Varagu Arisi Pulav / Millet Pulav

Healthy and fiber rich Pulav especially for Diabetes and Weight Watchers

Ingredients
Part 1 

• Varagu Arisi - 1 cup

Wash and soak varagu arisi for an hour

Part 2 - Seasoning and Saute

• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Bayleaf - 1
• Cloves - 3
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon stick - small piece
• Ginger - small piece
• Garlic - 6 nos
• Green Chilly - 3 nos

• Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies to a coarse paste

Part 3 - Vegetables

• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup (potato, carrot, beans and peas)
• Pulav Masala - 2 teaspoon
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander and Mint Leaves - little
• Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon

Method

• Heat oil in a cooker
• Season with bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom
• Saute ginger, garlic and green chilly paste till the raw smell goes
• Fry onions till it gets soft
• Add vegetables and swirl it once

• Add soaked and drained varagu rice
• Put Pulav Masala and salt
• Pour water and add pudina / coriander leaves
• Pressure cook for 3 whistles

• Once done squeeze lemon and mix well
• Serve with Raitha

Quick Tawa Pulav

I named this as Quick Tawa Pulav because it is made out of left over Pav Bhaji Masala and pre cooked Brown Basmati Rice
Very simple and can be prepared within 5 minutes

Refer the follwing link for making Pav Bhaji Masala

Ingredients

• Butter - 1 tablespoon
• Onions - 1 no (finely chopped)
• Green Chilly - 2 nos
• Tomato - 2 nos
• Pav Bhaji Maasla Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Kashmiri Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Pre Cooked Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 cup
• Pre Cooked Brown / White Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Coriander leaves - few

Method

• Melt butter and fry green chillies, onions in it
• Add tomatoes and saute till the raw smell goes
• Put turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala powder and kashmiri chilly powder
• Blend it well

• Add pre cooked pav bhaji masala and basmati rice
• Mix it well
• Garnish with coriander leaves
• Squeeze lemon juice if needed

Serve hot

Tawa Pulav / Tava Pulav

I tasted this for the first time in Pune at a Pav Bhaji stall.This is done using Pav Bhaji Masala on a Tawa and hence the name
Such a tasty and filling meal

Ingredients

• Cooked Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Butter - 2 tablespoons
• Ginger - 1 small piece
• Garlic - 6 nos
• Green Chilly - 2 nos
• Onion - 2 medium sized
• Tomato - 5 cubed
• Capsicum - 1
• Mixed Vegetables consisting of Potato, Carrot , Beans and Peas - 1 bowl
• Pav Bhajji Masala - 2 teaspoons
• Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 2 teaspoons
• Coriander leaves
• Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon

Grind ginger , garlic and green chillies to a coarse paste.Keep it ready

Method

• Melt butter in a Tawa or a Kadai.I used Kadai
• Put ginger garlic and green chilly paste and saute till the raw smell goes
• Add onions and saute it
• Put tomatoes with little salt  and cook till it gets soft

• Add capsicum and cook for sometime.Let it be crunchy
• Add the veggies and swirl it once
• Add all spice powders ie Pav Bhaji Masala Powder, coriander powder, chilly powder and turmeric 
• Mix well and pour 1/2 cup of water.Close the lid and cook vegetables

• The gravy should be mashy. You may use a Pav Bhaji Masher and mash the gravy
• Now add cooked basmati rice and salt
• Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves
• Switch off the stove and add lemon juice
• Keep it closed atleast for 10 minutes before serving

Hot Tawa Pulav is ready to serve

White Brinji in Pressure Cooker

This is similar to Coconut Milk Pulav which I had explained before.Infact this recipe is much more simpler

Ingredients
Part -1 - Basmati Rice

• Basmati rice - 2 cups
• Coconut Milk - 1 1/2 cups
• Water - 11/2 cups
• Salt - 2 teaspoons

Part 2 - Spices / Masala

• Oil + Ghee - 3 tablespoons
• Bayleaf - 1
• Cinnamon stick / Pattai - 1 small piece
• Cardamom / Elachi - 2 nos
• Cloves / Lavangam - 3 nos

Part 3 - Ground Paste

• Garlic - 10 nos
• Green Chilly - 8 (no other spice is added)
• Ginger - small piece
• Fennel seeds / Sombu - 1 teaspoon

Part 4 - Saute

• Onions - 1 no:
• Tomato - 1 no:
• Mint and Coriander leaves - few

Part 5 - Vegetables

• Peas - 1/2 cup
• Beans - 6 nos (cut it lengthwise)
• Carrot - 1(diced into cubes)
• Potato -1 (diced into cubes)

