Quick Vegetable Biriyani

Vegetable Pulao or Veg.Biriyani , however it may be called, this is one Indian hot favorite dish you cannot have missed ever. Typing 'vegetable biriyani' in google gives us numerous preparation method and here is my own version; as usual instant & easy.
Veg.Pulav is our helpful friend which you can always rely on when you have a sudden flooding of guests.


Preparation time: 30 mins
Makes 2 servings
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredient:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Vegetables ( Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Potato ) - 2/3 cup, chopped
Green Peas - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1 medium, sliced thinly lengthwise
Green chillies - 2 , slit into 4
Tomato - 1 , chopped
Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup, chopped
Cilantro - 1/2 cup , chopped
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2 tbs
Cilantro - 1/4 cup, chopped
Salt - to taste

To Temper :

Cloves - 2
Cinnamon stick - 2"
Cardamom - 2 , crushed
Bay Leaves - 1
Fennel Seeds - 1tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Cashew - 1 tsp
Raisins - 1 tsp


Spices to add :

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1.5 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Biriyani Masala - 1 tsp (optional)

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile microwave the chopped veggies & peas for about 4-5 mins.
3. Switch on the rice cooker and add the ghee to be heated. 
4. Add the whole garam masala viz cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom & fennel seeds. Saute this for a minute. 
5. Add onion and saute till pink. 
6. To this add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste and saute for 2 mins till raw smell goes away.
7. Now Put in chillies, tomatoes, Cilantro & mint leaves , sauteing each for a minute or two. 
8. When the tomato has turned pulpy, add the spices - turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, biriyani masala.
9. Add the vegetables & peas to this mixture and saute well. Leave it for about 2 minutes. 
10. Now add the beaten yogurt, salt and give it a mix. 
11. Add in the soaked rice ; Pour water in 1:1.5 cups ratio and close the lid. 
12. Let the rice cook in the usual manner. Once done,  fluff it with fork. 
13. You may add the cashew & raisins either in the beginning with the whole garam masala or at the end , tempering them separately in heated ghee and adding to the cooked biriyani. 
14. Garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Steaming hot delicious biriyani is ready to be served with raita or curry of your choice :) 

Instant Paneer Butter Masala

Although this is not the traditionally prepared paneer butter masala, it tastes equally good and is a quick to make recipe. It is inspired by the recipe from vah chef ; tried and tested :)

Preparation time: 10 mins
Makes 2 servings
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredient:

Fried or Fresh Paneer - 1/2 cup
Tomato puree - 1 cup ( alternatively you can use tomato paste - 2 tbs )
Fried Onion - 1 handful
Cumin - 1 tsp
Ginger-garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Tomato Sauce - 2 tsp
Milk - 1.5 cups
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - 1/4 cup, chopped
Salt - to taste
Butter - 1/4 cup


Procedure:

1. Mix the following thoroughly with 3/4 cup milk in a bowl - Chilli powder, Kasuri Methi, Garam masala and Coriander powder. 
2. To this add the tomato puree and tomato sauce and mix to well to smooth consistency.
3. Heat butter in a pan and add cumin & fried onions. 
4. Add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
5. Pour in the tomato mixture and add salt.
6. Cover it and let this cook in simmer flame for about 5 -7 minutes.
7. You will see the paste thickened and butter oozing out. 
8. Give it a light mix and add the paneer to it. Saute it slightly.
9. At this stage u can also little red food color if you prefer. Add the remaining milk little by little while sauteing frequently to thin the gravy.
10. Let this come to a nice boil and keep it in simmer flame again for gravy to thicken.
11. Garnish finally with chopped cilantro. 

Serve the delicious Paneer Butter Masala with roti/naan or pulav :) 

Easy Peas Pulao

I've been planning for a long time to make peas pulao, but couldn't find an easy satisfying recipe, until i found this one. Its so simple, delicious and easy to make and you can make this pulao with just the rice cooker.

