Pulihora - Tamarind Rice

Pulihora or Andhra tamarind rice is often prepared during festivals and is offered as naivedyam to the gods. As Hindus consider turmeric powder a symbol of auspiciousness, this dish is cooked on almost all good occasions and festive days. Pulihora is also referred to as sour rice as Puli means sour taste .Cooked rice is seasoned with tamarind paste and other basic ingredients like curry leaves, peanuts, chilies and turmeric.  When this dish is made with tamarind then it is called PULIHORA and is called CHITRANNAM if made with Lemon. 

Pulihora stimulates the taste buds very nicely  with it’s sour, spicy, and salty taste as it contains ingredients like Turmeric, Green Chilies, Lemon, Asafoetida, Curry leaves. Pulihora, simply put, is rice flavored with a sour ingredient, tempered with mild spices, roasted peanuts & lentils but the main flavor comes from the tamarind.  The meal would feel incomplete without one of them. 

Cuisine: Andhra Pradesh

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves:2

Recipe Source: Here

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cooked rice 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 10 - 15 fresh curry leaves
• salt to taste
• large lemon sized tamarind (soak in a cup of hot water and extract pulp)
• 1 tsp Jaggery
• 1 tbsp channa dal
• 1 tbsp urad dal
• 1 tsp teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3-4 medium dry red chilli
• 4-5 green chillis slit length wise
• 1 1/2 tsps finely chopped ginger
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1 1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds powder
• A fistful roasted peanuts
• 3 tbsps oil

Let's learn how to make Pulihora:

• Rinse and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Cook in such a way that each grain is separate and then  spread it to cool.

• Sprinkle turmeric powder, salt, a tbsp of oil and few fresh curry leaves to the cooked and cooled rice and keep aside.

• Heat the remaining oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dry red chillis, cumin seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry for a minute till light brown. Next add the slit green chillies, ginger, asafoetida and few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.

• Add the tamarind extract and jaggery and cook till the raw smell of tamarind disappears for approx 5-7 mts. It will be a like a thick but flowing paste.Remove from heat.

• Add the cooked tamarind mix and combine well such that it’s spread all over the rice. Adjust salt. Finally sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds powder and roasted peanuts and combine well. Let it sit for at least 3-4 hours for the flavors to set in.

• Serve with yogurt and papad. 

This recipe has been developed as part of the Ugadi celebration event hosted by Jayashree who has a beautiful blog Evergreendishes.

Khichdi - A Feast of the Lord

To many, the humble khichdi or khichri  or Khechudi,  evokes a medley of emotions, by the mere mention of the name, one either loves or hates it. Almost every state in India has it's own name for Khichdi, and has it as part of regular meals. It is called khichuri in West Bengal, Adahengu khichdi( ginger-asafoetida khichdi) in Odisha which is a part of the famous Chapan Bhog of the Lord Jagannath temple, Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Bisi bele bath in Karnataka and Khichri in Bihar and UP.

This humble Khichdi which is a part of the famous Chapan Bhog of the Lord Jagannath in Odisha is cooked with rice, dal, seasonal vegetables and served with curd  to the devotees.This temple khichdi is the ultimate lesson in slow fire cooking where nine earthenware pots placed one atop another. The steam moves from one pot to the next, cooking the ingredients inside the successive pots.

   Ayurveda, the Indian wisdom of medicine, also recommends Khichdi for all body types as a cleansing regimen. Khichdi is also the first solid that babies are introduce to, Rice and Lentils are simmered till mushy, seasoned with Turmeric and salt, and fed to infants to introduce them to adult food as it is soft , easily digested, and has no spices. 

The khichdi  refers to a nutritionally balanced stew of rice and pulses, usually made with high quality grains, easily digestible lentils, fresh vegetables, exquisite spicing and homemade ghee, making it adequate, luscious and comforting.I, for one loves it and enjoy this soothing comforting bowl of earthy goodness. To cope with the blandness, khichri is usually paired with tangy and piquant partners, khichri ke char yaar, dahi, paapad, ghee and achaar.

