Narali Bhat ( Sweet Coconut Rice)

Narali Bhat ( Sweet Coconut Rice)

Ingredients :

• 1 1/2 cup Basmati Rice
• 1 1/2 cup Fresh or frozen Coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 6 tsp Ghee
• 1/2 tsp Saffron
• Cardamom powder to taste
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick
• 3 to 4 Green Cardamom
• 5 to 6 Cloves
• Dry Fruits pieces.

Method :

Wash and soak basmati rice for 30 mts.Boil water in a pan, add ghee, add soaked rice and cook till rice is 80% cooked.Heat 3 tsp ghee in a pan, add whole spices, add coconut, sugar, dry fruits, mix well.Add boiled rice, mix gently, add saffron water, cover and cook on low heat for 15 mts.Open cover after 10 mts, Narali Bhat is ready to serve!  Traditionally jaggery is used to prepare Narali Bhat, you may make use of jaggery instead of sugar.

Tiranga Pulao / TriColor rice

Tiranga Pulao / TriColor rice

Ingredients :

• 3  Cups Cooked rice
• 2 Finely Chopped Onion
• 8 Green chillies
• 1 bunch Mint leaves
• 3 Tomatoes
• A pinch of  Turmeric powder
• 6 Cardamom
• 8 Cloves
• 2 ” piece Cinnamon stick
• 2 Tsp Shahijeera / caraway seeds
• Small piece Ginger
• 1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste
• 1/4 Tsp Cumin seeds
• 4 Tbsp Ghee / Clarified Butter

Method :
Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and grind into fine paste in mixie. Clean the mint leaves from the bunch and grind them into paste along with two green chillies.  Divide the cooked rice into three equal parts. Heat  a tbsp of ghee in a pan. Fry some chopped onion and saute till they are soft. Add half the ginger garlic paste, 1/3 of garam masala (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, shahijeera) , little turmeric powder and saute a little more. Now add the tomato paste and let it boil for few minutes to remove the raw smell. Add one part of rice along with salt as per taste. Mix well and fry for few minutes more. Remove from fire and keep it aside. This is tomaro rice.

Now Clean the pan and heat 1 tsp of ghee and add chopped onions, 2-3 slit green chillies, cumin seeds and chopped ginger. Saute them till onion is soft  and add another part of rice, some garam masala  along with salt as required. Mix and fry it well till all spices are mixed well. Take it out and keep aside. This is jeera rice..

Clean the pan and heat the remaining Ghee. Fry the remaining chopped  onions and green chilies till soft. Add ginger garlic paste,  little turmeric powder , garam masala and fry for a  minute. Now add the mint leaves paste and fry a little. Add the remaining rice along with salt and mix well.  Fry for two minutes  more and remove from fire.This is pudina rice.along with salt and mix well.  Fry for two minutes  more and remove from fire.This is pudina rice.
Spread the green pudina  rice first in  a serving plate. Next put the jeera rice. Lastly put the tomato rice neatly. Garnish with onion and lemon slices and serve hot.. This tricolor pulao looks very bright, colorful and attractive without any artificial colors..

Masale Bhat

Masale Bhat

A staple of any Maharashtrian wedding menu, this special rice preparation is a spicy, vegetarian and Maharashtrian version of the North Indian  Pulav. The spice that really makes this dish “masaledaar” (spicy) is the Maharashtrian Goda/Kala Masala. Adding a vareity of veggies like peas, gherkins (thondli/tinda), cabbage, cauliflower, onion and eggplant (single or combination) to this quick and easy one pot concoction not only enhances the flavor but also adds to the overall color and texture of the dish.

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Basmati rice
• 2-3 Tbsp oil
• ½  tsp mustard seeds (rai/mohri)
• ½  tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• ½  tsp red chilli powder
• 1-2 pinches asofoetida (hing)
• ½ cup fresh peas
• 2-3 tsp Cashew Nuts pieces
• 2 ½  cups water
• salt, to taste
• 1½ tsp Maharashtrian Goda/Kala Masala (if can’t find it, you can use the regular Garam Masala)
• Grated Fresh coconut (optional for garnishing )
• Finely chopped Fresh coriander(  for garnishing )
• Ghee (clarified butter optional)

Method :

Rinse the basmati rice in water and set aside.

Heat oil in a large pot and add mustard and cumin seeds.When they cackle add turmeric powder and pinch of aesofoetida.Then add the peas and sauté for a min. Add the rice and cashew nuts and sauté for another min or so.Season with salt, goda/kala masala and red chilli powder. Add water, mix well and cook covered for 15-20 mins on medium-low heat, stirring once in a while, till the rice soaks up all the water and is well cooked.Garnish with chopped coriander and grated coconut. Serve hot with a teaspoon of melted ghee

Makhana Pulao

Makhana Pulao

 

 Ingredients :

• Rice 250 gm
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• Makhana (lotus seeds)
• 1 tbsp Yoghurt
• 1 chopped Onion
• Salt as per taste
• Coriander leaves

Method :

Clean and Soak rice. Heat oil and butter , then saute onion till it becomes pink, then add makhana seeds, garam masala, rice,  salt, yoghurt and mix it well. Add water and cook. Garnish with coriander leaves and golden fried onion and serve .

Veg Fried rice

Veg Fried rice

Ingredients :

• 2 cups Basmati (Long-Grained) Rice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Carrots
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Capsicums
• 1/2 cup finely chopped French beans.
• 2 finely chopped Spring Onions
• 2 finely chopped Green chillies
• 1-2 Tsp Soya Sauce
• 1 Pinch Ajino Moto
• 10-15 Golden fried Cashew Nuts Pieces
• 2-3 Tbsp Oil
• Salt as per taste

Method :

Wash rice properly, soak them in water for 10 minutes.Then cook it in a cooker to make rice which has all grains separated . Take pan or kadai, add oil to it, saute green chillies. Then add all vegetables to it and cook it for 7-8 minutes. Then add cooked rice to it and mix it well. Then add salt & soya sauce, cashew nuts and again mix it well and cook for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with Spring Onion greens, Cashew Nuts and serve hot.