Aava pettina pulihora

Ingredients:

1 cup Rice(Sona masuri or equivalent)
1 big lemon sized Tamarind
3/4 tsp Mustard seeds
Salt to taste
1 tbsp.  Oil

for  tempering:
1 tsp Mustard seeds
3-4 tbsp. Groundnuts
1 tbsp. Chana dal
2 tsp Urad dal
3-4 whole Red chillies
4-5 light colored long Green chillies, slit
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
a sprig of Curry leaves
a pinch of strong Asafoetida
2 tbsp. Oil

Method: 

1. Wash and soak rice for 10-15 mins and cook it in rice cooker or pressure cooker with 2 cups of water until it is done. Let the rice sit for some time and spread it on a wide plate by smearing a tbsp. of sesame oil which helps in keeping the grains separate.
2. Soak tamarind in water for 15 mins and extract the pulp and keep it aside.
3. Dry roast mustard seeds until they start popping and pound it into a fine powder using a pestle and mortar. You can even grind it in mixer but the pestle and mortar works efficiently here and adds a nice taste.
4. Heat oil in a deep bottomed kadai/pan and crackle mustard seeds.
5. Add ground nuts and fry them until they turn slight red in color and the skin begins to split.Add chana dal, urad dal, red chillies and slit green chillies and fry until the chillies wilt and the dals turn light golden brown in color.
6. Add curry leaves, sesame seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder and fry half a minute.
7. Add extracted tamarind pulp and  let it cook until it thickens and the oil separates from the edges. It takes 7-8 mins.
8. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely. 
9. Reserve some portion(2-3 tbsp) of the tamarind mixture we prepared now and add cooled and spread rice along with freshly ground fine mustard powder and salt and mix it nicely until everything is neatly incorporated. Now taste the rice and add more tamarind mixture or salt as needed and adjust the rice according to your taste buds. Prepare it slightly sour so that it tastes delicious once it is rested for some time. Rest it for an hour at least.

Sambar Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Boiled rice 2 cup
Butter 2tb
Garlic chopped ½ ts
Onion chopped 1 n
Green chilly chopped 3n
Capsicum chopped (green, yellow) 1 tb
Peanuts crushed 1 tb
Tomatoes chopped 2 n
Coriander chopped 1 b
Salt
Curry leaves 2 sp
Sambhar powder 1 ½ tb
Lime juice 1 tb
Grated coconut 2 tb

Method:

1. Take a bowl add butter, chopped garlic, chopped onion, chopped green chilly, chopped capsicum (green, yellow), crushed peanuts, chopped tomatoes, chopped coriander, grated coconut (optional), salt, curry leaves, sambhar powder, mix it well and transfer into the pan and cook it for a minute and add the boiled rice and toss it and sprinkle lime juice, chopped coriander on top.

Gongura Pulihora

Ingredients:

Raw Rice (wash, drain, soak for 30 mins in fresh water , cook using 1 1/2 Cup of water ) – 1 Cup
Sorrel Leaves (stalks removed, washed, dry) – 1 Cup tightly packed
Dry Red Chillies – 3 no
Green Chillies – 5 or to taste
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal – 2tsp
Chanadal – 2 tsp
Asafoetida (hing) – generous pinch
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste

Method:

1. In a pan add 1/2 cup of water and sorrel leaves. Cook for 8 mins or until sorrel leaves are wilted and soft.
2. Blend to a smooth paste. 
3. In another pan heat oil, season with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chanadal, urid dal, asafoetida, powdered methi, dry red chillies,  green chillies, turmeric powder, curry leaves.
4. Fry for 30 secs. Add blended gongura puree and cook for 2 mins. Add salt.
5. Add seasoned gongura paste with the cooked rice and gently mix well until blended.
6. Serve immediately or enjoy it after 30 mins resting time for best tasting Pulihora.

Enjoy with papad.