Part 6 - Garnish

• Coriander leaves - few

Method

Step 1 - Washing and Soaking

• Wash Basmati rice
• Leave it under a colander for about 20 minutes

Step 2 - Seasoning

• In a pressure cooker heat oil + ghee.Season with bayleaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves
• Add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes

• Add onions and saute it
• Put tomatoes and fry till it s cooked

Step 3 - Vegetables

• Add the cut vegetables.Cook for about 5 minutes
• Add mint and coriander leaves.Swirl it once

Step 4 - Brinji

• Add rice now.Saute it once
• Pour coconut milk + water.Add salt
• Let it come to boil.Close the pressure cooker
• Cook for 2 whistles
• Once done wait for the pressure to release and garnish with coriander leaves

Serve hot with Brinjal Gravy

Biriyani Kathrikai / Brinjal Chops / Brinjal Gravy for Biriyani

This is an excellent side dish for Biriyani as well as Pulav
Addition of sesame / gingelly oil / nalennai enhances the flavour

Ingredients
Part 1 - To Fry and Grind

• Gingelly Oil - 2 teaspoons
• Small Onions - 15 nos
• Tomato - 1
• Cashews - 10
• Saunf / Sombu - 1 teaspoon
• Garlic - 8 pieces
• Ginger - a small piece
• Green Chilly - 2 nos

Part 2 - Seasoning

• Gingelly Oil - 2 tablespoons
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Urad and Channa Dhal - 1/2 teaspoon each
• Curry leaves - little

Part 3 - For the Gravy

• Onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Small Purple Brinjal - 7 nos
• Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chilly Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Tamarind Extract - 1 cup
• Jaggery - small piece
• Salt - 1 tto 1 1/2 teaspoons

Part 4 - Garnish

• Coriander leaves - little
• Sesame / Gingelly Oil - 1 teaspoon

Method

Step 1 - Fry and Grind

• Heat gingelly / sesame oil in a kadai 
• Fry the items given under "part 1 " (except cashes)
• Cool and grind it to a smooth paste without adding water

Step 2 - Seasoning and Saute

• Heat gingelly oil again.Season with mustard, urad, channa dhals and curry leaves
• Pour the ground paste.Wash the mixer jar with little water and add here
• Cook it for about 2 minutes
• Add onions and leave it for sometime
• Put tomatoes and mix well

Step 3 - Brinjal Gravy

• Now add the cut brinjals
• Put spice powders and salt.Mix well
• Pour tamarind extract.Add jaggery
• Let it boil till the brinjals are cooked
• It should be of thick consistency
• Garnish with chopped coriander and sesame oil

Serve it with Biriyani or Pulav

Brown Basmathi Ghee Rice

Even though the name says Ghee Rice only 1 tablespoon of ghee is used for the preparation So weight conscious people can very much try this out

Ingredients

Part 1 - Brown Basmathi Rice

• Brown Basmathi Rice - 2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Salt - as needed
•  Mint leaves - few 

Part 2 - Tadka / Seasoning

• Ghee - 1 tablespoon
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cinnamon stick - small piece
• Cardamom/elachi - 2 nos (slit opened)
• Cloves - 2 nos
• Green Chilly - 3 nos
• Onions - 3 nos (finely chopped)
• Garlic - 4 pods
• Mint and Coriander leaves - handful
• Salt - 2 teaspoons or little less

Part 3 - Garnish

• Grated Coconut - 1 tablespoon

Method

Step 1 - Cooking Brown Basmathi Rice

• Wash the rice well
• Leave it on a colander.No need to soak
• Boil water in an open vessel with a pinch of  salt, mint leaves 
• When it starts boiling add the soaked rice and cover it with lid
• Stir occasionally and cook till the rice is 3/4th done

Step 2 - Seasoning and Saute

• Heat oil  / ghee in a vessel.Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom cloves and green chillies in a simmer flame
• Add finely chopped onions and saute till it becomes golden brown in a medium flame.Put a pinch of salt while doing this
• Add  mint / coriander leaves.Swirl for a minute

Step 3 - Brown Basmathi Ghee Rice

• Transfer the cooked rice .Put salt and mix well
• Allow it to cook in low flame for 5 minutes
• Once done garnish with coconut and coriander leaves

