Capsicum Pulav/ Green Pepper Pulav

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes 

Serves : 4-5

Ingredients:

Rice: 2 cups 

Capsicum/green bell pepper: 1 large sliced

Onion : 1 large sliced

Green chilies: 5 slit 

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp 

Coconut milk: 1.5 cups 

Water: 2 cups 

Garam masala: 1 tsp 

Coriander powder: 1 tbsp 

Fennel seeds: 1 tsp 

For tempering:

Ghee : 4 tbsp 

Green cardamom/Elachi: 4

Cloves/Laung: 5

Cinnamon: 2" stick

Bay leaves: 2

Shahi jeera : 1/2 tsp 

Star Anise: 1

Mace : 2

Cashews: 2 tbsp 

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30-40 minutes.

Heat ghee in a vessel and add the ingredients listed under for tempering and sauté for 1 minute or until the cashews turn golden brown. 

Add the green chilies, fennel seeds and onion and sauté till the onions turn translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the green pepper and fry for 2 minutes. Add the garam masala, salt and coriander powder and mix well. Add coconut milk and water. 

Bring it to a boil and add drained rice. Bring it to a boil, simmer the stove and close lid. Cook until rice is done.( About 6-7 minutes). 

Let it rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid.

Serve hot with raita or any gravy.

I served mine with Chicken Pulusu.

Chicken Keema Balls Fry

Preparation Time:10 minutes 

Cook Time: 7-8 minutes per batch

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

Ground Chicken/ Chicken Keema : 1 lb (450 gms)

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp 

Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp 

Besan/ Gram flour: 1/4 cup 

Cumin coriander powder: 1 tsp 

Garam masala: 1 tsp 

Salt to taste 

To blend:

Mint/Pudina: 1/2 cup 

Coriander leaves: 1/2 cup 

Green chilies: 3

Method:

Wash and Squeeze all the liquids of the chicken. 

Blend the above listed ingredients, mix all the ingredients together very well.

Make a golf ball size balls and keep aside.

Heat oil for deep frying and fry them in batches.

Serve hot as an appetizer or with rasam rice.

Thai Chili Fried Rice

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Long grain Rice : 1.5 cups 

Onion: 1 chopped finely 

Green chili: 1 sliced

Red chili: 1 sliced 

Scallions/ Green Onions: 3 chopped (for garnish)

Eggs: 2

Black pepper: 1 tsp 

Thai red curry paste : 2 tbsp 

Soy sauce: 3 tbsp 

Salt to taste 

Oil : 3 tbsp 

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add red and green chilies. Sauté for 30 seconds, add onions and sauté till they turn translucent. Add the curry paste and fry for 1 minute. 

Beat the eggs with pepper and a little 

salt. Pour it into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add rice and toss well to coat, add salt and soy sauce and toss again. 

Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Garnish with scallions and serve hot.

Note: you can add Shrimp/prawns after adding the curry paste and cook well too.  Continue with rest of the procedure.

Tomato-Mint Rice

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

Rice : 1.5 cups

Onion : 1 sliced 

Tomato: 2 Chopped 

Potato : 1 peeled and chopped 

Carrot : 1 cut in circles 

Peas : 1/2 cup

Mint/Pudina: 1/2 cup chopped 

Green chilies: 5 slit 

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp 

Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp 

Garam masala: 1 tsp 

Salt to taste 

For tempering:

Oil : 4 tbsp 

Green cardamom: 4

Cinnamon : 2" stick 

Cloves : 5

Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp 

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30-40 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan and add the ingredients listed under for tempering and sauté for 1 minute. Add green chilies and sauté for 30 seconds, add onions and sauté till they turn translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 minute. Add mint leaves and cook for 1 minute.

Add tomatos and cook until they are mushy, add all the rest of veggies and cook for 3 minutes. Add the red chili powder, garam masala and salt, mix well. Pour 2 and 3/4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Drain the rice and add it to the water. Bring it to a boil again, simmer and put the lid on. Once the rice is done (5 minutes) turn off the stove. Don't open the lid for at least 5 minutes.

Serve hot with raita.