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Ven pongal (khara pongal)

Today being Sunday, we ate heavy breakfast. By afternoon, we wanted to eat something light and easy on stomach. I made ven pongal or khara pongal for lunch. Usually ven pongal is made for breakfast but it was our lunch today. Ven pongal is a type of moong dal khichdi except that the seasoning is different.

Recipe of ven pongal/ khara pongal

1 cup rice

1/2 cup dhuli moong dal (split, skinless green gram)

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1 tsp ginger paste

6-7 black peppercorns (kali mirch) - crushed coarsely

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3 1/2 cups of water

Lightly fried or toasted cashew nuts for garnish

1. Wash and soak rice and moong dal together for 10 minutes. Drain.

2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add ginger paste and crushed peppercorns. Fry for 1 minute.

3. Add rice and dal and stir fry for 1 minute.

4. Add water and salt. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.

5. Garnish ven pongal with fried cashew nuts and serve hot.

jeera rice

Microwave is very good for cooking rice. Earlier I blogged about cooking plain rice in microwave. I also have one blog post about jeera rice in cooker. You can check them out and compare which one is suitable for you.

As far as jeera rice is concerned, it’s very flavorful and tasty.

Recipe of microwave jeera rice/ cumin rice

1 1/2 cup basmati rice

2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

1. Wash rice and soak in water for 1/2 an hour. Drain.

2. Take a big microwave safe bowl. Put ghee in it and add jeera. Cook uncovered, on High for 30 seconds.

3. Add rice, salt and 3 cups of water. Mix well. Cover with a micro safe lid or a cling film through which some holes have been pierced.

4. Cook for 13 minutes on High.

5. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Serve jeera rice hot with some curry or vegetable.

Plain rice

One of the advantages of cooking rice in microwave is that rice turns out ‘khila khila’ that is, grains are separate. You can serve rice in the same container in which it was cooked, that is, if you are using micro safe glassware. You can also reheat in the same container.

Recipe of cooking plain rice in microwave

1 cup good quality rice

2 cups water

1. Wash and soak rice for about 1/2 an hour. Drain.

2. Place rice along with 2 cups water in a micro safe bowl with a lid. Cook covered in the microwave oven for 16 minutes on Power 60.

3. Turn off the microwave but let the rice stand in it for 5-10 minutes. In the meanwhile do not open the lid. Your rice is ready to be eaten with any vegetable or curry.

Tomato Rice

Tomato rice is a delicious South Indian variety of rice. It is well loved by rice eaters. Tomato rice is a quick meal which comes as a saviour when you are short of time. Enjoy it with raita and papads.

Recipe of tomato rice

1 cup basmati rice

1 onion- chopped

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

3 tomatoes- pureed

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Few curry leaves

1 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)

2 cups of water

1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Drain. Place rice in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and cook to 1 whistle. Let the rice cool down by spreading it in a big plate or tray.

2. Heat ghee in a kadhai/ wok. Add mustard seeds and when they pop, add chana dal. Cook on a low heat till dal turns light brown.

3. Add onion and curry leaves. Sauté till onion becomes light brown. Take care not to burn the dal.

4. Add tomato puree. Add salt, turmeric and red chilli powders.

5. Cook on low heat till tomato turns dry and ghee begins to separate.

6. Gently mix tomato to rice stirring carefully because we don’t want the rice to break. Mix till well mixed. Serve hot tomato rice with raita.

Meethe chawal

I have come across many recipes of meethe chawal but this is by far the simplest one (my mom’s recipe). This recipe is so simple that even a beginner can try his or her hands at it. I simply love it and make it in a jiffy whenever craving sets in.

Recipe of meethe chawal/ sweet rice

1 cup basmati rice (chawal)

1/2 cup sugar (vary according to taste)

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

2 cups of water

1/4 tsp elaichi (green cardamom) powder

1 1/2 tbsp chopped nuts like cashew nuts, raisins

Few strands of saffron or 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Drain.

2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and roast cashews and raisins. Drain and keep aside.

3. If you don’t have saffron to give yellow color to the chawal, roast turmeric powder in ghee for 2 seconds.

4. Add rice, sugar, 2 cups of water, cardamom powder and saffron (if you are using it) to the pressure cooker. Let 1 whistle come. Turn off the heat. Take out on a serving platter and garnish with toasted nuts. Serve meethe chawal warm.

Chana dal pulao is a hearty pulao which needs a little planning but well worth it. Every spoon full is a delight. Tastes best when served hot on cold wintry days like the days ahead.

