Tomato Basil Rice

Tomato and basil are two flavors that go together really well. 

So, I just gave a try using the combo to make rice and it worked out well. This rice is good to pack for lunch boxes too.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

Long grain Rice : 1 1/2 cups

Butter: 2 tablespoons 

Onion: 1 medium sliced 

Tomatoes: 2 chopped 

Basil: 1 bunch or 1/2 cup chopped 

Bay leaf: 1

Shahi jeera : 1/2 teaspoon 

Fresh ground black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon 

Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

Method:

Heat butter in a pot, add bay leaf and  shahi jeera. Fry for 30 seconds, add onions and sauté till they turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes until they turn mushy. Add basil leaves and cook for 1 minute.

Add 3 cups of water, salt and bring it to a boil. Add washed and drained rice. 

Bring it to a boil again, close lid and cook for 20 minutes. 

Turn off the stove, wait for 5 minutes before opening the lid and fluffing up the rice. 

Serve hot with some raita.

Chicken Pakodi - Andhra Style

Andhra Style Chicken Pakodi is a little spicy one. It's very famous as a street food and also as an appetizer or a snack. 

Once you try these pakodi's, you will keep making these all the time as they will become your favorite soon.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Marinate Time: 30 minutes 

Cook Time: 6-7 minutes per batch 

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Chicken: 750 gms Skinless and boneless cut into bite size pieces.

Onion : 2 medium sliced

Green chilies: 5 small chopped 

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon 

Red chili powder: 2 teaspoons

Corn starch/flour: 1 tablespoon

Besan/Senagapindi: 1/2 cup

Turmeric: 1 teaspoon 

Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon 

Coriander Leaves/Cilantro: 3/4 cup chopped/small bunch

Salt to taste 

Method:

Mix all ingredients listed and marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Heat oil for Deep frying and fry the chicken 6-7 minutes per batch until they turn golden brown. 

Drain them onto a paper towel for 1 minute. 

Serve hot with some onions and lemon juice.

Capsicum Rice

Capsicum Rice is a simple dish which is apt for a weeknight dinner or for lunch boxes.

The curry powder used in the dish gives it a distinct flavor. The crunchy cashews adds more texture to the dish.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

Rice: 1 1/2 cups

Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon 

Capsicum/Green pepper: 1 large cut in half and sliced

Cashews: 1/4 cup

Red chili powder: 1/2 teaspoon 

Curry powder: 2 teaspoons 

Coconut powder: 2 teaspoons

Cilantro/coriander leaves: 1/3 cup chopped (7-8 sprigs)

Salt to taste 

For Tempering:

Urad dal: 1 teaspoon 

Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Jeera: 1/2 teaspoon 

Fennel seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Dry red chilies: 2 broken into pieces 

Method:

Cook rice with 3 cups of water and keep aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of ghee in a wok and add ingredients listed under for tempering. Fry for 2 minutes until the seeds splatter.

Add green pepper and turmeric, cook on high heat for 3 minutes until the pepper is crisp but fully cooked. 

Add cashews and fry for 1 minute. Add all the spices, mix well.

Add rice and mix well. Add cilantro mix well and turn off the stove.

Serve hot with raita.

Golden Milk/Turmeric Milk

Turmeric is an antibiotic and mixing it with milk with minimal process helps as an anti inflammatory agent and cures pains. It's just healthy for all ages to take according to my doctor because of all the health benefits it carries. 

This is a recipe that was shared by Dr.Singh who got it from his grandmother and uses it daily. Thanks a bunch to him for sharing this amazing recipe.

Give this milk to everyone in the house before going to bed for best results.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: 5-6 minutes 

Makes: 30 servings (the paste)

Ingredients:

To make Turmeric Paste:

Turmeric: 1/4 cup

Water: 1/2 cup

For milk:

Milk: 1 cup ( Any milk of your choice)

Turmeric paste: 1/2 teaspoon 

Sesame oil/ghee/almond oil: 1/2 teaspoon 

Honey: 1 teaspoon 

Method:

Add water and turmeric in a small pan, mix well and cook on simmer for 5-6 minutes. It will form into a thick paste, stir constantly.

Take the paste, cool off and it can be refrigerated for 1 month.

Heat the milk and add all ingredients listed under for milk and stir well and serve hot.

Blondies with Ice cream

Blondies are easy to make and very rich and yummy compared to the brownies as there is a lot of butter in it. 

When hot blondies served with vanilla ice cream, they are at the best. 

The blondie mix can be prepared ahead and you can just mix eggs and butter at the last minute too. It's a great gift giving idea during the holiday season to mix up the dry ingredients in a jar and write the directions to make the blondies.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Bake Time: 28-30 minutes 

Makes : 16 pieces

Recipe source: Food Network 

Ingredients:

Blondie Mix:

All purpose flour: 6 cups

Brown sugar : 1 1/4 cups 

Baking powder: 1 teaspoon 

Kosher salt: 1/2 teaspoon 

Wet Ingredients:

Vanilla Extract: 1/2 teaspoon 

Eggs : 2

Butter : 6 tablespoons ( room temperature)

Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients, vanilla extract and softened butter and mix with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Add eggs and mix just until they are mixed well. Don't over mix the batter.

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F, grease a 9 inch pan or 13x9 pan and pour the batter, no need to spread, place it in the oven and bake for 28-30 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean from the middle.

Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

Bachhali Kura Majjiga Charu/ Malabar Spinach yogurt stew

Bachhali Kura is a leafy green that is commonly found in Andhra Pradesh. I can find it in some Indian stores here in US occasionally.

These greens are a little gooey if not cooked properly so frying them and cutting off the thick stem is a must to enjoy the real taste. If you are in India, don't have to worry too much about the stems being thrown away as they are very tender there.

Coming to the recipe...

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Fresh Curd/yogurt : 2 cups 

Bachhali Kura/Malabar Spinach: 1 small bunch/ 2 cups chopped 

Green chilies: 3 chopped 

Ginger: 1" piece 

Garlic: 1 large clove 

Turmeric: 1 teaspoon 

Salt to taste 

For Tempering:

Minappappu/Urad dal: 1 teaspoon 

Aavalu/Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Jeera/Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon 

Methi seeds: 3-4

Dry red chilies: 2 broken into pieces 

Curry leaves: 1 sprig 

Method:

Chop the greens/bachhali Kura, add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain all the water and keep the greens to aside.

Take the curd, beat it a little with a spatula, add turmeric, salt and keep aside.

Take green chilies, ginger and garlic, grind into a corse paste in a blender or a mortar and pestle.

Heat oil in a pan for tempering, add all ingredients listed except curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes until the seeds splatter. Add curry leaves, boiled greens and fry for 5-7 minutes. Mix this into the curd/yogurt mixture. Make sure to crush the red chilies by hand so it mixes well and flavors are spread nicely.

Serve with rice or roti.