Masala Onion Rice

Masala Onion Rice - An easy lunchbox recipe, made of onions,cooked rice and spices . Try it !

Serves - 1-2 people
Preparation time - Under 15 minutes
Cooking time - Under 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:
Cooked Rice -1/2 cup
Onion -1 cup(chopped very finely)
Green chilli - 1 no. slit length wise
Spring Onions - 1/4 cup(chopped finely)
Oil - 4 teaspoon
Salt - as required.
Asafoetida powder - as required.

SPICES:
Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala -1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon


METHOD:

1. Cook rice an hour before and allow it cool down completely. The rice should not stick to each other and should be in the consistency of pulao rice.Cut onions finely.Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

2. Now in a pan, add 3 teaspoon of oil and add mustard and cumin seeds.

3. Now add onions and green chilli. Add a pinch of salt and sugar and fry for 4 minutes till they turn golden brown.

4. Now add all the spices mentioned in the "SPICES" section and also spring onion.Add a teaspoon of oil.Fry for 2 minutes, till the raw smell of the spices is no more.

5. Now add the cooked rice and mix gently and add required salt. Add some asafoetida powder.

6. Masala onion rice is ready!

7. Serve with any dry curry and yogurt/curd.!

Masala Onion Rice with Radish capsicum curry and Yogurt

 SEE ALSO : Dry curries , Paneer Rice, Tomato Pulao.

Saibhaji

Saibhaji - It is a Sindhi curry(popular in the Sindh region of Pakistan). It is made with Spinach, channa dal(Split bengal gram) and spices. This dal is usually taken with rice or rotti. It is considered very healthy with rich source of nutrients.

Serves :2-3 people
Preparation Time - Under 15 minutes(Not including soaking time)
Cooking Time - Under 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach - 4 to 5 cups(Chopped finely)
Channa dal - 1/2 cup
Onions-1/2 no. chopped finely(If using Indian onion, use 1 medium no.)
Tomatoes -2 medium sized chopped finely
Red chilli powder -1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder -1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder -1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder -1/2 teaspoon
Salt- 1 teaspoon
Green chilli - 2 slit length wise
Oil-2 teaspoon
Water -1 cup +2 teaspoon

SEASONING:
Oil -2 teaspoon
Garlic-3 to 4 cloves chopped very finely.

METHOD:

1. Wash and soak channa dal for about 1 hour and drain the water. Wash and cut spinach finely. Cut tomatoes,onions finely. Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

2. In a pressure cooker, add 2 teaspoon of oil and 2 teaspoon of water.Then add a layer of onions and then above it , add tomatoes.

3. Now add 3/4 th of spinach above tomatoes. Above spinach, add a layer of soaked channa dal.

4. Now add remaining spinach above channa dal and then add the spices(Red chilli,turmeric,cumin,coriander powders,green chilli ) and salt.Then  add 1 cup of water.

5. Now close the lid, and cook in medium flame for about 5 whistles(It will take approximately 15 minutes).

6. In the meantime, in another pan, add oil and add chopped garlic and fry till they turn golden brown.

7. Once you get 5 whistle from the cooker, switch off the gas. Let the pressure settle itself. Then open the lid .

8. Mix the contents well and mash them using any wooden ladle. Don't use blender, as it would turn to a paste. Now add the roasted garlic which you have prepared in step 6.

9.Serve with Rice or Rotti.. Healthy saibhaji is ready!

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup - As weather is getting colder , try this delicious pumpkin soup to keep you warm!

Serves - 2 people
Preparation Time - Under 10 minutes
Cooking Time - Under 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Pumpkin - 2 cups(Chopped in big pieces)
Onion - 1 cup(Chopped in big pieces)
Garlic -4 to 5 cloves
Whole milk -1/2 cup
Butter -1 teaspoon
Pepper powder -1 teaspoon
Salt- As required
Dry basil leaves(optional) - a pinch

FOR GARNISHING:
Onions -1/4 cup(very finely chopped)
Oil- 2 teaspoon
Bread - 2 (Chopped to pieces)


METHOD:
1. Cut pumpkin,onion in big pieces .Prepare all ingredients and set ready .

2. In a pan, add a teaspoon of butter and fry onion for 2-3 minutes.

3. Now add pumpkin and fry for 2 minutes.

4.Now add 1.5 cups of water and allow it to boil and cook pumpkin.It takes about 7-8 minutes to cook pumpkin . You can check with fork, whether pumpkins are cooked or not.

5. Now switch off the stove and filter the water. Do not throw away the water. Once the pumpkin gets cool down, blend the pumpkin,onion and garlic with the filtered water in to a smooth paste.

6. In a pan, add this pumpkin paste ,along with 1/2 cup of milk , 1/2 cup of water(Adding water depends on what consistency you want the soup. If you wat more watery, you can add more) and allow it comes to boil and switch off the gas stove.Add required salt and pepper . Garnish with some dry basil leaves(optional).