Betroot Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 1 cup heaped 
Beetroot, chopped 1 cup 
Green peas 1/2 cup 
Onion 1 
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp 
Red chilli powder 1 tsp 
Coriander seeds powder 1 tsp 
Turmeric 1/8 tsp 
Coconut milk, thin 1 cup 
Coriander leaves, chopped 2 tblsp 
Salt As needed 
Oil / Ghee 2 tsp
Cinnamon 1 piece
Cardamom 1
Clove 1
Saunf (fennel seeds) 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak basmati rice for atleast 1/2 hour. Heat a small pressure cooker with oil/ ghee, temper with the items cinnamon, cardamom, clove. Add thinly sliced onions and fry till transparent. 
2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute in medium flame. Add beetroot and green peas. Add little salt and continue frying for 2 mins in medium flame. 
3. Add turmeric, chilli powder and dhaniya powder and give it a fry. Add thin coconut milk and a cup of water. Bring to boil, add required salt and soaked basmati rice. Mix well.
4. Cook for 14 minutes in lowest possible flame with lid and pressure valve. Or upto 2 whittles in medium flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Soya Granules Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 1 1/2 cups
Soya granules (Soaked in the hot water and drained)
Ghee  3-4 tablespoons
Cinnamon  1 inch stick
Green cardamoms  2-3
Cloves  3-4
Shahi jeera  1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds  1/2 teaspoon
Onions,chopped  3 medium
Ginger paste  1 tablespoon
Garlic paste  1 tablespoon
Coriander powder  1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder  1/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder  1 1/2 tablespoons
Tomatoes, chopped  1large
Salt  to taste
Green chillies, chopped  2-3
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped  2 tablespoons
Pulao masala powder  1 teaspoon

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan, add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, shahi jeera, and cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add chopped onions and continue to sauté.
2. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and a little water to onions and continue to sauté. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and tomatoes. Mix and sauté. Add salt and mix.
3. Add soaked soya granules,  green chillies. Cover and cook.
4. Add rice and chopped coriander leaves and half a teaspoon of pulao masala powder to the soya granules gravy and mix well. . Place the lid on the pot and cook it for fifteen minutes.
5. drissle with lime juice and Serve hot with a raita of your choice .

Baby Corn Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice  1 cup 
baby corn  10-12  
Onion  1 
Coconut milk(thin)  2 cups 
Bay leaf  1 
Turmeric powder  as needed 
Cinnamon  1 inch piece 
Cloves  2 or 3 
Ealchi  2 
Salt  As needed 
Oil/ghee  2-3 tblsp 

To Grind
coriander leaves 1/2 bunch
Garlic,small variety 4-5
Ginger 1/4 inch piece
Green chilli  4
Garam masala powder 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Soak rice for at least  1/2 hour before preparing any rice dishes like this. The more you soak, the more soft the gains will be and you can use less water ratio for cooking it.
2. Cut onion to length wise and cut baby corn into bite size pieces. Pressure  upto 3 whistles. If you slice them thinly into circles or diagonally, then no need to pressure cook.
3. Grind all the ingredients under "to grind" table to a smooth paste with less water.
4. If you are cooking direct in pressure cooker,heat ghee/oil in the cooker and add the whole spices-bay leaf,cinnamon,elachi and cloves.Then add the onions,fry till pinkish,then add the baby corn,ground masala and fry till raw smell disappears.Add the soaked rice and fry for a minute.
5. Then add coconut milk( I used ready-made coconut milk) and bring it to boil.(Coconut milk should not be too thick or too thin,if its thick then dilute to adjust it to make 2 cups- you can reduce the water quantity to 1 & 1/2 cups.). Addsalt and mix well and cook covered in lowest flame,without pressure regulator for 8-10 minutes.
6. Now pulav is ready and serve hot with onion raita or raita of your choice!

Curry Leaf Rice /Karvepaku Rice

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked and cooled white rice (each grain should be seperate)
3 strings fresh curry leaves
3-4 green chillies
1 tbsp split gram dal
1/2 tbsp bengal gram
2 tsps oil
salt to taste

to grind
1 cup curry leaf
4-5 chillies

Method:

1. Heat a tsp of oil in a heavy bottomed vessel and add the dals and add green chillies and curry leafs and toss then add grinded curry leaf paste and add salt
2. Add the cooked rice to the tempering, sprinkle salt  and combine till well blended.
3. switch off the flame and serve hot

Mango Rice

Ingredients:

Mango - 1, medium size

Rice - 1 cup

Green chillies - 4 or 5

Curry leaves - few

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Channa dal - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Oil - 1 tbsp.

Method :

1.  Cook rice with just enough water.
2. Peel the skin of an unripe mango and shred.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add urad dal and channa dal. Add the curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for a while and then add the shredded mango, turmeric powder and salt.
4. Saute for a while and then add the cooked rice. Mix well.

