Easy Ghee Rice(Pressure Cooker Method)

"Everyday , think as you wake up : today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it "

(Dalai Lama)

Todays Recipe: Easy Ghee Rice

Ingredients :

1. Basmati Rice : 1 Cup
2. Water : 2 cups
3. Tomato : 1 small(cut into big pieces)
4. Curry Leaves : 1 spring
5. Whole Garam Masala : 
6. (Cinnamon : 3-4 small pieces, cloves : 2-3, cardamom pods : 2 Fennel seeds : a pinch)
7. Ghee : 1 tbsp
8. Coconut Oil : 1 tbsp
9. Salt

Method :

• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker.
• Add washed and drained rice and saute for 1-2 minutes
• Add water,whole garam masala, tomato pieces,curry leaves and salt.
• Cover the lid and wait for a whistle in medium flame.
• Switch off soon after one whistle.
• Open only after the steam goes out completely.

Ready !!!!!Serve!!!!!!Enjoy!!!!

Back to blogging with a refreshing Mutton Biryani

Everyone thinks that biryani preparation is a very lengthy process ,time consuming and tough. But for me it is not so hard as that of making a lunch with rice, curries,stirfries,non veg fries,papad and all. So get the things ready and start cooking!!!

Ingredients :

For Masala

1. For marinating the Mutton pieces:
2. Mutton pieces(medium size) : 1 kg
3. Red Chilly Powder : 2-3 tsp
4. Coriander Powder : 2 tbsp
5. Turmeric Powder:1/2 tsp
6. Fennel Powder : 1 tsp
7. Garam Masala : 2 tsp
8. Salt
9. Curd : 2-3tbsp

For making the masala

1. Onions : 6or7(sliced lengthwise)
2. Ginger paste : 3 tbsp
3. Garlic paste : 3 tbsp
4. Green chilly(slitted) : 3-4
5. Tomato : 2 (chopped)
6. Garam Masala : 2 tsp
7. Coriander leaves(chopped) : a handful
8. Mit leaves(chopped): a handful
9. salt
10. Ghee and oil : 2 tsp each

For Rice :

1. Basmati Rice : 3 cups
2. Water : 5.5 cups
3. Whole spices : 1/4 cup(fennel,cardamom,cinnamon,cloves)
4. Salt
5. Ghee : 1 tbsp

Method:

For Rice

• Boil water in a large vessel.
• When it starts boiling add the whole spices ,ghee and salt into the water.
• When it boils well, add the washed and drained rice and change the flame into medium.
• When all the water evaporates and  the rice cooked well, switch off the flame and keep the vessel open.

For Masala:

• Marinate the mutton pieces well with the ingredients under marination and keep aside for half n hour.
• Divide the sliced onions,ginger paste,garlic paste,green chilli,chopped tomato into two portions.
• Take one portion of the above spices and marinated mutton pieces in a pressure cooker and cook for 4-5 whistles in medium flame without adding any water.
• Heat ghee and oil mixture in a wide pan and add the other portion of the spices one by one.
• When the tomatoes get mushy, add the spice powders ,cooked mutton and the chopped coriander and mint leaves.
• Stir well and mix with the masala.
• Close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes in low flame.

Layering :

• Heat little ghee in a pan
• Fry the nuts , raisins and keep aside
• Chop coriander leaves and keep aside ready for layering
• a pinch garam masala on each layer
• ghee 2-3 tbsp
• 2-3 tbsp of rice mixed with 1/2 tsp of rose water and turmeric powder(for  flavour and colour)
• Layer the  masala in a large ,thick bottom vessel followed by half of the rice.
• Sprinkle garam masala,nuts and raisins,chopped coriander leaves and ghee
• Layer the second half of the rice , sprinkle the same things again.
• Sprinkle the rice mixed with rose water and turmeric powder on the top.
• Cover tightly and keep in medium flame for 15-20 minutes.

Ready!!!!!!!!Serve!!!!!!Enjoy!!!!!!

Fish Majboos

Here's a change when we are getting bored with the same rice dishes again and again. The making is so simple and the taste is so delicious..

Ingredients :

1. Basmati Rice : 1 cup
2. Fish : 500g
3. Onion(sliced) : 1
4. Green Chillies|(slitted lengthwise) : 2
5. Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
6. Tomato(chopped) : 1
7. Carrot (cut into long pieces of medium thickness ) : 1 small
8. Capsicum (cut into squares ) :1
9. Black pepper powder : 1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
12. Salt
13. Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
14. Coriander Leaves(chopped) : 3 tbsp
15. Dry lemon(soak in water for some time make 2-3 holes in it) : 1
16. Ghee : 1 tbsp
17. Oil : 1 tbsp

Method :

• Marinate the fish pieces with black pepper powder,turmeric powder,half of ginger garlic paste and salt.
• Shallow fry them in little oil and keep aside
• Heat oil and ghee together in a deep bottom vessel and add sliced onion.
• Saute well till the onions get transluscent.
• Add green chillies, ginger garlic paste,chopped tomatoes and saute again for 2-3 minutes.
• Now add coriander powder,cumin powder and salt
• Saute till the raw smell goes.
• Now add 2 cups of water,dried lemon and allow to boil well.
• When boiling add the washed and drained rice into it and add salt if required.
• Close the lid and turn the flame into medium.
• When the water reduces to its half,add carrot pieces, capsicum squares ,chopped coriander leaves and fried fish and combine them well with the rice.
• Cook again till the water gets evaporated completely and the rice gets cooked well.