Brown Basmathi Ghee Rice is ready Serve it with Chole / Rajma

Tomato Dum Biriyani using Brown Basmati Rice

I got this idea for a TV Cookery Show.But ofcourse I modified it very much from the original recipe
You can also find a similar recipe in Brown Basmati Rice Peas Pulav

Ingredients
Part 1 - Brown Basmati Rice

• Brown Basmati Rice - 2 cups
• Water - 3 cups
• Salt - as needed
•  Mint leaves - few 

Part 2 - Tadka / Seasoning

• Refined sunflower oil + Ghee - 1 tablespoon
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cinnamon stick - small piece
• Cardamom/elachi - 2 nos (slit opened)
• Cloves - 2 nos
• Green Chilly - 3 nos

Part 3 - Masala 

• Fennel seeds / Saunf - 1 teaspoon
• Garlic - 4 nos (chop into small pieces)
• Ginger - small piece
• Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
• Chilly powder - 2 teaspoons

Part 4 - Saute

• Onions - 2 (cut it lengthwise)
• Tomato -5 (chop into cubes)
• Frozen peas - handful
• Coriander and Mint leaves - few 
• Salt - 2 teaspoons

Part 5 - Garnish

• Grated coconut - 2 tablespoons
• Coriander leaves - little

Method

Step 1 - Cooking Brown Basmati Rice

• Wash the rice well
• Leave it on a colander.No need to soak
• Boil water in an open vessel with a pinch of  salt, mint leaves 
• When it starts boiling add the soaked rice and cover it with lid
• Stir occasionally and cook till the rice is 3/4th done

Step 2 - Masala 

• Grind these items mentioned under Part 2 into a coarse powder.No need to add water

Step 3 - Seasoning and Saute

• Heat oil  / ghee in a vessel.Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom cloves and green chillies in a simmer flame
• Put the masala paste prepared above.Saute till the raw smell goes
• Add thinly sliced onions and saute till it becomes golden brown in a medium flame.Put a pinch of salt while doing this
• Add frozen peas , little mint / coriander leaves.Cook for 2 minutes
• Throw in chopped tomatoes.Add salt and saute well 
• Cook till peas gets soft and tomatoes becomes juicy

Step 4 - Tomato Dum Biriyani

• Transfer the cooked rice in it and mix well
• Close it with a lid and place a weight on top of it
• Allow it to cook in low flame for 10 minutes
• Once done garnish with coconut and coriander leaves

Hot Hot Tomato Dhum Biriyani is ready.Serve with Carrot Raitha and Chips

Taheri Pulav - Lucknow Special Vegetable Pulav

Iam tagging it under "Kid's Special" because it is not at all spicy

Ingredients

Part 1 - Basmathi Rice

• Basmathi Rice - 3 cups
• Water - 41/2 cups
• Salt - 1 teaspoon

Part 2 - Vegetables

• Carrot, Beans, Cauliflower, Potato - 1 cup
• Peas - 1/2 cup

Part 3 - Grind and Fry

• Green Chillies - 3 nos
• Garlic - 5 nos
• Cinnamon stick - small piece
• Sanuf / Sombu - 1/2 teaspoon

Part 4 - Seasoning

• Oil / Ghee - 3 teaspoons
• Cardamom - 2 nos (I used 2 pinches of Cardamom powder)
• Clove - 3 nos

Part 5 - Others

• Salt - 2 teaspoons
• Coraindar and Mint leaves - as needed

Method

• Wash and soak basmathi rice for 20 minutes
• Boil water with salt , a pinch of cardamom powder and 1 mint and corainder leaf
• Add the washed and soaked rice.Close the lid
• Cook it in slow flame
• After 10 minutes rice is will be cooked
• Keep it closed for sometime

Step -2 Cooking Vegetables and Masala Paste

• Pressure cook the vegetables for 1 whistle
• Grind the items given under "Part 3" and saut it in 1 teaspoon of oil till the raw smell goes

Step 3 - Pulav

• Heat oil + ghee in a kadai.Saute cloves and cardomom in it.I used a pinch of cardamom powder
• Add tomato cubes and stir it with a pinch of salt.Make sure that it does not become mushy
• Add the boiled vegetables and saute it once
• Now add the masala paste and mix well.Add salt and swirl it once
• Finally put the cooked basmathi rice and mix it with a fork
• You may transfer it into a bigger vessel while doing so
• Garnish with mint and coriander leaves

Lucknow Special Taheri Pulav is ready.Serve with dhal or any spicy gravy