Cuisine:Odia

Prep Time:30 minutes

Cooking Time:10 minutes

Serves:2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice
• ½ cup  Moong Dal
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green cardamom
• 1/2 inch cinnamon
• 1 or 2 dry red chilli
• 1/4tsp of cumin seeds
• 1/4tsp  asafetida
• 1tbsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• salt as per taste
• for garnishing
• Fresh coriander
• Green chillies
• lime wedges

Let's Learn How to make this Khichdi:

• Rinse and wash Rice and moong lentils together. Soak both of them for 30 minutes in water.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in pressure cooker add cumin. When it starts to splutters then add bayleaf, dry red chillies, green cardamom, cinnamon,grated ginger and asafetida.
• Saute for 10 to 15 seconds and add the drained the rice and moong lentils to the pressure cooker. Stir for a minute .
• Pour 3 cups of water, turmeric powder and salt.
• Close the lid tightly and pressure cook the khichdi on a medium flame for 1 whistle. Once the whistle comes, turn the flame to low and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and wait till the pressure is released and you can open the lid.
• Serve the Khichdi with ghee on top  and garnish with coriander leaves, green chillies and a wedge of lemon.
• This type of Khichdi taste  great with curd/yogurt, papad or pickles to balance the blandness.

 
Sending this recipe to 33rd Foodie Monday Bloghop theme of celebration of everyday cooking with #Rice

You may also try out other preparation made with rice from the following links:

KANIKA - FAMOUS ODIA SWEET RICE

Egg Biryani

Vegetable Yakhni Pulao

Vegetable Tehari

Brown Rice Biryani

Raw Mango Rice

HEALTHY FENUGREEK PULAO - METHI PULAO - METHI PILAF

HYDERABADI CHICKEN BIRYANI

EGG PULAO

 

 

















  

Egg Biryani

A lot of what I cook evokes memories, of course, good ones. Egg biryani is one such delicious recipe that has rice and boiled eggs flavored with aromatic spices. I love this egg biryani which is easy to make. it makes a very good one pot meal and so a simple raita will be good enough as sides.  It is the best main course dish to serve at any time. Biryani is one of the most popular Indian rice dishes and just the name of it can make you hungry with the wonderful aroma that comes from this flavored rice. It is said that Biryani has a Persian origin. In India, it takes different looks, forms and taste in every corner of the country.

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking times:

Serves:2

Ingredients:

• 4 nos eggs
• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• 2 Large Onions
• 2 medium size tomatoes
• 1 green chilli Slit lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Red chilli Powder
• 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Biryani Masala
• 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander and mint leaves
• 3 tablespoon Oil
• 1 tablespoon Desi Ghee 
• Salt
• 1/4 cup Warm milk
• a Pinch of saffron strands
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 teaspoon of Kewda essence

Whole Masala:

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick
• 2 to 3 Green cardamom
• 4 cloves
• 1 blade Javitri
• 1 Star Anise

Let's Learn how to make this recipe:

• Soak the Basmati rice in water for 30 minutes.
• Boil the eggs and peel it's shell.Make a few slit on the egg and marinate it with salt and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and keep it aside.
• Soak the saffron strands in warm milk.
• Finely chopped one large onion, two medium tomatoes and one green chilli and keep aside.
• Thinly Slice one Large onion and fry in a pan with oil till golden brown and keep aside.
• In the same pan , add the marinated eggs and pan roast them on both sides on low flame till light brown on all sides. Keep aside.
• In the same pan add the finely chopped onions , green chillies and cook till onions are brown in color .
• Add 1 teaspoon of Ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of the paste goes away. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes becomes mushy and start to separate the oil from the masala.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder and cook with 1 tablespoon of water so that the masala do not stick to the pan.
• Now add the pan roasted eggs and the Biryani Masala along with the finely chopped Coriander and mint leaves and 1/4 cup water and brings it to a boil. Cook till the gravy thickens . Make sure it is not too dry nor too runny.
• Now in  a large Vessel , Boil water along with the whole spices marked above, 1 tablespoon of oil, juice of one lemon and salt. Strain the water from the rice and add it to the boiling water and cook till the rice is 3/4th done.
• Now grease a heavy Bottomed Pan,  add a layer of rice, sprinkle some fried onions, coriander and mint leaves, a teaspoon of saffron soaked milk and top it with a layer of egg masala. Repeat with one more layer  of fried onions,chopped coriander and mint leaves . Sprinkle the top with saffron soaked milk and a teaspoon of kewda essence and a tablesppon of desi ghee on top. 
• Cover the pan with Silver foil and keep on  a pre heated tawa and cook on slow flame for 30 to 35 minutes. Turn off the gas and let it cool .
• Serve it with a cool Onion and cucumber raita along with some Papads for a blissful meal in the afternoon.

