Cabbage rice

This is one rice variety I prepared this week for Xavier's lunch pack and for me. This is not a traditional variety rice of Tamilnadu (like lemon rice or tamarind rice). But it is one of the best ways to make your loved ones eat that vegetable without fussing  😋
This is my version of cabbage rice and it tastes great in my view. Also we can make it more quick if we have any leftover cabbage poriyal.
I prepared horse gram chutney (kollu thogayal) along with this rice and it tastes yummy !

Cabbage rice with horsegram chutney and sweet potato chips.

Ingredients:
Cabbage (finely chopped) - 100 gms.
Onion - 1/4 cup (chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp (finely chopped)
red chili - 1
curry leaf - 1 sprig
Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
sesame oil - 2 tsp
mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
cumin seed - 1/4 tsp
green gram lentil (paasi paruppu) - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Finely chop the cabbage and keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok.
Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add green gram lentil and fry till it gets mild red.
Immediately add finely chopped onion, curry leaf, red chilly pieces , ginger and stir well till the onion gets semi cooked.
Now add the chopped cabbage , salt , 1/2 cup water and cook it tightly covered till the cabbage gets cooked well and all water is evaporated.
Then add the cumin and shredded coconut, mix well.
Turn off heat.

Cabbage fry is ready!

Cabbage rice:
Uncooked rice - 1 cup (or) little lesser.
salt - to taste.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Water - 2 cups

Preparation:
Rinse and cook the rice in stove top / pressure cooker / rice cooker,  along with everything mentioned.
Prepare the cabbage poriyal as per above recipe.
Let the rice cool a little. Add the poriyal and mix well.
If needed add some idly podi for more spice level.

Cabbage rice is ready !

Serving suggestion:
Serve as main course for lunch along with any chutney.
Good for lunch pack to go.
Stays good at rom temperature up to 5-6 hours only (as vegetables and coconut is added), so I won't suggest this as usual travel food (like lemon rice , puli rice).

Sambar Rice

Sambar satham - Rice cooked in lentil soup and sambar powder.

Tamilnadu cuisine has a lot of 'variety-rice' like lemon rice, tamarind rice, pongal, coconut rice, tomato rice and the list goes on. One among them is this sambar rice. We can't just mix sambar and rice to make this rice. The procedure involves cooking the dhal (lentil), veggies and rice together to get this flavorful rice. We can get a similar food by the name sambar soup / dhal soup in some canteens in NJ. It tastes almost like our sambar satham, but in a more soupy consistency, less spices and more butter to suit the International palettes. Here I have given the authentic Indian sambar saatham recipe. This is a one pot meal and my most favorite comfort dish. Just an appalam (pappad) or thogayal (chutney) will make this homely meal more pleasant.

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 1/2 cup
Red gram (toor dhal) - 3/4 cup
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
hing (asafoetida) - a pinch
garlic - 5 cloves
shallot / red onion - 1/2 cup
tamarind - 1 gooseberry size
salt - to taste

To grind:

shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
sambar powder - 1.5 tsp

To temper:

ghee - 2 tbsp
mustard - 1/2 tsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp
whole black pepper - 1 tbsp
fenugreek (venthayam) - 1/2 tsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
cilantro - handful

Mixed vegetables : (cut into 1 inch length pieces)
beans / avarakkai (hyacinth bean)- 10 , fresh green peas - 1/2 cup, carrot-1, tomato - 1 , brinjal - 2,cauliflower - few pieces, green chilly - 2, drumstick - 1

Method:

Rinse the dhal and add 3 times water. Soak for 30 minutes in hot water (makes it easy to cook). Pour it in a thick bottom vessel (like cooking rice). Add hing, turmeric, finely chopped garlic, onion and cook in stove top.
When the dal is almost cooked (after 15 minutes) add the washed rice, cook till dhal is completely cooked. If needed add some more water. Now add the chopped vegetables,salt, tamarind extract and cook covered till every thing gets cooked.
Grind the coconut and sambar powder with some water and add to the boiling sambar rice. Heat a separate wok and fry the items given under tempering and pour over the sambar satham. Switch off! Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Sambar satham is ready!

Serving suggestions:

Serve as main course in lunch / brunch or dinner.
Appalam (papad), vadagam (fryum), potato fry can be served as side dish with sambar saatham.

