Ellu satham Sesame Rice

Sesame rice / Ellu Sadham is a 'variety rice'. This is a healthy rice.  This is prepared as starter rice (1 or 2 tbsp per person) when preparing some other variety rices namely, Puliyotharai, lemon rice, curd rice etc. along with vadai especially ulunthu vadai.

I have given the ingredients for small quantity. This makes one generous serving (good enough to fill a lunch box) or as 'starter variety rice'.

Mahabharata tells a lot about this sesame. Eat this once in a week or biweekly to get full body health. Sesame is a miraculous healing food. I read a lot about this sesame and found that it is pretty much helpful.

Ellu sadham and Ulunthu vadai 

Ellu Satham

Ingredients: 

Rice - 1/2 cup 

Garnish:

Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard - 1 tsp

Urid dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - few

Sesame powder:

Red chili - 2

Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp

Black sesame - 3 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Cook the rice as usual but grainy. I follow the stove top cooking method. After soaking the rice for 10 mins, cook it in stove with 5 cups of water. Let it boil for 10 mins (watch it often). Check if rice is cooked (not mushy). Drain water. Keep the rice aside.

Heat a wok, add 1 tbsp sesame oil. Add mustard , when it starts popping add urid dal. Then after it gets red, add curry leaf. Pour this fried items over cooked rice, but reserve the oil (see how I did in my video).

We can do the garnish later also, but after preparing the sesame powder, we may have to clean it before using it again. That's why  I do the garnish first.

Next prepare the sesame powder. Heat the same wok, with the remaining oil. If needed add 1 tsp sesame oil. Add dry red chilies and fry a few secs till it gets more crispy and flavorful. Take it out. Add the shredded coconut and fry for few minutes in low heat. Once the coconut starts turning red, add sesame seeds. We can use either black or white sesame. Toast for a few seconds to get a nice aroma (sesame may pop all over the stove. so cook covered if needed. Switch off. Put it in another vessel along with red chilies immediately. Let cool. Grind to a coarse powder without adding water. 

Add this powder to rice and mix well.

Sesame rice Ellu sadham is ready !

Serving suggestion:

Makes a starter dish if we are preparing a lot of different 'variety rices'.

Sesame is good for our bones , makes our bones strong as it contains lot of calcium in absorbable form.

It is a super food that helps our body completely, gets rid of pains, inflammation.

Paneer Tikka (baked)

Tikka is a kind of kebab prepared in  India and surrounding countries. Click to see my chicken tikka kebab video and blog.

I usually make this Paneer Tikka with Ghee rice, Saravana Bhavan kuruma and raitha.

Ingredients:

Paneer - 1 lb (450 gm)

Bell pepper - 2

Tikka Masala

Maida (AP flour ) - 3 tbsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1.5 tsp

Coriander Powder - 3 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp

Chaat masala - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 1 /2 tsp

Salt - 2 tsp

Pink Salt - 1/2 tsp

Red food color - a pinch

Vinegar 1 tbsp (or) Lemon1/2

Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp

Peanut oil - 2 tbsp 

Thick Indian yogurt - 1/2 cup

Prepared kabab before baking

Bake @ 425 F for 15 mins

 

Baked Paneer Tikka kebab

Paneer Tikka with coconut milk rice, veg kuruma and raitha.

Method:

Blend the masalas listed under Tikka together in a mixing bowl.

Soak the bamboo skewers in water more than 1 hour.

Cut the paneer into 1.5 inch size cubes (big cubes).
Mix the paneer pieces with required masala. Add it little by little until all the pieces are coated well.

No need to marinate. But If we are preparing this for some party, then marinate the paneer overnight inside fridge (or few hrs before) to make things easier.

Cut 2 colorful bellpeppers into 2 inch size pieces (little bigger than paneer, as capsicum shrinks while cooking). 

Thread the pieces of paneer and bell pepper in the skewer with a little spacing. 

Preheat oven to 425 F (10 mins).

Brush some peanut oil  or butter allover the kebab.

Arrange on a baking tray.

Bake the kebabs in oven at 425 F for 10mins one side. Then flip , apply oil / butter using a basting brush and bake for 5 mins.

The time varies as per oven, so check in between. 

(Instead the pieces can be grilled , shallow fried or deep fried also).
Take out and enjoy !

(Brush some oil or butter over the kebab to keep it shiny and moist. Also keep it wrapped inside an aluminum foil or inside an air tight container till served. Reheating in the oven is ok, but this paneer kebab tastes good immediately after baking.  Chicken kebabs and paneer kebabs can be warmed in oven for few mins only).

Paneer tikka is ready!

Serving suggestion:

We can serve them simply as a starter along with white sauce or as snack or side dish or stuffing inside chapati rolls.