BEANS(Cooked)	1/2 CUP
CAPSICUM	1/2 NO
GARLIC	2 NO
OREGANO	1/2 TSP
TOMATO	2 NO
SALT	TO TASTE
PEPPER POWDER	1/2 TSP
CORIANDER LEAVES	FEW
OIL	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Wash the rice and drain the water.

• Slice the onions and chop the capsicum .

• Peel the skin of the garlic and finely chop them.
• Puree the tomato in a mixer.
• Soak the red kidney beans overnight and pressure cook this till it becomes soft.
• Drain the water and keep it aside.

• In a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and throw in the chopped garlic.

• Then add the sliced onions and saute till it becomes soft and turns pink.

• Now add the chopped capsicum( i used the red color one).
• Saute well. Add salt.

• Now add the rice and saute well till it turns slightly golden brown.Be careful not to burn it. This is more important as it will give a nice texture to the rice when it is cooked.

• Add the pureed tomatoes and mix well.

• Add the cooked red kidney beans and throw in the pepper powder and oregano.

• Add 3 cups of vegetable broth to this. Check for salt.

• Allow the mixture to come to a boil.  Turn the flame down to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with fork. Do not mash it.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Mine got over so i didn’t use .

Note:

• You can use canned red kidney beans also. In that case drain the water and wash it thoroughly and use.
• Tomato can be replaced with tomato puree also. In that case use 1/2 cup of puree.

VEGETABLE BROTH | VEGETABLE STOCK RECIPE

HOME MADE VEGETABLE STOCK

    Vegetable stock | broth which i wanted to try at home for a long time. When i wanted to make a Mexican Rice at home influenced by the one which we had restaurant here , the google search for most of the Vegetarian  Mexican rice includes Vegetarian broth | Stock. So i wanted to try this at home. I made this with the regular veggies which we use at home.
Before making this ensure that the vegetables should be fresh. Because i have seen in many cook books they use the left over veggies which will not give a nice flavor to the stock. When i made vegetable stock yesterday my house was filled with fantastic aroma and here comes the recipe of how to make vegetable stock at home.

INGREDIENTS:(YIELDS 5 CUPS OF BROTH)

ONION	2 NO
GARLIC	1 BULD WHOLE
CABBAGE	A SMALL PIECE
CARROT	2 NO
CORIANDER | PARSLEY	A SMALL BUNCH
WHOLE PEPPER	12- 15 NO
WATER	10 CUPS
GINGER	A SMALL PIECE
OIL	2 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED

METHOD:

• Wash the veggies and chop them roughly.
• Peel the skin of the garlic and ginger and just crush them once with the mortar and pestle.

• In a heavy bottomed wide vessel, add oil and throw in the garlic and onions.
• Saute them in medium flame for 2 minutes.

• Now add all the veggies and mix well.

• Now add the water and add the whole black pepper and ginger to this.

• Now add the coriander leaves | parsley to this and add salt.
• Let this come to a boil.
• Cover this and keep the flame low.

• After 45 minutes to 1 hour switch off the flame and when it slightly cooks down and you can handle the stock pot, strain the mixture and keep the water aside.
• Discard the veggies as all the goodness of the veggies are trasferred to the water.

• If you are using them immediately continue else you can completely cool this and  freeze the stock and use when needed.

• For  3 – 4 days you can store it in a clean box and keep it in the refrigerator.

Notes:

• Normally celery, spring onions, leak are added to the stock. though i get these easily here i wanted to try out with the veggies which we use on daily basis.
• A bay leaf can be added to the stock while boiling to enhance the flavor.
• Do not boil the vegetables for more than an hour else the stock will not be flavorful.
• Freeze it once it is completely cool.
• While freezing the cubes, pour the stock in ice cube tray and once it is set, take out and put them in zip lock cover and freeze them.
• Take out the required portion when you want. Do not re freeze once defrosted.

UPMA KOZHUKATTAI RECIPE | PIDI KOZHUKATTAI

STEAMED RICE DUMPLINGS- Using idli rava.

      Upma kozhukattai is a easy and healthy dish which is usually made for evening tiffin or dinner at out place. Though my kids doesn’t prefer this very much now a days they started liking this and so i am making this once a week. Usually we make as the same procedure of Arisi Upma but addition of toor dal is optional in upma kozhukattai. But sometimes my mom add moong dal also which i like in upma kozhakattai.
Also check out

• Millet upma adai
• Ragi adai 

Recently i have started trying this with Idli rava which we can easily find in Indian grocery stores. If not you can wash raw rice and  drain the water and spread in a cloth for 15 minutes to 1/2 an hour inside the home and pulse it in a mixer to get the coarse rava.
INGREDIENTS:(YIELDS APPROX 25 NO.)

