Rice

Tomato rice

| Rekha Vengalil


You will need –
  • Rice (I use basmati) –  1 cup
  • Oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Mustard – ¼ teaspoon
  • White Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
  • Cloves – 2 no’s
  • Cardamom – 1 no
  • Curry leaves – One twig
  • Grated Garlic – 2 teaspoons
  • Grated Ginger – 2 teaspoons
  • Green chillies -1 or more if you need it very spicy
  • Onion – 1 large
  • Chili powder – ½ teaspoon
  • ¼ tea spoon Turmeric
  • Salt to taste
  • Cherry tomatoes – 1 cup or if you are using big tomatoes – 1 no.
  • Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons
  • Frozen peas – 1/2 cup
  • Hot water – 2 cups
  • Coriander leaves for garnishing



How to –

Soak rice for 15 minutes in water. Drain and set aside. In a skillet, heat oil and splatter the mustard seeds then add in the white urad dal cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and fry for a minute.


Now add ginger- garlic and fry for a minute or until the raw smell is no more. Once done add the green chilli, onion and fry till the onion turn light brown. Add the chopped tomato pieces, tomato paste, salt, chilli powder and turmeric. Once the tomatoes are cooked (takes about 3 minutes on medium heat) add the rice, peas and mix well to combine. Add hot water, cover and cook till the rice is completely cooked.

Garnish with coriander leaves or mint leaves and serve hot. 

Mushroom fried rice

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Cold steamed rice – 2 cups
  • Peanut oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Onion – 1, finely chopped
  • Red chili – 1 sliced
  • Mushrooms – 200 grams, thinly sliced
  • Grated Ginger – 1 teaspoon
  • Grated garlic – 1 teaspoon
  • Eggs – 2 beaten
  • Salt – to taste
  • Pepper – to taste
  • Light soy sauce – 2 teaspoon
  • Rice wine vinegar – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander leaves – ½ cup
  • Red chilies – 2 for garnishing (optional)
How to – 
  • Heat oil in a wok. Fry the onion, chilies, ginger and garlic until soft.
  •  Add the mushrooms, and fry until cooked. Fry for a minute or two.
  • Add the rice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and toss thoroughly until the rice is coated with the mixture and heated through.
  • Push the rice to the side of the wok making a well in the middle, now add the beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir until the eggs start to set and mix well with the rice on high heat until the eggs are cooked.
  • Turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves and chili.

Thalassery Dum Biriyani

| Rekha Vengalil


You need – 
  • To make the chicken Masala
    • Chicken – 500 grams
    • Onion- 2, finely chopped
    • Ginger- 1 inch piece
    • Garlic- 3 cloves
    • Green chilly- 3-4 or as per your taste
    • Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
    • Coriander leaves chopped- 1/2 cup
    • Mint leaves- 1/2 cup
    • Tomato – 2 medium finely chopped
    • Pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
    • Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
    • Oil – 2 tablespoon
    • Salt to taste

  • For the ghee rice:
    • Basmati Rice- 1.5 cups
    • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
    • Cloves- 2
    • Cardamon-3
    • Fennel seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
    • Ghee/clarified butter – 3 tablespoon
    • Hot water – 2.5 cups
    • Salt to taste

  • For garnishing:
    • Fried Cashew nuts- 3 tablespoon
    • Fried Raisins- 3 tablespoon
    • Fried Onions – 1/2 cup
    • Rose water – 1-2 teaspoon
    • Gram Masala – 1 teaspoon

How to –
  • Wash the rice and soak for 20 mins. Strain and set aside.

Biriyani masala
  • Clean and wash the chicken. Drain the water out completely.
  • Crush the ginger, garlic and chillies.
  • Heat oil in pan, add the onion, crushed ginger, garlic, chillies and salt. Fry until the onion are soft.
  • Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy. Add the chicken, mix well. Cover and cook till almost done.
  • Uncover, add the pepper powder, garam masala continue to cook for a minute or so. add the lime juice, coriander and mint leaves and cook till done. If the gravy is watery then continue to cook till thick.

Ghee rice –
  • Heat ghee in a pan, add the whole spices and cook till fragrant.
  • Add hot water, salt and rice. Mix well, uncover and cook till the rice comes on top. Now cover and cook for 3-4 mins on low heat.