Soya Palak Rice

Ingredients:

Spinach paste 1 cup
Basmati rice  11/2 cup
Meal maker 1/2 cup
Green chillies sliced 3
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Onion chopped 1
Garam Masala powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 2 tbsp.
Water 3 cups

Method:

1.Take a pan pour some oil and heat it,add cumin seeds,green chillies,onions and saute for few minutes.
2.Add spinach paste and mix well,fry for few minutes till it attains thick consistency.
3.Add salt,meal maker and fry for another few minutes.
4.Now add  basmati rice to the pan and mix well evenly.Sprinkle some garam masala powder and give it a good stir.
5.Now  add water and cook till rice is done.
6.Transfer into a bowl and serve hot

Gongura Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Onion chopped - 1 small size
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Green chillies - 5
Ghee
Salt
Corriander Leaves

To Grind: (Gongura paste)

Chana dal - 1 tbsp
Corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 5
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Curry leafs - 1 string
hing - pinch (Optional)
Gongura leafs - 1 cup

Method:

1. Take a pan and add chana dal, corriander seeds, Urad dal, red chillies, and curry leaves and dry roast them.
2. Add chopped gongura leafs and saute for few minutes till gongura gets cooked.
3. Cool the above ingredients and make it a paste.
4. Now take a pan and add ghee and once the ghee is heated add mustard seeds, jeera, green chillies, and once they start spluttering add gongura paste and salt and finally add cooked rice and give it a good mix,cook for 2-3 minutes on medium flame and off the stove.Transfer onto a bowl,serve hot.

Ven Pongal /Katta Pongal

Ingredients:

Raw rice 1 cup

Moong dal/pasi paruppu 1/4 cup

Water 4 cups

Salt as needed

To temper

Ghee 2 tblsp

Pepper 2 tsp

Jeera 2 tsp

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Asafoetida 2 pinches

Cashews 5-6

Ginger chopped 1 tblsp

Asafoetida 1 pinch

Method:

1. An optional step is to roast the moong dal for extra flavour. Wash rice and dal together. 
2. Add 4 cups of water,bring to boil. Add the washed rice,dal,salt and pressure cook for 4 whistles in medium flame.Wait until pressure gets released by itself,open & mash.
3. Season with the items given under to temper table. First add ghee, when hot add pepper, ginger and let it start splutter and then switch off the flame. Add cashews and fry till it starts golden and then lastly add jeera. Add curry leaves and asafoetida lastly. Mix in the heat well and then add it to pongal and mix well.

Street style egg biryani by vah chef

Vah Chef has been giving us many tasty recipes , with his guidance we all are making delicious food in our kitchens with very little effort , this is also a recipe from his kitchen

it turned out fabulous as all the other recipes of Vah Chef.

Click Here to watch the video of this tasty biryani and give it a try am sure you all will also love it.

Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1 finely sliced
Butter - 2 tsp + 1 tsp oil
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
green chillies - 4

Method:

1. Heat butter + oil or ghee in a pan, add jeera seeds and saute for a few seconds.
2. When jeera splutters, add onion and green chillies and saute till onions become golden brown, then add the drained rice and fry for a few minutes. Add 2 cups of water, needed salt and cook rice till done.
3. Fluff it with a fork and serve it with any gravy side dish of your choice.
4. You can cook rice in a rice cooker or pressure cooker or in a pan with a lid.

Corn Peas Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Big Onion - 1 chopped lengthwise
Ginger garlic paste - 3/4 tsp 
Corn kernels - 1/4 cup
Peas - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Water - 1 and 1/2 cups
Salt - to taste
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Cloves -2
Cardamom - 1

To grind to a paste:
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup tightly packed
Cashewnut - 6
Tomato - 1 big sized
Green chillies - 2
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. First grind the ingredients listed under 'to grind' with little water to a fine paste. Set aside. In a pressure cooker heat oil+ghee add ginger garlic paste, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom
2. Add onion and saute till slightly browned. Then add the masala paste and saute till raw smell leaves and it turns color as shown below.Soak basmati rice in water for 30mins set aside.
3. Then add corn, peas saute till the masala is well blended with the veggies.Add required salt, I used rock salt. Drain water from rice and add it.
4. Give a stir and add water. Close and pressure cook for 3 whistles in medium flame. Once pressure releases fluff the rice with fork, take care not to break the rice

Serve hot with curd or onion raita. 

Daddojanam

Ingredients:


Rice - 2 cups
Curd - 2 cups
Salt - As reqd
Coriander leaves - 1/4 bunch
(finely chopped)

For seasoning:-
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds(Jeerakam) - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 15 - 20 nos
Ginger - 1/4" piece
(finely chopped)
Dry red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 2 - 3 nos
Green chilly - 1 no
Onion - 1
Refined oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1)Pressure cook the rice.

2)Allow the rice to cool and mash it lightly.

3)Add curd to the rice and add salt to taste. Keep it aside.

4)Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan or a kadai.