Preparation time: 30 mins
Makes 2 servings
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredient:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Peas - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1/2, sliced thinly lengthwise
Cumin - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbs
Cilantro - 1/4 cup, chopped
Salt - to taste

To grind :

Green chilly- 2
Garlic - 3 pods
Ginger - 2" piece


Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile have the peas ready. If using frozen , microwave it for 3 mins. If using dry peas, have it soaked overnight and microwaved so it doesn't take long to cook. 
3. Grind ginger-garlic-g.chillies into fine paste with very little water.
4. Switch on the rice cooker and add the ghee to be heated. Add cumin seeds.
5. Add onion and saute till pink. 
6. To this add the ginger-garlic-chilli paste and saute for 2 mins.
7. Put in the half-cooked peas and the soaked rice. Add salt and mix well. 
8. Pour water in 1:1.5 cups ratio and close the lid. 
9. Let the rice cook in the usual manner. Once done,  fluff it with fork and garnish with chopped cilantro. 

Steaming hot delicious pulao is ready to be served with raita or curry of your choice :) 

Curd / Thayir Semiya

Preparation time: 15 mins
Makes 3 Servings Cooking time: 10 mins Ingredients: Semiya - 1.5 cups Yogurt - 2 cups Carrot - 1/4 cup , Grated Green chillies - 2, finely chopped Onion / shallots - 1/4 cup, chopped Dry Red chillies - 2 Mustard - 1 tsp Chana Dal - 1 tsp Urad Dal - 1 tsp Jeeragam / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Ginger - 2" pieces Asafoetida - a pinch Curry Leaves - 1 sprig Raisins - 1 tsp Cashew nut - 1 tsp Pomegranate seeds - 1/4 cup ( optional ) Cilantro - to garnish Salt - to taste Oil - 1 tbs Procedure:

1. Boil water in a pan & add Semiya to it. let it cook for about 10 mins.
2. Switch off the stove. Extract the cooked semiya alone and run it through cold water.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in kadai & fry the following - Mustard, urad dal, chana dal, dry red chillies, curry leaves & asafoetida - to golden brown.
4. Add onion , green chillies, ginger , salt and saute till onion turns pink .
5. Switch off the stove. Add the curd & mix well.
6. To this add the cooked semiya ( without water ) and mix well. If it should have the consistency of thick payasam. Add some more curd if required.
7. At this stage, you can also add a little 'half n half' or heavy cream. it gives additional buttery yum taste to the semiya.
8. Heat little oil and fry Raisin & cashew. Pour this over the semiya, mix well.
9. Garnish with chopped carrot, cilantro and pomegranate seeds.

Yummy Curd Semiya is ready to be served with mango pickle :)

Pavakkai Fry / Bitter-gourd Fry

Bitter-Gourd . Just by the name of it most of us would run away. No matter how we cook , this is one vegetable that refuses to lose its originality :P

But i love bitter-gourd if its cooked in Puli Kozhambu or the following fry recipe which my mom makes.

Preparation time: 20 mins Makes 3 Servings Cooking time: 20 mins Ingredients:
Bitter-Gourd / Pavakkai - 1 big, sliced thinly Corn Flour - 1 tbs Besan/ Gram flour/ Kadalai Maavu - 1 tbs To Grind :
Vendayam / Fennel seeds - 1 tsp Jeeragam / Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Garlic - 3-4 pods Ginger - 2" pieces Asafoetida - a pinch Turmeric - 1/2 tsp Chilli powder - 1 tsp Coriander powder - 1 tsp Salt Oil to Deep Fry
Procedure:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in kadai & fry the following - fennel seeds, cumin, ginger, garlic, asafoetida, turmeric, chilli podwer, coriander powder.
2. Once the raw smell is gone, cool down the mixture and grind it into smooth paste adding very little water.
3. Slice the bitter-gourd into thin rounds, remove the seeds. Marinate it with the ground paste and let rest for about 15 minutes.
4. After 15 mins add the corn flour & besan to this and mix well. Water need not be added as bitter-gourd itself wud have given out some water and also the water from the paste itself is enough. Mix everything to form thick paste.
5. Heat oil in a kadai.
6. Fry the bitter-gourd slices in smal quantities. Its okay if its broken.
7. Let it cook in medium flame to golden brown.
8. Remove from oil and let it rest for a while in tissue paper.

This makes a different side dish for rice than the usual poriyal.