Layering the rice-
  • In a heavy bottom pan, spread some ghee,  Layer a thin layer of rice and then the chicken with gravy. Sprinkle some gram masala, few drops of rose water,  fried nuts, raisins and onions.
  • Repeat the layering and finishing of the rice as the final layer.
  • Seal the pan with a aluminium foil and cover with heavy lid so that the steam does not escape. You could place a heavy pan with water or use the pestle on top on the lid.
  • Cook on a very low heat for 45 – 50 minutes.

Serve hot.

Apricot Pilaf

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Basmati Rice – 1 cup
  • Butter – 1 ½  tablespoon
  • Onion – 1 , finely chopped
  • Finely chopped fresh Mint – 1 tablespoon
  • Ground cinnamon – ¼ teaspoon
  • Dried Apricots – 100 grams, diced
  • Hot chicken stock – 2 cups
  • Raisins – 100 grams
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper – as per taste

How to –
  • Soak the rice with some salt for 2 hours. Drain thoroughly.
  • Heat the butter in heavy bottom sauce pan and sauté the onions till soft.
  • Add the mint leaves, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the rice and mix well. Add the hot chicken stock.
  • Add in the apricots and raisins and stir well.
  • Cover cook till 75% done. Place a folded tea towel under the lid and press tightly. Turn down the heat to very low and cook 15 mins or till done.

Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve hot.

Paneer Pulao

| Rekha Vengalil

Paneer Pulao

You will need –
  • Basmati rice – 1 cup
  • Water – 2 cups
  • Frozen Peas – ½ cup
  • Paneer – 2 cups, deforested and fried in oil till golden brown.
  • Onion – 1 medium thinly sliced
  • Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Green Chili – 1 slit length wise
  • Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
  • Clove – 1
  • Bay leaf – 1
  • Ghee/ clarified butter – 2 tablespoon or as required
  • Coriander leaves – for garnishing
Paneer Pulao
How to –
  • Wash the rice and soak for 15-20 minutes. Defrost the peas.
  • Heat the skillet and add the Ghee. Once the ghee is heated, tip in the spices (Fennel seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and bay leaf) and fry till the raw spell is gone.
  • Add the onions, chili and ginger-garlic paste. Fry till the onion turns pink and the raw smell of ginger-garlic is gone. Please make sure not to burn them as this will change the color of the rice when you cook.
  • Once done add the rice in and fry till the rice doesn’t stick to each other ensuring the rice not turning brown.
  • Turn of the heat and move the rice to the rice cooker. Add 2 cups of water, paneer, peas and salt to taste. Cook till done. If you have fried the rice in the pressure cooker then continue in it adding water and cooking.
  • Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

Quick prawn biryani

| Rekha Vengalil 

For all the seafood lovers, here’s a delicious prawn biryani… I was running late for preparing lunch, but wanted to make something nice as our Sunday lunch at home is always special. Since there was not much time for marinating and the long cooking procedures, I decided to make a quick biryani and made this delicious rice in about 45 minutes (where I usually take more than an hour). So here’s the Quick prawn biryani recipe.
Quick prawn biryani

You will need-

For the Rice:
  • Rice – 1 cup
  • Bay leaf – 1
  • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
  • Clove – 1
  • Fennel seeds – ¼ teaspoon
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Hot water – 2 cups
  • Salt – As per taste

For the the prawn masala:
  • Tiger Prawns – 250 grams
  • Onions – 1 cup finely chopped
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Green chillies – 1 (or 2 if you need it spicier) slit lengthwise
  • Biryani Masala – 2 teaspoon
  • Yogurt – 4 tablespoon
  • Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon
  • Ghee – 1 tablespoon
  • Coriander leaves – finely chopped 1 tablespoon
  • Salt – as per taste

For Garnishing:
  • Friend Onions – 1/2 cup
  • Coriander leaves – 2 tables spoon finely chopped
  • Mint leaves 2 tablespoon finely chopped
  • Friend cashews and Raisins – 10 each
  • Saffron strands – a pinch and soaked in 1 tablespoon milk
How to –

Cooking the rice:
  • Soak rice for 15 minutes and drain completely
  • Cook the rice with all the dry spice, salt and 2 cups water till done.