5)Splutter mustard seeds followed by other ingredients for seasoning.

6)Once done, move out the kadai from the flame and add the curd rice to this seasoning. Mix well.

7)Garnish with finely chopped green coriander leaves.

:- Serve with lemon pickle(nimmakaya paachadi).

Pulihora - Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice
1/2 tsp turmeric
15-20 fresh curry leaves
salt to taste
large lemon sized tamarind (soak in a cup of hot water and extract pulp)
1 tbsp channa dal (split bengal gram)
1 tbsp urad dal/minappapu/split black gram
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
2 fistfuls roasted peanuts
2 tbsps oil

Method:

1. Sprinkle turmeric pwd, salt and a tbsp of oil to the cooked and cooled rice and keep aside.
2. 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 chillis, ginger and few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
3. Add the tamarind extract and cook till the raw smell of tamarind disappears, approx 5-7 mts. It will be a like a thick but flowing paste. Remove from heat.
4. Add the cooked tamarind mix and combine well such that its spread all over the rice. Adjust salt. Finally sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds pwd and roasted peanuts and combine well. Let it sit for at least 3-4 hours for the flavors to set in.

Vegetable Pulav

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice – washed and drained
1 1/2 tbsps ghee
1 tbsp oil
2 green cardamoms
4 cloves
2” cinnamom stick
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
2 onions finely sliced
1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
1 1/2 tbsps of fresh mint leaves/pudina, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsps fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (beans, green peas, carrots and potatoes)
3 1/4 cups water
salt to taste
8-10 cashew nuts (lightly roasted in ghee till golden brown)
coriander leaves for garnish

Method:-

1 Heat ghee and oil in a vessel, add bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, caradamom and star anise and stir for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions, ginger-garlic-green chillis paste. Saute the onions till they turn transparent.
2 Add the coriander and mint leaves and saute for 2-3 mts. Add the chopped mixed vegetables and cook on medium for 4-5 mts.
3 Add the drained rice and saute for 2 mts.
4 Add water. Bring to a boil.
5 Add salt and nutmeg pwd and reduce heat to low-medium and cook covered with lid.
6 Once the rice and vegetables are cooked, turn off heat. Add fried cashew nuts and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
7 Serve warm with raita.

Chicken Biryani

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken - 1/2 kg
Rice - 1/2 kg (wash and leave them)
Oil - 4tbsp
Jeera - 1/2tsp
Onions 1 big - (chopped into long slices)
Green chillies - 4-5 slit
Red chillies - 2 (broken into halves)
Ginger Garlic Pase- 1.5" piece
Dalchini - 1.5" piece
Cloves - 5-6
Elaichi -1
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Biryani Leaf - 2

METHOD:
-Take a vessel and mix Ginger Garlic Paste, Salt, Garam Masala, Red Chilli Powder and add Chicken and fry it till it losses water.
-Heat oil add Biryani Leaf, Dalchini, Cloves, onions and green chillies and fry till onions turn transparent.
-Now add the Whole chicken.
-Add the masala powder,red chilli powder,turmeric,salt and let cook till chicken is done.
-Add rice to the chicken and mix well and fry for another 6 min.
-Add the required amount of water adjust the salt and red chilli powder and cook for 2 whistles and then 10min on low flame.

Peas Pulao

INGREDIENTS:

rice - 2 cups

peas - 1 cup

onion(finely slit) - 1 small

Chilies  - 4

corriander powder  - 1/2 tsp

garam masala - 1/2tsp

salt as required

METHOD:

-Heat oil in a pressure cooker add the jeera and onion and fry for 3-4 min.

-Now add salt ,garam masala, corriander powder and peas and fry for abt 5min

-Add the washed and drained rice and fry for 2 min.

-Add the required water and let it cook for 1 whisle and serve.

HAPPY SANKRANTHI

LEMON RICE



Ingredients:-

left out rice           -   2 cups
Lemon juice          -   5 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds     -   2 tsp.
Urad Daal             -    2 tsp.
Chana Daal           -     2 tsp.
Dried Red chillies  -   2-3
A pinch of asafoetida
Roasted Peanuts 1/2 cup
Curry leaves 10-12
Grated coconut 1 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil 2 tbsp.

Method:

1.	Heat oil in a deep frying pan or a kadai.
2.	Add asafoetida, dried red chillies cut into two, urad dal and chana dal.
3.	Cook until dals change colour to light brown.
4.	Add peanuts and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to crackle, then add curry leaves. Fry for 10 seconds more.
7.	Add cooked rice, salt and lemon juice. Mix well very gently so that the rice grains does not break.