Recipe of chana dal pulao

1 cup long grain basmati rice

1/2 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

4 laung (cloves)

1 piece of dalchini (cinnamon)

2 moti elaichi (brown cardamom)

2 tej patta (bay leaves)

Salt to taste

3 cups of water

1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)

1. Wash and soak chane ki dal for 2 hours, drain. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes, drain.

2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, brown cardamom and bay leaves. Fry till they splutter and change color.

3. Add chana dal and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add water and salt. Close the lid of the cooker and pressure cook to 2 whistles. Let the pressure drop down naturally before opening the lid of the cooker.

4. Add rice and pressure cook to 1 whistle. Let the pressure drop down. Open the lid and take out on a serving platter. Serve hot chana dal pulao with curds and salad.

Matar pulao

Matar pulao or pea pulao is a true quick fix meal. This is a real comfort food, very easy to make and tastes fabulous. Although I myself use frozen matar many times but the truth is it tastes much better with fresh peas.

Recipe of matar pulao

1 cup basmati rice

1/2 cup matar (peas) - fresh or frozen

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves (tej patta)

4 cloves (laung)

2 black cardamoms (moti elaichi)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Soak rice for 20 minutes. Drain.

2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves and black cardamom. When they splutter, add peas and stir- fry for 1 minute.

3. Add rice and stir- fry for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of water and salt. Close the lid of the cooker and cook to 1 whistle. Let the lid be closed for 10 minutes before opening it. Serve hot matar pulav with cucumber raita.

Jeera rice

Jeera or cumin seeds are not only flavorful but also have many medicinal properties. If you are entertaining a few guests and don’t want to serve plain boiled rice, then jeera rice or jeera chawal is an ideal choice. There is not much fuss and it can be prepared at a short notice. You can also cook jeera rice in a pan or microwave oven.

Recipe of jeera rice (pulao)

1 cup basmati rice

2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder

2 cups water

1 onion- sliced

Salt to taste

1 tbsp oil or ghee (clarified butter)

Fresh coriander leaves

1. Wash rice and soak for 20 minutes.

2. Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add onion. Fry till light brown. Add cumin powder.

3. Add rice with 2 cups of water and salt. Pressure cook to 1 whistle.

4. Take out on a serving platter and fluff with the help of 2 forks. Garnish jeera rice with fresh coriander leaves.

Lemon rice

Lemon rice is a South Indian favorite where it is known as ‘Chitrannam’. It’s quite delicious and if you love the tangy flavor, then this lime ‘n’ lemoni dish is for you. You can also use left over rice for this dish. It can be prepared very quickly and easily.

Recipe of lemon rice

3 cups boiled rice

3/4 tsp mustard seeds (kali sarson)

1 tbsp chana dal (Bengal gram)

1 tbsp urad dal (split black gram skinless)

2-3 dry whole red chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp lemon juice

7-8 curry leaves

1 onion- sliced and separated

1 tbsp oil

1. Gently mix boiled rice with salt and lemon juice. Take care that rice grains do not break.

2. Heat oil in a wok or a kadhai and add mustard seeds and dry red chillies. When mustard seeds begin to pop, add chana dal. Roast for 1/2 a minute.

3. Add urad dal and curry leaves. Roast till dals get light brown. Add onion and sauté till light brown. Add turmeric powder. Add rice; give it a gentle mix and lower heat.

4. Cook covered on a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat. Let it stand for 2-3 minutes more. Uncover and take out on a serving platter.

Mangodi pulao

Mangodi pulao or mangodi wale chawal is a real comforting food for me. Earlier I blogged about aloo mangodi sabzi as I am a big fan of mangodi. In the recipe below, I have used small granular mangodi. If it’s not available, you can break bigger mangodis into small pieces by wrapping them in a cloth and crushing between kitchen platform and rolling pin (belan). If that doesn’t appeal to you, even bigger mangodis can be used but you have to cook them for 4-5 whistles.

Recipe of mangodi ka pulao

1 cup basmati rice

1/2 cup small granular mangodi (moong dal wadis)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp salt or to taste

3 1/2 cups water

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf (tej patta)

4 cloves (laung)

2 black cardamoms (moti elaichi)

3 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Drain. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan and fry mangodis till reddish brown. Take out.

2. Heat rest of the ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves and black cardamoms. When they change color, add mangodi, salt, turmeric and water. Let 2 whistles come, and then turn off heat.