Prawn masala:
Quick prawn biryani
  • Heat oil in deep pan. Shallow fry the prawns and set aside.
  • In the same pan add the onions and sauté till golden brown
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste, chilies and continue to fry till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the biryani masala turmeric and salt. Fry for a minute
  • Add the yogurt and cook for a minute
  • Add the prawns and mix well to combine. Add the chopped coriander leaves. Cover and cook till the prawns are completely cooked
  • Add water if you need to as you don’t want the gravy to be too dry but enough to mix well with the rice.
  • Once the prawns is done. Lay the cooked rice on top of the prawn masala. Sprinkle the saffron milk, half of the fried onions, chopped coriander and mint leaves.
  • Cover and cook on low flame for about 5 minutes.

Quick prawn biryani
Garnish with the remaining fried onions, cashews and raisins. Serve hot

Please note – you can use tomatoes instead of yogurt. You will need 1 medium tomato.

Peas Pulao

| Rekha Vengalil

This is my all time favourite and comes from my Mom. Most Sundays back in Bangalore our lunch would be either peas pulao or ghee rice with mint-chicken curry. To me this is still the best combo. I have not made any variations to the recipe. Just that I use an electric rice cooker whereas mom goes with a pressure cooker.
Peas Pulao


You will need –
  • Basmati rice – 1 cup
  • Water – 2 cups
  • Frozen Peas – ½ cup
  • Onion – 1 medium thinly sliced
  • Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Green Chili – 1 slit length wise
  • Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
  • Clove – 1
  • Bay leaf – 1
  • Ghee/ clarified butter – 2 tablespoon or as required


How to –
  • Wash the rice and soak for 15 minutes. Defrost the peas.
  • Heat the skillet and add the Ghee. Once the ghee is heated, tip in the spices (Fennel seeds, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and bay leaf) and fry till the raw spell is gone.
  • Add the onions, chili and ginger-garlic paste. Fry till the onion turns pink and the raw smell of ginger-garlic is gone. Please make sure not to burn them as this will change the color of the rice when you cook.
  • Once done add the rice in and fry till the rice doesn’t stick to each other ensuring the rice not turning brown.
  • Turn of the heat and move the rice to the rice cooker. Add 2 cups of water, Peas and salt to taste. Cook till done. If you have fried the rice in the pressure cooker then continue in it adding water and cooking.

Note – once the rice is cooked. Keep it uncovered for a few minutes before you use a fork to fluff up the rice slowly.

Thai Chili fried rice

| Rekha Vengalil

As the name suggest, it’s Hot!!! I got this recipe from one of my cookbook and wanted to share with you.  It’s so delicious, simple to make and a total pleasure to eat. The two key Asian indigents, Thai red chili paste and fish sauce are available in any Asian store or at the Asian section in your super market. For those who are not so easy with the heat, you can de-seed the chilies and then add-in.
 
Thai Chili fried rice
You will need –
  • Cold steamed rice – 4 cups
  • Peanut oil – 3 tablespoons
  • Onion – 1 large finely chopped
  • Red chili – 1 sliced
  • Green Chili – 1 sliced
  • Thai red curry paste – 1 tablespoon
  • Chicken breast – 1 finely diced (you can use 1 pork chop instead of chicken)
  • Prawns – 500 grams. Shelled and de-veined
  • Eggs – 2 beaten
  • Salt – to taste
  • Pepper  – to taste
  • Fish sauce – 3 table spoons
  • Spring Onions – 1 cup chopped
  • Coriander leaves – ½ cup
  • Red chilies – 2 for garnishing (optional)

  • Heat oil in a wok. Fry Onion and sliced chilies until soft.
  • Add the curry paste and fry until the oil separates from the mixture.
  • Now add the chicken/Pork and fry until cooked and then add the prawns. Fry for a minute or two (or until prawns turn pink)
  • Add the rice and toss thoroughly until the rice is coated with the curry mixture and heated through.
  • Push the rice to the side of the wok making a well in the middle, now add the beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir until the eggs start to set and mix well with the rice on high heat until the eggs are cooked.
  • Sprinkle the fish sauce evenly over the rice and combine.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the spring onions.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and chili.