Peas Pulao recipe

1/2 teaspoon black cumin seeds (kala jeera)
1/2 teaspoon regular cumin seeds(jeera)
3 to 4 whole cloves (launga)
1 1" stick of cinnamon (dalcini)
3 small bay leaves (tej patta)
 4 teaspoon ghee or clarified butter
1 cup basmati rice washed and dried completely
1/2 cup peas fresh or frozen
2 cups water or as needed
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Powder the black cumin, regular cumin, cloves and cinnamon medium coarsely keep it aside.

To a pressure cooker on medium heat with 3 teaspoons of ghee add the powdered spices and bay leaves and let it warm up till it starts to sizzle.  This takes only a few seconds.  Add the rice when the sizzling starts and stir fry the rice for 2 to 3 minutes.  After it has been stir fried for 2 to 3 minutes add the peas mix add water and salt, mix.  Cover the pressure cooker and without the weight on top cook till the rice is cooked.
Takes approximately 7 minutes.  The rice needs to be cooked so that the grains are separate and it is not mushy.  When done add a teaspoon of ghee mix and serve.  Serves 4

Coconut Rice

For visual instructions click on the picture above:

Ingredients:
1 cup raw brown Basmati rice gives 3 cups cooked rice (or use leftover rice)
2 tablespoon Indian sesame oil (or substitute with any oil)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon channa dal
2 teaspoon urad dal
2 green chilies or to taste
2 tablespoon of broken cashews
1 cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preparation: Cook brown Basmati rice with 1 3/4 water in a pressure cooker.
Let the cooked rice cool to room temperature or use leftover rice.

To a pan on medium heat with oil, add mustard seeds, channa dal and urad dal.  When the mustard seeds pop add the green chilies, cashews and grated coconut, saute until the coconut has turned brown and the smell of roasted coconut is given out.  Add the cooked rice mix, add salt mix thoroughly and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

This is a great way to use up leftover rice.  This Tamil recipe is made to celebrate the festival of Pongal which occurs in the middle of January.  The flavor of roasted coconut enhances the flavor of plain rice.

Lemon Rice

For Instructions click on the picture above:

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked rice (1 cup raw basmati rice)
3 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
2 teaspoon of channa dal
2 teaspoon of urad dal
1 cup shredded carrots
4 dry red chili or according to taste
1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup of roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of lemon juice or to taste
Few curry leaves fresh or dry optional

Preparation: Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds urad dal, channa dal, when the mustard seeds pop add the shredded carrots and curry leaves and saute and cook for a minute add the peanuts, turmeric powder and asafoetida mix add cooked rice, mix, add salt mix, turn the heat off add lemon juice and serve.  

Serves 4 to 6.

Tangy and salty, some folks crave for this dish.  It is a great way to use up leftover rice.  It takes only a few minutes to make.

Karadaiyan Nombu Adai

1/4 cup of black eyed peas lightly roasted, cooked and divided into two.
2 cups rice powder lightly roasted and divided into two

To make Jaggery Adai:
1 cup jaggery (also called vellum or gud)
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup coconut bits
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Boil water add jaggery and cook until the jaggery has melted.  Add the coconut bits, and half of the cooked black eyed peas, and let the water come to a rolling boil.  Add the cardamom powder and half of the rice powder(or 1 cup) mix thoroughly, remove the rice powder lumps, cover and let it cool.
Depending on the size makes 10 to 12 adais.


To make Salt adai:
2 cups water
3 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoon urad dal
a pinch of asafoetida
2 green chili or to taste
A few curry leaves
1/4 cup coconut bits
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

To a pan on medium heat.  Add 3 tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds and urad dal.  When the mustard seeds pop add a pinch of asafoetida, saute, add the green chili and curry leaves.  Saute for a few seconds add water and coconut bits and let it come to a boil.  When the water comes to a rolling boil add salt, and the other half of the rice powder(or 1 cup).  Mix thoroughly, remove the rice powder lumps.  Cover and let it cool.  Depending on the size makes 10 to 12 adais.


To assemble the adai's:
When the dough is cool, take some dough roll them into a ball, then flatten them into a disc the size of your palm and make a hole in the center.  Arrange them in a microwave steamer and microwave for a total 6 minutes.  After first three minutes of microwaving turn them around and microwave for rest of the 3 minutes.  When a knife inserted comes out clean it is done.  The time it take to microwave depends on the power of your own microwave.  These adais can also be cooked in a pressure cooker without the weight on top, or in a steamer.


Karadaiyan Nombu is a religious occasion observed by Tamilians.  It occurs when the month of Massi before it ends, and before the beginning of the month of Pnaguni.  This occasion happen roughly at around the middle of March of the international calender.  It is observed by married women and young girls.  They pray to Goddess Gowri to give a long life to their husband's, young girls pray for a good husband.