Ready!!!!!!Serve!!!!!!!Enjoy!!!!!!!

10000 Views- Another small milestone and a simply simple fish biryani

Crossed 10,000 views...yeah!!!!!!!!5 digits..so happy to announce...

I know it's not a big number in the blogging world,because many of the popular and hard working bloggers get thousands of views per day...But to me, it is very big because it was just like yesterday that i started my blog..

And expressing my sincere ,huge thanks to each and every single click from the lovely readers.

Again at this happy moment i would like to share a fish biryani,yeah...me  and my H beleive it as my signature dish and a never fail one....I dont know how it will be next time..any way...

Actually I have no experience of having a fish biryani from my mom..Whenever some good fresh fish gets there was no other option except red spicy curry and fry.....My dad says that don't waste this fresh fish for biryani n oll..(the main reason behind it is he doesn't like biryani....and so my mom is not an expert in biryani).

After marriage only I had started trying this fish biryani...The first 2-3 trials were utter failures...But failures are the stepping stones of success na?

And I have a strong  wish to prepare my fish biryani for my mom,dad and bro...(my sis knows better than me...so i don't want to compete her and see the expression in her  face that "is this biryani?????????...)


And after the unusual blabbering ,here comes the recipe

For marination :

1. Fish Pieces : 6-7 large pieces

1. Red Chilly powder : 1 tsp

1. Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp

1. Ginger Garlic paste : 1 tsp

1. Salt

1. Lemon juice : 1 tsp

For Rice :

• Basmati Rice : 2 cups
• Water : 3.5 cups
• Whole spices : 1/4 cup(fennel,cardamom,cinnamon,cloves)
• Salt
• Ghee : 1 tbsp
• 
  
• For Masala :
• Onion : 4-5(sliced)
• Ginger Garlic Paste : 2 tsp
• Tomato : 1 big(chopped)
• Garam Masala : 1 tsp
• Coriander powder : 1 tsp
• Pepper powder : 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilly : 2-3(sliced)
• Coriander leaves : 1/2 cup
• Mint leaves : 1/2 cup(optional)
• Curd or coconut grated : 1/2 cup

• Marinate the fish  with all the ingredients and keep aside for half n hour.

• Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry them lightly.

• Boil water in a large vessel.

• When it starts boiling add the whole spices ,ghee and salt into the water.

• When it boils well, add the washed and drained rice and change the flame into medium.

• When all the water evaporates and  the rice cooked well, switch off the flame and keep the vessel open.

• Saute the onions in  the same oil that we used to fry the fish.

• Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies and saute again.

• After sauteing add all the powders and salt.

• After that add the chopped tomatoes and cook well until the tomatoes form into  paste.

• Now add the coriander and mint leaves and combine well.(Do not stir more after adding the leaves)

• Add the curd or coconut mixture and mix well

• Now the time for adding the fried fish pieces

• Add the fish pieces and combine with utmost care .

• Close the lid and cook for 2-3 minnutes in low flame.

Layering :

1. Heat little ghee in a pan

1. Fry the nuts , raisins and keep aside

1. Chop coriander leaves and keep aside ready for layering

1. a pinch garam masala on each layer

1. ghee 2 tsp

• Layer the fish masala in a large ,thick bottom vessel followed by half of the rice.

• Sprinkle garam masala,nuts and raisins,chopped coriander leaves and 1 tsp ghee

• Layer the second half of the rice and sprinkle the same things again.

• Cover tightly and keep in medium flame for 15-20 minutes.

Ready!!!!!!!!!Serve!!!!!!!!

Fish Pulavu

I have given this name as fish pulao for this mildly spicy,fishy rice.. I don't know actually is this the recipe of fish pulavu....If any other opinions around, i will call it as shaains fish pulao...any objections??????????

Whenever I have king fish in my freezer , a fish biryani is a must...and by that only my never fail biryani is the same...but fish biryani is much time consuming and so much care has to be given to the fish pieces as a new born baby....

Last day....I was very lazy to cook and above that no idea of what to cook for dinner...With the blank mind, I opened the fridge and my eyes clicked some fish pieces and it's cleaned and marinated too....Wow!!!!!!!Bumper Lottery!!!!!But I did not want to spend more time on it, so dropped the plan of having a biryani...

Again with the same blank mind..I started cooking..But the outcome was superb...And this will be one of my weekly once dinner ,I've decided..........