7. In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and roast onions till they turn golden brown. Set this aside.

8. HOW TO SERVE THE SOUP:

Heat the soup well, before serving. Now add few roasted onions and toasted bread pieces and serve.

SEE ALSO : Green Pea Soup , South Indian Soup

Paneer Rice

Paneer Rice - A kids friendly recipe. Typically designed for " I-Dont-Want-Any vegetables" kids , who just want only rice and paneer, like my son :P .. Can be made in just few minutes for your hungry toddlers...

Serves - 1-2 people
Preparation Time - Under 5 minutes
Cooking Time - Under 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Cooked rice - 1 cup.
Fresh paneer - 1/2 cup
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder(Optional) -1/2 teaspoon
Lime juice -few drops
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt - As required

METHOD:

1. This recipe taste better for left over cooked rice which is refrigerated. If you dont have, then cook rice little earlier and allow it cool down and refrigerate for few hours. It is because, the refrigerator removes excess moisture in the rice and it will not be sticky when mixed with paneer.

2. In a pan, add a tablespoon of oil and fry paneer till they turn golden brown .

3. Once they turn golden brown, add cooked rice and mix well. Add garam masala,salt and red chilli powder and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Switch off the gas stove. Add few drops of lime juice.Garnish with fresh coriander leaves . Paneer rice is ready. You can eat it as such with tomato ketchup or have it with any type of kurma.

NOTE:
Click here for how to make navratan korma.

Chilli Paneer(Dry)

Chilli paneer... Paneer cubes shallow fried and dipped in spicy sauce. Tangy flavored and tasty !

INGREDIENTS:
Paneer cubes - 200 gms
Capsicum - 1 no.
Onion -1/2(if using Indian onion, use 1 medium no.)
Green chilli - 2 no.s
Ginger - 1 teaspoon chopped finely.
Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped finely
Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt- As required
Sugar - A pinch
Oil- 4 tablespoon for shallow frying paneer cubes.

SAUCE:
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tablespoon
Red chilli sauce - 1 tablespoon
Soy sauce - 2 teaspoon
Vinegar - 1 teaspoon

FOR PANEER FRYING:
Cornflour - 4 tablespoon
All purpose flour or Maida - 2 tablespoon
Salt - a pinch
Sugar -1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Water- As required

SEASONING:
Spring onions - a handful.

METHOD:

1. Mix all items mentioned in the "SAUCE" section and set aside.

2. Mix all items mention in the " FOR PANEER FRYING" section, and add some water and make it as a paste and set aside.

3. Soak paneer cubes in hot water for about 10 minutes.Cut onion, capsicum in to big pieces. Prepare all ingredients and set ready.

4. Add paneer cubes in the flour paste which you have prepared in step 2 and mix well .In a pan, add 3 tablespoon oil, and fry paneer till they turn golden brown.

5. Keep the paneer cubes aside. Now, in the same pan, add a tablespoon of oil , add ginger ,garlic and green chilli.

6. Add onion and capsicum. Add some salt and sugar and fry till, the capsicum turns little soft.

7. Now add the sauce which you have prepared in step 1.Also add chilli powder . Mix well. Turn the flame to full sim, so that they dont get burnt.

8. Now add paneer cubes, and mix well and cook for a minute. 

9.Garnish with spring onions. Chilli paneer is ready !

Peas butter masala

Tasty peas butter masala .. Can be taken as a side dish for poori or rotti. It can also be used for sandwiching in between breads .

Serves - 2-3 people
Preparation time - under 10 minutes
Cooking time - under 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
Frozen or fresh green peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (If using Indian onion, you can use 3 medium no.)
Tomato - 2 (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Curd - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Garam masala powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Oil - 1 teaspoon
Coriander leaves - for garnishing

METHOD:
1. In a pan, add 1 cup of water and add green peas and allow it to cook for 5 minutes(If you are using fresh green peas, it may take longer time to cook..Wait until the green peas are cooked). Filter the water and keep aside. You need this water later for the gravy.

2. In the same pan, add a teaspoon of oil , and add onions. Add pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Fry onions, till it turns golden brown.

3. Allow the onions to cool down. Grind them to a paste . You can add 2-3 table spoon of water, if you find difficult to grind (Use the filtered water which you have kept aside after cooking green peas).

4. In a pan, add a tablespoon of butter. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic is gone. Then add the onion paste to that. Also add turmeric powder,red chilli powder and corriander powder. Fry for about 3 to 4 minutes, till the raw smell is gone.

5. Now add chopped tomatoes,salt and fry for 5 minutes, till the tomatoes turn soft.

6. Now add the curd, cooked green peas, garam masala powder and the filtered water which you have kept aside after cooking peas. Allow all the contents to boil for 2 minutes and then switch off the gas stove.

7. Peas butter masala is ready ! ..Garnish with fresh coriander leaves!

8. Serve with rotti or poori !.