Brown Sambar Rice

 Sambar brown rice or Brown sambar rice!!! thats a very big question....what to call this recipe. This is Sambar rice but made with Brown rice. Its super duper delicious.

Brown Sambar Rice (Brown cooked with spices)

Sambar brown rice

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup brown rice
2. 1/2 cup masoor dal or lentils
3. Juice from a small golf ball sized tamarind soaked in 1 cup hot water
4. 1 tablespoon ghee
5. 1 medium small potato cubed into 1 cm cubes
6. 1 medium carrot cubed into 1 cm cubes
7. 1/4 cup chopped green beans
8. 1 teaspoon each of salt mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin, 2 dried red chillies, few curry leaves, grated ginger

Ingredients for Sambar Powder:

1. 1 tablespoons each of chana dal, toor dal, moong dal
2. 1 teaspoon cumin

Soak the rice and lentils in water for 30 min to 2 hrs. Cook the rice and dal with 2 cups of water + tamarind juice + salt

Toast the ingredients for sambar powder and grind them into powder.

In a pan heat the gheet and add the mustard seeds. Cover and let splutter. Add all the other ingredients in # 9 (except salt) fry for a minute. Add the vegetables and fry for 5-7 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the cooked rice and dal and Sprinkle the sambar powder and mix to combine. Simmer covered for 2 minutes. Enjoy with appadam, pickle and Scrambled egg

Stove top Chicken Biryani

Hyderabadi Dum ka Biryani is the only kind of dish my Big B would call Biryani. He would probably put me in a corner for calling the dish I made "Biryani". But when you are short of time and are craving yummy food, anything goes.

And anything close to a "Biryani" on a week night after a long day's work and home cooked f is "the best" no matter what you call it. So call what you may...I present
Stove top Chicken Biryani (Stove top One pot chicken and rice dish )

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken breasts or better yet chicken tenderloins cut at a biase, into 3/4 inch slices 1-2 inches long  
2. 1/2 teaspoon each or salt, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala powder, cumin
3. 1 teaspoon each of coriander powder, ginger-garlic paste
4. 2 tablespoons oil
5. 1 medium large onion sliced thin
6. 1 bay leaf
7. 2 cups (Measure uncooked) Basmati rice cooked according to package directions. Cooked with 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/4 cup warm milk + pinch saffron (optional)
9. few mint leaves

Marinate the chicken with the spices and set aside.

In a wide pan heat the oil and add the bay leaf and cumin and fry for a minute. On medium high flame fry the onions till 90% of them turn brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the chicken and fry for 10-12 minutes until they start turning golden brown. Add the cooked rice , topped with saffron soaked in warm milk if using, garnish with mint and cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, on very low flame.

Garnish with 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice and coriander with available on hand.

Enjoy with Gravy for Biryani
More recipes...
Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani
Shrimp Biryani 
Egg Biryani
Fish Biryani

Crab Fried Rice

Fried rice is a super hit dish at my house.  The one I usually make is Easy fried rice or Fried rice with ground meat.

This recipe from thewoksoflife is pretty unique and I think I am going to add this to my favorites' list.

Crab Fried Rice

Crab Fried Rice

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons oil
2. 1 tablespoon each of grated ginger, minced garlic
3. 2 cups white rice cooked
4. 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas thawed
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, white pepper
6. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
7. 2 eggs (beaten)
8. 1 cup cooked lump crab meat 
9. 2 scallions chopped
10. Cilantro chopped

Heat the cooking oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the ginger and fry stirring for 30 seconds. Then add the garlic. Add the peas and stir well. Add the cooked rice, stir fry the rice for 3 minutes. Now add the white pepper and soy sauce, to the rice.  Add salt to taste. Stir to combine all together.

Using your spatula, spread the rice out into an even layer. Pour the beaten egg evenly over the rice. Stir the rice until all of the egg is cooked and incorporated.

Before adding the crab, use your spatula to once more spread the rice evenly. Add the crab to the rice and stir thoroughly. When the crab is warmed through, add the scallion and cilantro and stir well. Enjoy with Roasted Cauliflower

Chicken Stir fry Indian Style

I love making stir fries which are quick and easy and have some meet and a ton of vegetables in it. When I started searching for the recipes all I could find are Chinese...ofcourse Stir Fry is all Chinese I know (roll eyes)

   but but but...I like stir fry and I do not always want to eat Chinese.

So I made my own...Chicken stir fry with Indian spices and boy oh boy it was yummy

Chicken Stir fry Indian Style

Chicken Stir Fry with Indian spices

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken cut into 1 inch cubes but only 1/4 inch thick.
2. 1 tablespoon each of coriander powder, 
3. 1 teaspoon cumin powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
5. 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
6. 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (optional) (substitute fresh squeezed lemon juice)
7. 2 tablespoons oil
8. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
9. Your choice of vegetables (I used mushrooms cut into thick slices, onions, bell pepper) (Can also include Zucchini and Squash

Marinate the chicken with salt, chilli powder and ginger garlic paste and lemon juice for 30 mins.

