RICE WITH SPICES

We can prepare many dishes with rice.Cooking  is an art and serving (with little decorative manner) is another art.

Plain rice 1

Rice(long grain)   2cups

Salt to taste

Oil or butter         1 tsp

Lemon juice         1tsp

Water                    4 cups

METHOD

Wash the rice and soak in water.

Boil the  measured water.

Add lemon juice,salt and butter.

Drain rice.

Add the rice to the boiled water.

Allow to cook for 8 minutes.

Cover with a tight lid and reduce the heat.

Let the rice cook till it gets tender.

Masala rice 2

Basmathi rice        2 cups

Water                     3 cups

Salt to taste

Butter                    1½ tsp

Green chillies         4 chopped finely

Onion                     1  chopped

Garam masala        1½ tsp

Tomato                   2 chopped

Cashewnuts            1 tbsp

Almonds                  8

Coriander powder     2 tsp

Carrot                       1 diced

Beans seeds             2 tsp

OR greenpeas

Oil                             1½ tbsp

Cummin seeds          1 ½tsp

METHOD

Wash and soak basmathi rice for 15 minutes.

Boil rice until it gets tender.

Remove and spread on awide plate.

Heat oil in a thick bottomed skillet,fry cummin for a second.

Saute` cashewnuts and almonds.

Add chillies,tomato (chopped),onion  and fry till they get pink colour.

Add  rice and stir continuously.

Add masala and sufficient salt to it.

Stir it well.

Garnish with coriander leaves,serve.

Pullav rice 3

Basmati rice(best quality)   ½kg

Mint leaves(fresh)                2 twigs

Cloves                                 2

Cinnamon stick                   2

Fresh coriander                  ½cup chopped

Greenchillies                      7-8

Salt to taste

Ghee and oil                      ½ cup

Masala leaf                       2

Ginger paste                     ½tsp

Garlic paste                      ½ tsp

Cashewnuts                        10

Onion                              1 Big

Wash the rice and drain it.

Make paste with ginger and garlic.

Chop the green chillies and onion finely.

Heat the oil mixed ghee,add onion,chopped chillies,fry until onion become transperent.

Add 1 kg water and salt.Boil it.

Add drained rice,cook until the rice is partly cooked.Turn the stove to slow flame.

Add chopped mint leaves and cover it,allow to cook till the rice is fully cooked.

(The rice grain should be tender and smooth).

Remove from the heat.

Garnish with cashews and chopped coriander.

Serve with potato khurma and any raita(curd chutney).

Tomato masala rice 4

Rice                   1½ cups

Gingerpaste     1tsp

Onion(small)     1

Garlic                1½ tsp

Salt to taste

Tomatoes          4 (medium)

Greenchillies    6

Cashewnuts      10

Oil and ghee     1cup

Fresh coriander   chopped½cup

METHOD

Grind juice with tomatoes,salt and greenchillies.

Heat some oil and fry cinnamon,cashewnuts,cloves for 1 minute.

Fry onion till it gets rose colour,add ginger,garlic paste.Saute`for 2 minutes.

Add the drained rice for 2 minutes..

Now mix the tomato ground juice,mix well.

Keep it in the cooker,cover it and cook until the rice is done.

Remove from the heat and serve with gearnished chopped coriander leaves.

CAPSICUM RICE-5

Capsicum called as bellpepper also.

Capsicum        3 big sized

Oil and ghee    7 tsp

Salt to taste

Rice               4cups

Onion              2

Masalapowder

Blackgram  2 ½tsp

Corianderseeds  2½tsp

Cinnamon sticks  2½tsp(small bits)

METHOD

Make powder with above dry ingredients for masala.

Cook the rice to tender and cool it properly.

Add ½ masala powder and salt.

Tempering with mustard seeds,cummin seeds after spluttering,

Add onion bits saute`for 1 minute.

Add capsicum fry for 8-10 minutes OR until it becomes tender.

Add the remaining masala powder and salt.

Add to the rice.

Remove from the heat garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

Serve hot!!.

BIRYANI

This is a recipe for Biryani with Hyderabad style.

For Rice layer:-

Basmati rice   1 cup (fine variety)

Salt                 2 tsp

Green cardamoms  4

Masala leaf             1

Lemon                    ½

Oil and ghee          5tbsp

For vegetable layer :-

French beans         5 chopped finely

Boiled peas             ½ cup

Carrot                     3 (peeled & diced)

Oil                           3tsp

Curd                        4tsp

Garam masala       ½tsp

Gingerpaste            ½tsp

Red chilli powder     ½tsp

Salt                          ¾ tsp

KHOYA                   ½cup(50gm)-optional

Almonds                  10(soaked and cut in lengthwise)

Onion                       2 fried

Milk                           1tsp

Saffron                      1pinch

Cashewnuts              12-14

METHOD ;-

Dissolve saffron in 1 tsp water.

Soak rice for 15 minutes after washing.

Boil 6 cups of water in a well thick bottomed vessel.

Add cardamoms,biryanileaf,salt lemon juice and oil.

Add drained rice to it.Mix well.

Let the rice cook (¾).Keep aside with tight lid.

Heat oil add vegetables  and chlli powder,garam masala and salt.

Add ginger paste and curd, fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add (if you use) khoya,almonds,fry for 1 minute.

Heat oil or ghee.

Place one layer rice(cooked3/4)and sprinkle saffron water.

Add 2^nd layer with vegetables and onion.

Arrange 2^nd rice layer over vegetables,repeat the vegetable layer and saffron water and onion.

Cook further 4 minutes to get good result.

Garnish with coriander and serve hot.Enjoy!

Variation:Instead of cooking (last step) on stove,keep in the oven till it is done.

COCONUT RICE

Rice                6 cups

Coconuts         2 medium

Oil                    16 tsp

Ghee                6 tsp

Fresh corisnder  ½ cups

For tempering:-

Musterd seeds  ¼ tsp

Curry leaves       1 twig

Redchillies          4 

Cashewnuts       2 tbsp

Bengal gram       1tsp

Green Chillies        6

METHOD

Grind ¾ coconut without black part.Take milk from it.

Grate the  remaining part of coconut, keep aside.

Wash the rice and drain it.

Measure the coconut milk to 7 cups.Add salt.

Add drained rice and micro wave it for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked to tender.

Heat oil put the tempering with given ingredients.

Add grated coconut,fry for a ½ minute..

Add cooked rice and ghee.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

MINT RICE

Mint leaves        2 bunches

Basmati rice         6 cups fine quality

Onion                   2

Greenchillies         12

Ginger paste         3 tsp

Garlic paste          3tsp

Cloves                  7

Cinnamon sticks      3 pieces

Oil and ghee           1½ cup

METHOD

Make paste with pudina(mint leaves).

Fry all masala ingredients.

Add rice and fry for 2 minutes.

Add salt and 7½ cups of water and keep it in the cooker.

Allow it till the rice gets tender and soft.