Brown Chickpea And Soya Nugget Pulao

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Number of servings : 6

  

Ingredients :   

1. Basmati rice - 3 cups

2. Brown chickpeas - 1/2 cup

3. Soya nuggets : 1 cup

4. Onions - 4 (sliced)

5. Tomatoes - 4 (finely chopped)

6. Green chillies - 4 (slit)

7. Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

8. Mint leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

9. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

10. Garam masala powder(cinnamon,cardamom,clove) - 1/2 teaspoon

11. Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

12. Bay leaves - 2

13. Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

14. Oil - 1/2 cup

15. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

16. Beaten curd - 1/2 cup

17. Salt - to taste

Method :    

1. Soak brown chickpeas overnight, and pressure cook the next day morning with 3 cups of water.

2. Wash 3 cups of basmati rice just once and soak in water for about 15 minutes.

        

3. Soak soya nuggets in hot water until soft. Squeeze to remove excess water and keep aside.

4. Place a thick bottomed vessel on medium flame and add 1/2 a cup of oil.

5. When oil becomes hot, add fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onion slices and sauté till onions are golden brown

                            

 6. Add garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Keep stirring to prevent ginger garlic paste sticking to the bottom of the container.

7. In half a cup of beaten curd add 1 teaspoon of chilli powder and 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Pour the mixture into the container and mix thoroughly.

8. Add boiled chick peas and soya nuggets and mix.

9. Measure the quantity of water in which black chickpeas was cooked. Along with it, add extra water to make the quantity to 6 cups. Pour into the cooking vessel and bring it to boil.

10. Drain water from basmati rice and transfer into the container and give it a swirl. 

11. Add salt and mix well.

12. Cover with a lid and cook on high flame till water is absorbed by rice while cooking. When rice is half done, cover the vessel with a wet cotton cloth and place a lid on it. Place a heavy weight on the lid to make it air tight.            

                                 

13. Place a tawa/flat pan on the stove. Place the vessel on top of tawa and cook on low flame till pulao is fully done.

14. Serve pulao steaming hot with onion raita.

                                  

Puliodarai (Tamarind Rice)

            

Preparation time : 20 minutes

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Number of servings : 4

          

Ingredients :     

1. Raw rice - 1 cup

2. Tamarind extract (thick) - 2 tablespoon

3. Whole red chillies - 3

4. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

5. Broken urad dal - 1 teaspoon

6. Chana dal - 1 teaspoon

7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

8. Broken cashew nuts - 1 tablespoon

9. Oil for seasoning - 1 tablespoon

                                 

10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

11. Asafodita powder - 1/4 teaspoon

          

                   

For podi :   

1. Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon

2. Black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon

3. Urad dal - 1 teaspoon

4. Chana dal - 1 teaspoon

5. Coriander seeds - 1 teaspoon

6. Red chillies - 3

Method :    

1. Cook rice in a vessel with salt, and when done, drain excess water and cool.

2. Dry roast the ingredients given for podi individually, cool and grind in a mixer to a coarse powder and keep aside.

3. Heat a kadai/pan  and add oil. When oil becomes hot, add seasoning ingredients such as mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, cashew nuts and sauté. Then add tamarind extract, turmeric powder, asafodita powder and enough salt. Cook the mixture to a pulpy consistency. Remove from fire and cool.

4. Add tamarind pulp and ground podi to cooked rice and mix thoroughly. 

5. Garnish with curry leaves and serve with papads.

                                        

Thengai Sadam (Coconut Rice)

Preparation time : 15 minutes

Type of cuisine : 20 minutes

Number of serves : 4

Ingredients :

1. Raw rice ( Sona masuri / Ponni ) - 1 cup

2. Freshly grated coconut - 3/4 cup

3. Red chillies - 4 ( stalk removed  and slightly slit )

4. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

5. Broken urad dal - 1 tsp

6. Broken chana dal - 1 tsp

7. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

8. Asafodita powder - 1/4 tsp

9. Broken cashew nuts - 6 nos.

10. Oil for seasoning - 1 tbsp

11. Salt - to taste

  

Method :

1. Boil rice in a container with little salt, and when fully done, drain excess water.  Spread rice in a plate and cool.

2. Heat a kadai and add a tablespoon of oil.

3. When oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

4. Then add urad dal, chana dal, red chillies, curry leaves, cashew nuts, asafodita powder and curry leaves one after the other. 

5. When the seasoning ingredients turn slightly brown, and start giving out their aroma, add grated coconut and enough salt. Sauté till coconut starts to give out its typical flavour.

6. Transfer the contents into the plate containing rice. Mix thoroughly with rice and transfer into a serving dish.

7. Serve this coconut rice with papad and any other vegetable side dish or curry.