Easy breezy Naarali Bhat

This is one of my simple recipe for Naarali Bhat.  Yes, accepted that its not the traditional way but can be prepared in jiffy without any hassle.

This is what I used:

1 cup Rice

2 cups water

1 cup Sugar

1 cup grated coconut

2 tbsp Ghee, sorry no butter or oil

5-7 Cloves

1 tbsp cashew pieces

1 tbsp golden raisins

Few saffron strands dissolved in 1 tbsp of warm milk
A pinch of Orange food colour (Optional)

This is what I did with the ingredients:

Cook the rice in 2 cups of water like we do normally.  The rice should not be too soft but fully cooked and grain seperated.  Reduce/increase the water quantity accrodingly.  I used 2 cups water.  When it is fully cooled add the sugar and the coconut.  Mix together.  Now the rice, sugar and coconut mixture will start leaving water.

In a kadhai or wok, heat the ghee.  Add the cloves in the ghee and fry till the colour is changed.  Then add the cashewnuts and then raisins, when the cashews turn light brown, add the rice mixture alongwith the water.

Pour the saffron milk and the food colour if using.  Mix everything together and put lid on the kadhai.  After all the water dries up, remove from heat.  Serve.

This rice can be sered hot or cold.  No restrictions.  Even it can be made a day or two in advance for parties.  Tastes great.

  

Vegetable Fried Rice

This is a very simple dish to make and very healthy to eat.  It becomes healthy with all the variety of veggies in it.  This is how I make my veg. fried rice, it goes really well with my Veg. Manchurian gravy.

This is what I use to make it:
2 cups long-grained rice
1/2 cup french cut beans,
1/2 cup carrots cut in matchsticks,
1/4 cup red, green, yellow and orange capsicums, finely chopped

1 cup Cabbage,

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 spring onions, finely chopped, keep green part and white part seperately.

1-2 tsp soy sauce, I use dark soy sauce.

2 tbsp oil
1 green chilli finely chopped
1-2 Garlic cloves chopped finely
1 tbsp. Green chilli sauce

1/2 tsp. Red chilli sauce (Optional)

1/8 tsp Aji-no-moto

salt to taste

This is how I make it

Wash the rice properly with water to remove excess starch.  Then cook the rice till 3/4th done enther on stove top or in microwave.  Now take a pan, add the oil, saute the green chillies and garlic cloves, then add all the white part of spring onion, carrots, celery, beans and capsicums, salt and ajinomoto, green & red chilli sauce and cook for 5-7 min.  Now add the cabbage and cooked rice, salt and ajinomoto, soy sauce and keep mixing without breaking the rice. Remove from flame. Garnish with remaining spring onion greens and serve hot with Veg. Manchurian.

Tomato Rice

This is a hit recipe in my home. From the youngest to the oldest everybody likes this rice. When I am bored to make an elaborate lunch or dinner I make this rice and with some raita and papad. Your meal is ready in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

1 Cup rice. Any rice can be used Basmati or Sona masoori. I use Sona masoori.

2 Tomatoes

1 medium onion

1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 tsp Dhania Jeera Powder

1-2 Green Chillies

Few curry leaves

Jeera & Rai for tadka

1 Tbsp Oil

Pinch of hing/asafoetida

1 tsp Curry Powder (Optional)

Salt to taste

What to do:

Cook rice till soft but the grains should be separated.

Make two cross slits on the tomatoes. Boil tomatoes in enough water for 5-10 minutes. Bath the tomatoes in the cold water & remove the skin. Mash the tomatoes and to pulp.

Heat oil. Add rai-jeera, hing, curry leaves, green chillies. Add onion fry till soft. Add chilli powder, Dhaniya-Jeera powder, salt and the tomato pulp. Cook till the consistency of dosa batter. Sprinkle curry powder if using.

Mix with rice. Serve hot with raita & papad.