IDLI RAVA	2 CUPS
WATER	5 CUPS
YELLOW MOONG DAL	2-3 TBLSP
CUMIN SEEDS	1 TSP
BLACK PEPPER	3/4 TSP
COCONUT GRATED	2-3 TBLSP(OPTIONAL)
RED CHILLI	2 NO
OIL	3 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/2 TSP
PEANUTS	2 TBLSP(OPTIONAL)
CURRY LEAVES	FEW
ASAFOETIDA	2 PINCHES
SALT	AS NEEDED

METHOD:

• In a mixer pulse the moong dal , cumin seeds and black pepper.(i normaly crush the pepper in a pepper crusher as my kids will prefer this way)
• Mix with idli rava and keep it aside.

• In a pan add oil and temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida , peanuts(if adding) and red chillies.

• Add 5 cups of water to this and add salt to this.
• The ratio of rava and moong dal mixture and water is  1:2.5

• When the water comes to a rolling boil, simmer the flame and add the idli rava + moongdal mixture.
• Add coconut(if using) at this stage.
• Mix well without any lumps.
• Let the flame be in medium.
• Stir well.

• When the water gets absorbed completely switch off the flame.
• When the mixture becomes warm and can handle the heat with your palms start making round shaped balls or oblong shapes.
• Steam in a greased idli maker for 8- 10 minutes.

• Serve hot with any chutney .

Note:

• Do not leave the cooked idli rava mixture open for a long time else it will become dry and end up in hard and dry kozhukattais.
• Make it when it is warm.
• Grease you hands with a few drops of coconut oil while making balls.
• Do not steam this more than 12 minutes else the kozhukattais will become hard and break while taking out.

PUDINA PARATHA RECIPE

MINT FLAVORED INDIAN FLAT BREAD

  Pudina paratha is one my favorite Indian flat bread and i used to order this whenever we go to restaurants. I wanted to try pudina paratha at home for a long time, but somehow it doesn’t happen and finally i made this last weekend it turned out very nice. I wanted to try this as  laccha paratha which is normally made in restaurants, but my laziness didn’t allow me and finally i rolled it into parathas.
Also check out

1. Spinach laccha paratha
2. Mexican paratha

INGREDIENTS:(YIELDS-8 Medium sized parathas)

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR(ATTA)	2 CUPS
SALT	AS NEEDED
MINT LEAVES(Tightly packed)	2 CUPS
CHAAT MASALA	1/4 TSP
OIL	2-3 TSP

METHOD:

• Wash the mint leaves and pat dry them.

• In a wide bowl mix the atta and salt.
• Take half portion of the mint leaves and finely chop them.
• Add this to the flour and knead it into a pliable dough adding required amount of water to this.
• Add a tsp of oil and mix well. Cover it and keep it aside for 15 minutes.

• In a griddle |tawa, add the remaining mint leaves and roast them nicely.
• Alternatively you can microwave this too for a few seconds.
• When they become crisp take them out and just give a pulse in a mixer.

• Keep this in a small bowl and mix it nicely with chaat masala.
• Divide the dough into equal parts.

• Roll it into little thick parathas and place it in a hot tawa.

• Sprinkle the mint and chaat masala powder.

• When cooked on one side flip on the other side and add little oil or brush with little oil.

• Sprinkle a dash of mint powder on the other side too and take out from the flame.

• Repeat the same process for the rest of the dough.
• Serve with any SIDE DISH of your choice. We had with boondi raitha.

TOMATO VATHAKUZHAMBHU RECIPE | THAKKALI VATHAKUZHAMBHU

WITHOUT TAMARIND – NO ONION NO GARLIC RECIPE

Vathakuzhambhu is a my all time favorite recipe and already i have posted my version of vathakuzhambhu with video too. This thakkali kuzhambhu is a unique recipe which is made without tamarind and almost tastes like a chunky tomato thokku. This weekend i made this vathakuzhambhu after a very long time and we all enjoyed with hot rice and poricha kootu.
Also check out my

• Arai puli kuzhambu
• Vendakkai puli mandi

INGREDIENTS:

TOMATO	4-5 NO
SAMBAR POWDER	3 –4 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
ASAFOETIDA	1/4 TSP
JAGGERY	1/ TSP
SESAME OIL	2 TBLSP
TOOR DAL	2 TSP
MUSTARD SEEDS	1/4 TSP
FENUGREEK SEEDS(VENDAYAM)	1/4 TSP
DRY RED CHILIES	2 NO
TURMERIC POWDER	1/4 TSP
WATER	2 CUPS
CURRY LEAVES	FEW

METHOD:

• Chop the tomatoes into fine pieces.

• In a pan add  sesame oil and add the mustard seeds, toor dal vendayam(fenugreek seeds) and when the mustard crackles add the red chillies.

• Now add the sambar powder and saute for few seconds.

• Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute well for 3minutes in a medium flame.

• Now add 2 cups of water and add salt, turmeric powder and jaggery.
• Let this mixture boil for 12 to 15 minutes till the raw smell of the sambar powder goes and the kuzhambhu reaches the right consistency.

• Before transferring this to a serving bowl add a tsp of sesame oil and add curry leaves.

• If handled with a dry and clean spoon this can be kept in the refrigerator and consumed for 2 days.