PARUPPU SAATHAM (KUGAN )

PARUPPU SAATHAM

Ingredients:

(A)
2 tbs ghee
1 inch cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods
3 cloves

(B)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dry red chillie cut into pieces
¼ tsp asafetida powder

(C)
2 cups rice, soaked for 15 minutes and drained
½ cup toor dal soaked for ½ an hour and drained
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder

(D)
1 ½ cups of cubed mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, potato, green peas etc )
3 green chillies, slit into 4 and cut across into 1 ½ inches in length
1 inch ginger, made into paste
Salt to taste
6 cups of boiling water

¼ cup fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:
Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker, add in all the spices in (A)
Let them infuse the flavor in ghee.
Add in all the spices in (B), let them crackle well.
Now add in all the ingredients in (C). fry the mixture gently for about 2 minutes.

Now add in the mixed vegetables, cut green chillies, ginger and salt.
Stir nicely the contents, add in the boiling water. Give a good stir.
Put the lid on the pressure cooker, put on the weight.
Cook on medium heat for about 5 whistles. 

Remove and let the pressure release on its own, before opening the lid.
The rice and dal should be mushy. Add in the cut coriander leaves, mix well.
Serve with , any side dish of your choice.

Vegetable layerd Biryani (SANGEETHA )

Vegetable layerd Biryani

A. Combination of veges 400 gms (Potato, cauliflower, beans carrots peas etc ) any 4 will do. cut in big peaces

B.Basmati rice - 500gm soaked for an hr. cinnammon sticks -3, Shahi jeera - 2 tsp, green chillies - 7, salt, cloves -3 lots of water

C. Onions Big - 2 or 3, ginger garlic paste - 2 Tbs, turmeric - 1 tsp, garam masala pwd - 2 tsp, tomato - 2 big, mint and corriander leaves - little, curd - 2 cups

deep fry A items (all vegetables) in oil. keep it aside. in a pot add B items except rice in water and let it boil (shahi jeera, green chillies, salt, cinnamon, cloves, water) once boiled add rice and cook until 85% done.

meanwhile add C items in the same pan and oil you fried the veges one by one fry onions nicely add ginger garlic paste then pwds then tomato fry tomato until the oil Ozes out add leaves then immediately curd and cook for 5 more mins finally add the fried veges to it slightly mix turn off the stove.

Once you strain the rice apply oil to a big vessel add half rice then in the middle add the C cooked masala along with the veges fill it up with remaining rice. keep stove in low flame and dum for 10 to 15 mins.

the outcome was excellent. I am poor in writing so please spare my mistakes. Thought to send it to K but did not want to bother her.

SPINACH RICE (MEERRA )

SPINACH RICE

Ingredients:

1 cup basmathi rice soaked for 20 minutes

2 tbs ghee or oil
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 tsp aniseeds

1 medium onion sliced
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp red chillie powder
½ cup grated carrots
2 cups packed spinach leaves

1 tbs fresh yogurt
2 cups water
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak and drain the rice.
Heat a pot with the ghee. Add in all the seasonings.
Let them crackle, add in the onions and ginger garlic paste.
Let the onion brown a little.

Add in the red chillie powder, carrots and spinach.
Give a good stir, add in the yogurt, water and salt.
Add in the drained rice, stir nicely, close with a tight lid.
Put the flame on low sim, and let the rice cook.

Once all the water is absorbed, and the rice is cooked,
Off the flame and let it cook on its on steam.
Let the rice sit for few minutes, later fluff up the rice.
Serve with cucumber raitha, or roast potatoes.

Zafrani Pulao NOV )

Zafrani Pulao
Fragrant basmati rice made exotic with the addition of saffron and nuts.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups - basmati rice
- 2 cups - sugar
- 1 1/2 cup - milk
- 2 1/2 cups - hot water
- 3 tbsp - cashews, halved and fried
- 4 - cardamoms, whole
- 4 - cloves, whole
-1" piece - cinnamon, halved
- 1/4 cup - raisins
- 2 tbsp - blanched almonds, slivered
- 1/2 tsp - saffron strands
- 1 tbsp - hot milk
- 2 tbsp - ghee

Method

- Wash and soak basmati rice for 15 minutes.
- Drain rice in a colander, keep aside.
- Heat ghee in a large heavy or nonstick pan.
- Add whole spices, allow to splutter.
- Add rice, stir very gently for half a minute.
- Add hot water.
- Cover, and cook till rice is half done.
- Add milk and let it cook.
- Each grain should be separate, not mushy.
- Dissolve saffron in hot milk, but rubbing into it.
- Add sugar, raisins, 3/4 almonds, cashews and saffron to rice.
- Cover securely and cook till rice is fully done.
- Stir gently, and allow any extra moisture to evaporate.
- Garnish with remaining almonds and cashews, and serve warm. 

Biriyani with coconut masala: (DEV )

Biriyani with coconut masala:

Seeraga samba rice- 1 heaped tumbler(approx 150-170 ml),washed and soaked in 2 1/2 cups water. 
chopped mixed veggies

Grind to a fine paste adding very lil water:
pattai, 2 krambu, 2 yelakkai, 1/2-3/4 tsp sombu,
4 big cloves garlic, 1/2 that qty ginger,
4-5 plump pearl onions, 3 tbsp coconut,
green chilly to taste, salt. turmeric and lil chilly pwd.

Heat oil+ghee. Saute 1 onion sliced and saute till transparent.
Add the paste and saute well until raw flavour goes off and u can smell a nice aroma. approx 5 mins.
Now add the veggies,saute for a minute.
Add the rice+water. cook for 2 whistles.
Done!