KANIKA - FAMOUS ODIA SWEET RICE

Odisha is a beautiful state and has so many varieties of choices for veg and non veg lovers. Panch Phutan is a very important flavoring used in all the curry and gravy preparation in Odia Cuisine. Mustard oil is very important in the cuisine but ghee occupies an important place in the cuisines mostly prepared during festivals.

Kanika is a pulao recipe which is prepared during festivals in Odisha. It is a perfect example of spiced and sweet recipe. The presence of spices gives the recipe a special flavor. The aroma of Desi ghee makes this recipe a very exceptional one. This dish is a part of Chhapann Bhog – 56 offerings (Maha Prasad) in the Puri Jagannath temple. These dishes are made without onions and garlic. The spices used in this dish make it very aromatic.

Cuisine: Odia
Preparation time – 30 minutes
Cooking time – 20 minutes
Difficulty level – easy

Serves:2

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup basmati rice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon desi ghee
• 3 to 4  pepper
• 2 to 3 cloves
• 2 green cardamom
• 1 black cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small pieces of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon Cashew nuts for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon Raisins for garnishing
• 1 tablespoon milk
• a generous pinch of saffron

Let's Learn How to make it: 

• Wash and soak the Basmati rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water and spread it on a clean cloth and keep under a fan so that no water remains in the rice. Smear turmeric on the rice and keep aside.
• Place a heavy bottomed pan on the stove. Add one spoon of desi ghee and when the ghee gets heated, add the cashew nuts and raisins into the pan.
• Roast them till they turn golden brown color and then remove the nuts from the pan.
• Now pour one more spoon of ghee into the pan then add pepper, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, green and black cardamom into the pan. Sauté for few minutes. Add the rice and fry on medium heat till the rice turns a little brown.
• Add warm water and salt into the pan. Add the saffron infused milk ,mix well and cover with a lid.
• Cook on a low flame till the rice is half cooked and then add the sugar and cook till the rice is fully done.Switch off the stove.Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.
• Serve along with Dalma and Sagaw Bhaja or any curry of your choice.

 

Note: The turmeric adds the yellow color to this dish  but along with the turmeric I have also used a pinch of saffron for its aroma and color.

Vegetable Yakhni Pulao

The origins of Yakhni Pulao lies back to Persia and was introduced to Indians by the Mughal rulers. Yakhni basically is a yogurt and saffron based mutton broth or stock. The broth/ stock is made using mutton and whole garam masala which is tied in a bouquet. Aromatic spices are the essence of this pulao or pilaf. Yogurt is another ingredient which is the key to bringing all these flavours together and giving this pulao its unique flavor. Meat/Vegetables are half boiled in water along with spices and salt, then cooked again along with rice. Unlike the other pulao recipes, meat/vegetables are cooked twice in yakhni pulao recipe, first directly in water and second along with rice.

This pulao is not to be confused with the biryani. In Biryani meat or vegetables and rice cooked separately, then layered and cooked on dum. For dum cooking, the pot in which the rice and meat are layered is covered with a lid and the rim of the lid and pot are sealed with dough to keep all the steam and flavours of the meat inside the pot. The result is an aromatic biryani. Also, biryani has more intensely flavored meat and rice.The recipe might look so simple and easy too, but needs a lot of care and attention during preparation. The rice grains have to be moist yet separated. Still they have to be soft and tender but not mashed.

 

Cuisine : Pakistani

Serves-4

Prep time: 30 minutes

Here is the list of ingredients that go into this delicate & aromatic Yakhni pulao. For the Yakhni or Stock:

• 5 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Shahjeera
• 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
• 3 nos of Cloves
• 4 nos Green cardamom
• 2 nos of Black cardamom
• 2 inch piece of Cinnamon stick
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 to 3 black pepper
• 2 nos of cloves
• 1 medium Carrot thinly sliced
• 1 cup Cauliflower cut into florets
• ½ cup Green Beans thinly sliced
• Salt

For the Rice:

• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• Onion - 1small, finely chopped
• ½ cup Green Peas
• 1 tablespoon Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup thick Yogurt whisked well
• ½ cup Mint leaves  finely chopped
• ½ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
• Salt - to taste

4 tablespoon Ghee

For Garnishing:

• 1 medium Onion thinly sliced
• a few mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon cashew nuts and raisins 

let’s learn how to prepare this recipe:

• Wash the rice well and let it soak for at least half an hour. 

• For the aromatic bouquet take a cheese cloth and put Shahjeera, Coriander seeds, Cloves, Green cardamom, Black cardamom, Cinnamon stick, Bay leaf, black pepper and cloves into it. Tie the top of the cheese cloth into a knot. The bouquet is ready. Keep it aside. 