In a pan heat 1/2 the oil and add the mushroom and fry on high for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and fry for 5-10 minutes. Drain.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and add the chicken and fry for 10 minutes until its cooked through. Add the vegetables back and add the spices and add salt according to taste.

Garnish with hand full of cilantro and enjoy with white or brown rice

Rajasthani Gatta Pulao

This is one of the very different pulao recipes. First of it has Gatte which are pieces of fried chick pea flour which have been boiled. Its is very different and quite awesome. My little fella just loved it and asked if he can pick up some form the rice and eat them, by themselves. That is a good sign.

Here is the original recipe

Rajasthani Gatte Pulao (Rice with Gatta and spices)

Rajasthani Gatta Pulao

Gatta (Boiled chick pea flour logs)
Ingredients:

1. 1 cup chick pea Flour (Besan)
2. 1/4 teaspoon each of  Asafetida,Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder 
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of Salt, Cumin Seeds , baking soda
4. 1/4 cup Yogurt
5. 2 tablespoons oil 
6. 1 tablespoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves
7. Water, If Needed

Add asafetida, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, cumin,  baking soda, yogurt, oil, Kasuri methi and knead into a stiff dough. Use water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed.
Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into logs roll (wet your hands so that the dough doesn't stick to your palms)
Boil enough water in a pan. Add rolls to the boiling water and boil for 15 minutes.
Drain and set aside

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups Basmati Rice, Cooked with salt
2. 1 teaspoon each of Cumin 
3. 2 tablespoon Oil+ 1 teaspoon oil
4. 1 Onion, Sliced 
5. 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder 
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt. 
7. Fresh Coriander Leaves Chopped
8. 2 tablespoons each of Peanuts, raisins
9. 1 medium carrot grated wide
10.  2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan. Add onions and fry till they turn golden brown. Drain and set aide.
Heat the remaining  oil in the and add cumin and bay leaf and let them splutter. Add peanuts and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add shredded carrot and mix well. Add raisins and mix.
Add cooked gattas and fry them for about 3-4 minutes. Add the cooked rice, fried onions, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt, and mix well. Cook covered on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice and garnish with coriander and enjoy With Raita and Ground meat curry

Vegetable lamb pulao

There are a number of recipes for meat pulao and vegetable pulao and I have a few myself

Fenugreek Lamb Pulao
Chicken Pulao
Chinese Okra pulao

All of these are super delicious and the one I made today with meat and lots of vegetables is my new favorite. As usual, the thing which consumes the longest time is preparing the vegetables.

Go ahead enjoy this one pot dinner


Vegetable lamb pulao (Rice cooked with lamb and vegetables and spices)

Lamb and vegetable pulao

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups basmati rice
2. 1 lb lamb cut into bite size pieces
3.  1.2 cup each of yogurt, chopped carrot, peas, chopped potatoes, cauliflower florets, American eggplant peeled and chopped, 1/2 bell pepper of your choice of color, spinach leaves
4. 1 medium small onion sliced
5. 2 tablespoons oil divided
6. 2 cups chicken broth
7. 2 cups water
8. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin
9. 2 cardamom pods
10. 1 bay leaf
11. 2 cloves
12. 1 inch cinnamon bark
13. 1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste
14. Heaped tablespoon each of mint and coriander leaves

In a pressure cooker add 1 tablespoon oil and fry the onions till they become dark brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minuet. Add eggplant and fry for 5 minutes. Beat the yogurt and add it to the cooker. Add all the spices and the lamb and cover and cook for 3-4 whistles.

In the mean time, wash and soak the rice in water. Prepare vegetables.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a wide heavy bottomed pan and add cumin and let it splutter. Add the cardamon, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon and fry for a minute. Add potatoes and cauliflower and fry for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry for 5 more minutes. Add the liquids and bring to a boil. Add the mint and cilantro and rice and the meat from the cooker to the pan. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes or until rice is done. Enjoy with raita

Shrimp Fajita Pasta

Living in Los Angeles you are introduced to the myriad of Mexican recipes. And my favorite of them all where the dishes which had a ton of sauce in them. And the next favorite were fajitas.  The dish I made today is with Pasta and it us super saucy and delicious

Shrimp Fajita Pasta (Pasta in enchilada sauce with Shrimp)

Shells with Shrimp Fajita

Ingredients:

1. 16 oz frozen shrimp thawed, peeled and deviened
2. 1/2 can black beans
3. 2 cups small pasta like small shells or dittalini
4. 2 tablespoons oil divided
5. 1 bell peppers chopped into 1 inch cubes
6. 1 medium onion chopped fine
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, , garlic powder, black pepper, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, Finely chopped garlic
8. 1 cup enchilada sauce, plus extra if desired

Cook pasta according to the package directions.

Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and chilli powder and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon oil. Fry the shrimp and cook until the shrimp curl up and cook through. About 5 minutes. Drain and set aside

In the same pan add the remaining oil and fry the onions and bell pepper until they start changing color. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Add black beans and enchilada sauce and everything else and mix well. Add cooked pasta and lower the heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and mix well. Top with cheese and serve