NASI GORENG PAPRIKA (Kugan )

NASI GORENG PAPRIKA

Ingredients:
The Rice:

2 cups of cold cooked rice
1 tbs oil
1 pip garlic smashed
2 shallots sliced
1 tsp chillie paste
2 tbs mixed cubed veges
1 tbs soy sauce

Method:
Heat the oil, add in the smashed garlic.
Add in the sliced shallots, sauté for a minute.
Add in the chillie paste, cook for a minute.
Add in the mixed vege, stir fry for a second.
Now add in the cooked rice and soy sauce.
Stir fry on high heat and remove to a plate.

The Sauce:
2 tbs oil
1 big limau perut leaf torn to pieces (important )
1 big onion sliced
2 pips garlic sliced
1 fresh red chillie sliced
1 tsp chopped ginger
½ tsp chillie paste
1 tbs julliened carrots
1 tbs long beans cut into 1 inch in length
2 tbs cabbage shredded
1 tbs tomato sauce
1 tbs chillie sauce
1 tsp paprika
1 tbs light soy sauce
Little salt and sugar to taste
Little Aiji no motto (optional )
Little water, just enough for little sauce

For Garnish:
Few slices of cucumber
Few sprigs of watercress
1 tbs crisp fried onions

Method:
Heat a wok with the oil, add in the torn limau perut leaves.
Add in sliced onions, garlic, ginger and the sliced red chillie.
Saute for a minute, add in the chillie paste, and stir fry.
Now add in the long beans carrots and the cabbage.
Stir fry and cook for a minute.

Now add in the chillie sauce, tomato sauce, paprika and soy sauce.
Add in also the sugar and salt to taste, aji no motto and little water.
Let it come to a boil once. The sauce should be reddish in colour.
Remove from the stove.

Now pile the fried rice on to a heated plate.
Pour the cooked sauce with vege on the rice.
Arrange the garnishes on top and around the dish.
Serve at once.

ELLU SAADHAM (Madhu )

ELLU SAADHAM

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice 

Dry roast and powder little coarsely:
1 tsp urad dal
3 dried red chillies
3 tbs black sesame seeds ( karuppu ellu )
2 sprig curry leaves
pinch of asafoetida
salt to taste

1 tbs ginelly oil (nallennai)

Method:

Pour the gingelly oil in the cooked rice and then 
add all the powdered ingredients..

Stir well. Garnish with few curry leaves 
அம்புட்டுதேன்.. இது ரொம்ப ஜிம்பிள் குகன்ஜி !

ELLU SAATHAM (Kugan )

ELLU SAATHAM

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice cooked with salt and allow to cool

Dry roast and powder little coarsely:
1 tsp urad dal
2 dried red chillies
2 tbs white sesame seeds
2 tbs grated coconut (optional )

1 tbs oil
2 tbs peanuts
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan, add in the mustard seeds and allow to crackle.
Add in the peanuts and fry till roasted.
Add in the curry leaves, stir fry for a second.

Put the cooked rice in a big bowl.
Pour the tempering over the rice.
Add in all the powdered ingredients.
Give a good stir, and let the rice absorb all the flavours.
Offer to God and then enjoy.

RESTAURANT FRIED RICE (Kugan )

RESTAURANT FRIED RICE

Ingredients:

2 tbs oil
2 pips of garlic chopped
1 tbs chopped white of the spring onion
1 to 2 tbs light soy sauce
1 cup of chopped vegetables (carrots, french beans, cabbage etc )
2 cups of cooked rice (refrigerated )
Pepper powder to taste
Salt to taste
1 tsp vinegar
1 tbs chopped green spring onion leaves
1 tsp sesame oil (optional )

Method

In a non-stick pan heat the oil.
Add in the chopped garlic, raise the heat, use your spatula and smash the garlic pieces.
This will give out a good aroma, add in the white of the spring onions.
Stir fry again well, add in the soy sauce and mix well. The pan will be smoky.
This will give the smoky smell, add in the vegetables and stir fry well.

The veges should not be over cooked, add in the cold cooked rice.
Add in the pepper powder , vinegar and salt, give ever thing a very good stir.
Now add in the onion green and the sesame oil if used. 
Stir fry on high heat and remove. Garnish with cut salad leaves.

NOTES: use cooked rice that is refrigerated overnight .
This helps to prevent the rice from breaking as well as sticking together.

You can add in any veges of your choice.

SIMPLE CHICKEN BIRYANI (Kugan )

SIMPLE CHICKEN BIRYANI

Ingredients:

To Marinate:
500 grms chicken cut into big pieces
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Little salt

2 tbs ghee
2 , 1 inch cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
2 bay leaves

150 grms shallots sliced 
2 tsp ginger garlic paste 
25 grms coriander leaves
50 grms mint leaves
150 grms tomatoes chopped

2 tsp chillie powder
1 cup curds
500 grms marinated chicken (above )
500 grms basmathi rice soaked for 10 minutes
Salt to taste
500 grms water

Method:
Marinate the chicken for about 20 minutes.
Heat the ghee in a thick bottomed pot.
Add in the dry spices and let them crackle.

Now add in the sliced shallots and sauté well.
Add in the ginger garlic paste, add also the mint and coriander leaves.
Give a good stir, add in the chopped tomatos and cook till mushy.

Add in the chillie powder, and the curds and mix well.
Now add in the marinated chicken and give a good stir.
Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

Now add in the soaked, drained basmathi rice.
Add in enough salt, and the water, give a good stir.
Sim the flame very low , cover with a thick cover and cook till all the water is absorbed.

If using a pressure cooker, sim the flame and let it come to 2 whistles.
Off the flame and let the pressure release on its own.
Now fluff up the rice and serve with a raitha.