 Ingredients :

1. Fish pieces : 5-6
2. Basmati Rice : 1 cup
3. Red Chilly Powder : 2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
5. Fennel Powder :1 tsp
6. Coriander Powder : 2 tsp
7. Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
8. inger Garlic paste : 2 tsp
9. Onions ; 1 big/2 small
10. Tomato : 1
11. Coriander leaves : 1/2 cup
12. Mint leaves : 1/2 cup
13. Lemon Juice : from 1/2 of a lemon 
14. Salt
15. Oil
16. Water : 2 cups (for cooking the rice )
17. Carrots and Cucumber : 1/2 cup (For Garnishing)

Method :

• Marinate the fish pieces with red chilly powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder , salt and keep aside
• Heat oil in a pan and add the fish pieces(Shallow fry)
• Drain the fish pieces and add onion chopped, ginger garlic paste int the same oil 
• Saute and add the coriander powder, cumin powder and salt.
• Now add the chopped tomato ,coriander leaves, mint leaves and mix well.
• Add water and allow it to boil.
• While boiing add salt, washed & drained rice ,lemon juice and cover well (low flame)
• After cooking(all the water evaporates) add the fish pieces and mix well  
• Cover and cook for few minutes (then only the fish flavour will mix with the rice and it will become fish pulao)
• While serving garnish with carrots and cucumber chopped...

Ready!!!!!!!!!!!!Serve!!!!!!!!

Beef Rice

A blend of rice and beef which gives a tongue tickling effect..Once try this, it will be your usual one pot meal whenever you have beef.  Very easy to make also..

Ingredients :

1. Basmati Rice : 2 Cup
2. Water : 3 Cups
3. Ghee : 1 tsp
4. Whole Garam Masala (2-3 cardamoms,1 tsp fennel seeds, medium piece cinnamon, 2-3 cloves)
5. Salt
6. Water
7. Beef : 1/2 kg
8. Onion : 2
9. Ginger Garlic Paste : 2-3 tsp
10. Tomato:1-2
11. Coriander Powder: 2-3 tsp
12. Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp
13. Black Pepper Powder : 1 tsp
14. Garam Masala : 1 tsp
15. Salt
16. Oil
17. Curry Leaves : 2-3 springs

Method :

• Boil 2 cups water in a large vessel
• When it starts boiling, add the whole garam masala,ghee and salt
• Add the washed and drained rice into the water.
• Close the lid and keep in medium flame.
• When all the water evaporates and the rice cooks well switch off the flame
• Keep the lid open
• Cook the cubed beef pieces with all the ingredients from 8-15(without adding any water).
• Stir well into a thick gravy texture.
• Combine the rice with the cooked beef masala and close the lid for 10-15 minutes in low flame.
• Finally season it with curry leaves.

Serve with raita,papad and pickle etc..

Easy Egg Rice (For Tiffin Box)

This is an easy to make, delicious lunch box item for school going kids as well as office going people. My son likes it very much and I usually make this for him ..

Ingredients :

For Rice:

1. Basmati Rice : 1 Cup
2. Water : 2 cups
3. Ghee : I tsp
4. Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp

Egg Mix :

1. Eggs: 2
2. Salt 
3. Pepper Powder : 1/4 tsp
4. Butter / Oil

(For adults we can use onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes while making egg mix)

Method :

• Pressure cook the rice with water, salt ,ghee and garam masala till one whistle in medium flame.
• After releasing the steam ,open the cooker for some time.
• Heat butter in a pan and scramble the eggs with salt and pepper powder.
• Add the cooked rice.
• Stir and mix well.
• Sprinkle few drops of ketch up....

Close the lunchbox!!!!!!!!!!!

Chicken Kabsa

This is a traditional Saudi Chicken and Rice Dish.

Ingredients:

2  cups basmati rice (don't rinse or soak this)

3 lbs chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces

1 large onion(finely chopped)

5 garlic cloves(minced)

1/4 cup tomato puree

2 big  tomatoes chopped

2 medium carrots(grated) 

2 whole cloves

1 pinch grated nutmeg

1 pinch ground cumin

1 pinch ground coriander

salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 cups hot water

1 chicken stock cube

1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Kabsa Spice Mix(I use Knorr Kabsa Mix)
Directions:
Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot. Add chicken pieces, onion & garlic & sauté until onion is tender. Stir in tomato puree & 
Add tomatoes, carrots, cloves, all the spices & salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water & Maggi cube.Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add rice to the pot & stir carefully.Re-Cover & simmer for 35 - 40 minutes - adding the raisins for the last 10 minutes - or until rice is tender.Place the rice on a large serving dish, topped with the chicken & garnished with almonds. Serve with a fresh mixed salad -
Melt butter in a large pot. Add chicken pieces, onion & garlic & sauté until onion is tender. Stir in tomato puree & 
Add tomatoes, carrots, cloves, all the spices & salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water & Maggi cube.Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add rice to the pot & stir carefully.Re-Cover & simmer for 35 - 40 minutes - adding the raisins for the last 10 minutes - or until rice is tender.Place the rice on a large serving dish, topped with the chicken & garnished with almonds. Serve with a fresh mixed salad -