Zeera rice with Smokey Sausage and Black eyed Peas

The other day I went shopping at Fresh and Easy I found Smoked Turkey Sausage. I got it and thought it will be a nice snack for after school but the kids just didn't like it. So I had to make something out of it. So I made a curry/stew with this Smoked Turkey Sausage and Black eyed peas. It turned out to be soooo delicious. Kids loved it too. I served it over a bed of cumin rice

Smoked Sausage with Black Eyed Peas

Smoked sausage with Black Eyed Peas over cumin rice

Ingredients:

1. 8-12 oz of turkey sausage, casing removed and chopped roughly
2. 2 cups of frozen black eyed peas or a can of black eyed peas drained
3. 1 medium onion chopped fine
4. 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes chopped fine
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger-garlic paste, salt, coriander powder, turmeric, madras curry powder or garam masala powder
6. 1 tablespoon olive oil
7. 2 bay leaves

If using frozen black eyed peas, thaw them and cook them in a pressure cooker along with the turmeric and a cup of water for 3 whistles.
In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till they start getting browned. Add the bay leaves and ginger-garlic paste and the rest of the powders. Add the sausage and fry for some time. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the black eyed peas and add some more water if it gets too thick. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with Cumin rice

Vegetable zeera rice with Malai Chicken

The other day my brother and his family were here and I had to whip up a quick dinner for them. Ofcourse I was planning to make chicken anyway, so the chicken breast were already thawed. So the curry was a no brainer cause this version of malai chicken is very delicious and I consider it easy to make. And I also feel it cooks pretty fast if you don't consider the time it is marinating and getting cooked in oven (Atleast you don't have to stand in front of the stove). Set the timmer and sit with the family until the time is up
            Anyway, you might have seen my Zeera rice recipe. This vegetable zeera rice is a modification of the same and it is much more yummy

Vegetable Zeera Rice (Rice cooked with vegetables and cumin)

vegetable jeera rice

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups basmati rice washed
2. 1 large or 2 small carrots diced medium
3. 1/2-3/4 cup of cut green beans (about 1/2 inch pieces)
4. 1/2 cup turnip
5. 1 green chilly chopped
6. 1 teaspoon cumin
7. 3 tablespoons oil
8. 3 bay leaves
9. 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon
10. 3/4 teaspoon salt

In a heavy bottomed pan heat the oil and fry the cumin and bay leaves for 4 minutes. Add cloves and cinnamon and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the vegetables and and green chillies and fry for five minutes. Add drained rice and stir to combine. Add 3-31/2 cups of water 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook until rice gets cooked (about 20 minutes). Serve hot

Malai Chicken (Chicken cooked in tomato and cream gravy)

Malai chicken

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken breasts cubed
2. 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
3. 3 tablespoons oil
4. 1 teaspoon salt, chilly powder
5. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder
6. 4 oz tomato paste
7. 1-11/2 cup whole milk or 1 cup cream
8. 1 medium onion ground to paste
9. 2 inch of ginger

Marinate the chicken with salt, chilly powder and turmeric for 20 minutes. Add yogurt and marinate further for 1 hr (This step will make the chicken super tender)
Bake the chicken for 20 minutes at 200 degrees (This step will speed up the cooking process on the stove)
In a pan heat the oil and fry the ground onion and ginger till the onion starts changing color. Add garam masala, cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Add tomato paste and cook till the paste turns dark. Add chicken and the juices from the pan and the milk, stir to combine and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with roti, rice or zeera rice