• Combine all the ingredients for the ‘Stock’ along with the bouquet in a medium sauce pan. Add the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil and simmer.  After 5 minutes check the vegetables, they should be half done when you have to drain the veggies and immediately place them on a bowl of ice cold water to refrain it from further cooking. Continue to simmer the stock for another 10 minutes.

• Heat 2tbsp ghee and fry the thinly sliced onions until browned around the edges and slightly caramelized. Set aside until ready to use. In the same ghee add the cashew nuts and raisins and fry till light brown. Drain and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pan; heat 2tbsp ghee and add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook till the raw smell of the masala goes away. Then add the boiled vegetables and the green peas and toss well. Make sure that you do not cook the vegetables more as it is already half done.

• Add the whisked yogurt and mix well. Add the chopped mint and coriander leaves .Add 4cups of stock, bring the mixture to a boil, add the rice ,cover and simmer on medium-low flame until the water is evaporated and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and set aside covered for 5~10 minutes, before serving.
• Serve the vegetable Yakhni Pulao sprinkling with the caramelized onion, fried cashew and raisins and a few mint leaves along with a spicy Boondi Raita and a salad .

Vegetable Tehari

 Vegetable Tahari / Tehari / Tehri is a famous delectable North Indian delicacy of rice cooked along with vegetable and mild spices making it healthy and comforting one pot meal. It’s a wholesome meal on its own, where spicy vegetables and aromatic rice are cooked together and best served with a plain curd to mellow down the heat of this spicy rice.

Some recipes are simple, soulful and humble and that what defines this aromatic rice preparation which originated in Uttar Pradesh, known as the Tehri/ Tehari. The recipe is traditionally a one pot dish, where in the rice isn’t fried separately but rather stirred into the fried vegetables along with the whole spices and then cooked usually. This rice dish is fragranced with turmeric, vibrantly yellow in colour and tasted indefinably delicious. Served best with a raita of cucumber and mint – this was a Sunday lunch I would normally wait for if I am in no mood for some elaborate cooking.

This humble vegetable Tehari recipe finds it’s links in the Indian province of Uttar Pardesh (UP), Mainly a huge Muslim meat-eating part of the country, this was one of their very rare and treasured rice and vegetable dishes.This recipe is very similar to Veg Pulao recipe. There are two basic differences in making. First difference is the use of spices in Tahari and second difference is the cooking method, which is substantially different. Rice and vegetables cooked together in Tehri recipe. By this process rice, vegetables and spices are well mixed together, Whereas in Pulao the rice is fried in ghee and then cooked.

Spicy vegetable Tehari recipe is basically neither a biryani nor a pulao but a mild one pot rice recipe made with different vegetables. It is a twisted form of mutton tahari recipe .This is an amazing recipe for the vegetarians as it is so yummy which can be eaten just plain without any side dish. You will need good quality of rice and different vegetables like  potato, green peas, carrot, beans  and cauliflower. This is a very nutritious food and very easy to make also. The different variety of vegetables gives you fiber, vitamin & minerals too.

Cuisine: Uttar Pradesh
Prep Time: 30 minutes

cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

• 2 cups long grain Biryani Rice 
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 6 to 8 cauliflower florets
• 1/3 cup, green peas, shelled
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1inch long pieces
• 8 nos french beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 teaspoon, cumin seeds
• 6 black peppercorns
• 6 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick 
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• Juice of one lemon
• 5 tablespoon  oil 
• Salt to taste

Grind to coarse paste:

• 3-4 green chilies 
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 inch pieces of ginger
• 1/4 cup, coriander leaves, finely chopped

Let's learn how to prepare this recipe:

• Soak the rice in water for minimum 30 minutes.
• Wash and cut the vegetables and keep aside.
• Grind the green chillies, ginger, Garlic and Coriander leaves finely and keep aside.
• In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil.Once hot add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, black peppercorn, and cloves and fry for few seconds.
• Add onions and fry until soft and pink. Add potatoes and fry well on high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add cauliflower, carrot, beans and peas, fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add chili-ginger-garlic and coriander paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.

• Add 4 cups of water, salt and lemon juice and bring this to a boil. Add the  

        rice and Cook on low flame until the rice is cooked perfectly.

• Serve this subtle and mild flavoured vegetable Tahari along with a green salad and thick yogurt.

This recipe is going to be part of the 17th Foodie Monday Blog Hop challenge theme" One Pot Meal".