Chakkarai - Sakkarai Pongal recipe

1/4 cup mung dal rinsed in water and drained
3/4 cup rice rinsed in water and drained
1 cup milk or as required to melt the jaggery
3/4 cup jaggery (also called vellum or gud)
4 to 6 tablespoon of clarified butter or ghee
3 tablespoon sliced coconut bits
3 tablespoon broken cashew
3 tablespoon raisin
2 cups water or as needed

Roast the mung dal on medium heat until it is light brown.  Add the rice and water cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the rice is almost cooked but not completely.  Add milk and cook till the rice is completely cooked.

Add the jaggery and continue cooking add a little exta milk if necessary to melt the jaggery.  As the jaggery heats up it starts to melt.  With the aid of the spatula break it up to speed up the jaggery melting.  When the jaggery is all melted add the clarified butter continue to cook until the rice and mung dal leaves the side of the pan and forms a mass in the center.  Turn the heat off add ground cardamom and mix.

Saute the cashew and raisin in a little clarified butter and add to the pongal.
Next, saute the sliced coconut pieces in a little clarified butter and add to the pongal.

Pongal and Sankranti is a festival celebrated in the middle of January in India.
Pongal is celebrated for four days in Tamil Nadu while Sankranti is celebrated all over India.  Pongal is celebrated for thanking The Sun God for the bounties of the harvest.  The first day of the celebration is call "Bhogi" and the second day is called "Thai" which is the 1st day of Tamil calender month "Thai".  For 2013 Thai falls on January 14.  On this day chakkarai(also spelled as sakkarai) pongal is prepared.
Chakkarai pongal is also offered as prasadam any time.  It can also be served as an easy to make dessert at other times.

See also Ven Pongal.

Green Mango Puliogare

Click on arrow to watch video:

3 cups cooked rice
1 cup chopped green mango with skin removed
2 teaspoon channa dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 red chili or to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few curry leaves

Heat oil in a pan.  Add channa dal and urad dal, when the dal turns brown add mustard seeds and red chili when the mustard seeds splutters add green chopped green mangoes with a little water and cook covered till the mango is cooked.  Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, peanuts curry leaves saute add rice mix cook for a few seconds and turn the heat off.
Green mangoes are available in plenty over the summer.  This is a good way to use it and left over rice.  
This is a tangy interesting dish, made in a jiffy.  Serve with pachadi.

Ven Pongal

1 cup of rice
1/3 cup of mung dal
2 1/2 cups of water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
3 tablespoon of clarified butter or substitute with oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
1/4 cup of cashew nuts
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
a few curry leaves optional

Wash and soak the mung dal in hot water one hour before cooking.  In a pan on medium heat add the soaked mung dal and washed rice and let it cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice and mung dal are cooked.  Add, 1 teaspoon of salt and mix.

Separately in another pan heat 3 tablespoon of clarified butter.  When the clarified butter is hot  add cumin seeds, when the cumin seed sizzles add black pepper followed by cashew nuts chopped ginger, asafoetida.  Turn the heat off and the seasoning to the cooked rice and mung dal.  Add a few optional curry leaves and mix

Lemon Rice

3 cups cooked rice
3 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoon of channa dal
1 teaspoon of urad dal
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
dry red chili according to taste
1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 cup of roasted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Few curry leaves fresh or dry optional

Heat oil in a pan add channa dal, urad dal, when it turns brown add mustard seeds, red chili when mustard seeds crackle add asafoetida, turmeric powder, roasted peanuts, curry leaves, mix add cooked rice, and heat till the rice is evenly hot, add salt mix, lemon juice and turn the heat off.  

Tangy and salty, some folks crave for this dish.  It is a great way to use up leftover rice.  It takes only a few minutes to make.

Pulao with Sprouted Mung beans

1 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup sprouted mung beans (ready made sprouted mung are available in most grocers)
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
4 small bay leaves
8 whole cloves
one 2" stick of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon size whole nutmeg
3 tablespoon of clarified butter or oil
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
3 tablespoon of chopped almonds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
2 cups of water

Heat a pan with 2 cups of water.  When the water comes to a boil add bay leaves, whole cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and turn the heat off.  When the water cools strain it discard the spices and keep the water.

In another pan heat the clarified butter, when hot add cumin seeds, when the cumin sizzles add chopped almonds saute for a few seconds add rice saute for a couple of minutes.  The rice needs to be well sauteed.  Add turmeric, powder, garam masala saute, add mixed vegetables and sprouted mung add water add salt and the strained spice water.  Let the rice cook until it is done, takes about 8 to 10 minutes.  Serves 4.

This dish is a meal in itself.  The sprouted mung beans give this dish a crunch.  Serve with yogurt or raita.