Puliyotharai

'Puli saatham' , the name itself has the power to make any one drool. There are so many variations in making a puli saatham.
In Tirunelveli (TamilNad, India) ,we call it as Puliyotharai. The main variation is the addition of garlic and its roasted ingredients .Moreover we have the habit of using pure chekku Nallennai otherwise called Virgin Sesame oil for the pulihora and dosai.
After tasting the dosas and Puliyotharai made with that virgin sesame (gingelly) oil we cannot satisfy our taste buds with the branded gingelly oil.
Still I remember the vacations amma and chithi making Puliyotharai for our temple visits. The post brings me the memories of our vacations in Tiruchendur resorts (a beach side village famous for its Lord Murugan Temple) and the long train journeys to Madras:) Mom used to pack the puliyotharai in broiled banana leaves.(Placing the banana leaf over the fire for a few seconds make it flexible to pack food). I have always wondered if the aroma of the puliyotharai comes from the banana leaf or by the gingelly oil:) But now I am sure it is by the love of the person who prepares it:)
Anyways here goes the recipe for Puliyotharai.

Other names: Puliyodharai / Tamarind rice / Puli saatham / Pulihora.


Ingredients:
Raw ponni rice (Pacharisi) / Basmati rice - 1.5 cup (300 gm)
Salt - 1 tsp (to taste)
Tamarind - a lemon size ball
Gingelly oil - 4 tbsp (2 tbsp per cup of rice)
Garlic - 10 pearls (must)
Channa dhal - 1 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Unroasted Ground nut - a handful
Cashew nut - 15
Dry red chilly - 4
Curry leaf - a sprig.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida (perungayam)- a pinch

To roast and powder afresh:
fenugreek seed (venthayam) - 1/2 tsp
mustard seed - 1 tsp
oil - 1 tsp

Cooking the rice:
Cook the rice with 1/2 tsp salt and ample water .
Drain the excess water. Spread the cooked rice in a wide plate (thambalam) and let it cool completely.

Puliyotharai powder:
Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok and fry the fenugreek seed and mustard till we get nice aroma.
Cool and powder it in a hand mortar / blender.

Puli kaachal (Tamarind masala):
Heat 1 tbsp gingelly oil in a wok. Fry the ground nut, cashew nut separately and keep aside.
Again heat the remaining oil in the same wok.
Add mustard, Channa dhal, red chillies (torn into bits),curry leaf , asafoetida and fry well till mustard pops.
Then add the peeled garlic and stir till the garlic starts turning golden.
Extract juice from tamarind using 1 cup of water and pour the juice into the wok.
Now put the Turmeric powder , salt and boil till the oil starts showing.
Then add the freshly grind powder. Turn off heat.
Puli kaachal is ready. We can store it in refrigerator for further use also.

Puliyotharai preparation:
Sprinkle the roasted nuts over the cooked rice.
Add the puli kaachal to the cooked rice little by little and mix well till it tastes good (not too sour).
Puliyotharai is ready!
Keep the remaining gravy refrigerated for further use.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as main course lunch / dinner / breakfast.
Serves 2 adults.
The best side dishes can be the crispy masal vadai and thengai thovaiyal (thick coconut chutney) or simply with potato chips.
It goes well with hard boiled eggs too.

Note:
Tamarind rice cooked in this manner can stay fresh for nearly 3 days without refrigerator. So it can be packed as a best packed food for a long journey, if we prefer home made food.
If packed for a long journey , make separate parcels for every time use. Do not mix the touched food along with fresh one. Do not keep coconut chutney for the journey as it will get spoiled soon. Care should be taken not to touch the food with hand / wet spoon while cooking , if we need a long shelf life.

Vangi Badth (Eggplant rice)

Vangi badth (Eggplant rice) is a Karnataka special. It needs a special powder called 'Vangi badth powder' and if you have it handy , then it is a very easy job.
I prepare this powder in a small batch and keep it refrigerated for further use.
It can be served as a complete meal , as we do not need any side dish or curry. It tastes great with appalam or potato chips.


Vangi badth powder: (Just enough to serve 2 people once)
Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Channa dhall - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cloves - 2
Cashews / almond - 2
Coconut - 2 tbsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp



Vangi Badth / Brinjal rice / egg plant rice / kathirikkai satham

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
Brinjal - 200 gms
onion - 1
tamarind - 1 inch
mustard - 1/2 tsp
curry leaf - 1 brig
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
ghee - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
olive oil - 1 tsp

Method :
1. Heat a wok with 1 tsp oil. Roast the ingredients given for the vangi badth powder, till the channa dhal turns red.
Grind it to a coarse powder using a mixer.

2. Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup water. Extract the juice out of it.

3. Cook the rice with little salt and 2 cups of water (twice the quantity of rice).
Spread the rice and cool it a little.

4. Heat another tsp oil in the wok. Add mustard seed and let it splutter.
Then add chopped onion , curry leaf and saute till it becomes tender. Then add the brinjal and turmeric powder , fry a little. Sprinkle the tamarind juice and cook it covered. After it gets cooked , add the vangi badth powder and check for salt.

5. Mix it with the cooked rice. If desired mix 1 tsp of ghee .Reheat and serve hot.

Vangi badth is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serves as main course meal for 2 people.
Potato chips or Appalam / pappadam can be served as side dish.

Channa Pulao

I prepared this Channa pulao for hubby's lunch box. Though it seems a lengthy process, a little preparation in advance will help us to cook fast. I guess the channa in the pulao will help to reduce the carbohydrate proportion in our lunch:) Even without coconut milk and ghee , this channa pulao will taste great. But I have narrated the complete recipe. The option is yours:)
Lets go to the recipe .

Channa pulav / kondakadalai satham / chickpea rice:




Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 3/4 cup
White Channa - 3/4 cup
Coconut milk from 3 tbsp shredded cococnut with water - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 (small)
Garlic - 3 pods
olive Oil - 2 tbsp
coriander leaves - a handful
mint leaf - a handful
Ghee - 1/2 teaspoon.
Fry and Grind:
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamoms - 1
Cloves - 3
Onion (chopped) - 1 small
Red chillies - 10 Nos.
Tomato - 1 (big)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2 pods
ginger - 1 inch

Method:
1.Soak the white Channa overnight (10 hours). Pressure cook the Channa completely up to 5 whistles . I reduce the heat after a whistle and cook it in mild flame for 12 minutes. Just hate to wake up my neighbors with my cooker whistle:)

2.soak the Basmathi rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water completely.

3.Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a wok. Add everything given to roast and grind except tomato.
After the onions become tender, add the chopped tomato. Sprinkle a little water and cook the tomatoes to tender.
Cool them completely and grind into a fine paste in a mixie/ blender.

4.Again heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok. fry the chopped onion to golden brown. Add chopped garlic, cilantro and mint leaves.
After a while put the ground masala and cook till the raw smell goes. check for salt. The salt should be perfect now. This is the 'masala for channa pulav'.

5. Take 3 tbsp of shredded coconut and extract milk from it using 1/2 cup of water.(OR) Dissolve 1 tbsp store bought coconut milk in 1/2 cup water.

6. Take a heavy bottom vessel with lid. Pour 1 cup water and bring to boil.
Add the soaked rice , little salt.

7. Then add the coconut milk, prepared channa pulav masala and let it boil.
Then reduce the flame to minimum and close it with a tight lid. cook it for 20 minutes.
(OR) Transfer everything to a pressure cooker. After a whistle switch off the flame and open after the pressure is gone.

Channa pulav is ready.

Note:
Time taken to cook the channa pulao - 1 hour.
Actually we can cook the channa and prepare this masala in advance to make our job easy. Both will stay good for 1 day if refrigerated.
I dissolved 1 tbsp coconut milk in 1/2 cup water to get the coconut milk.
Immediately after cooking , the pulao may seem to have some excess gravy .
But that gravy will be absorbed by the rice in 30 minutes to one hour completely after switching off the flame.
We need not waste the left over water from cooked channa. I used it to prepare the rice.
Sprinkle and mix the ghee before serving.

Serving suggestions:
The above said quantity will be more than enough for 2 adults.
Serve it hot with boiled egg and Carrot-onion raitha.

Cilantro rice

Kothamalli sadam / coriander rice / cilantro rice is a quick fix lunch box recipe. All that we need is just 20 minutes for the entire preparation .


Ingredients:
cilantro leaf - 2 handful
Rice - 1 cup
coriander seeds - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chilli - 3
Tamarind - 2 inch
Tomato - 1
garlic - 1 pearl
oil - 2 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urid dhal - 1 tbsp

Method:
Pick the leaves from the cilantro bunch.Clean and wash the cilantro leaves.
Heat oil in a kadai. Add the urid dhal, coriander seeds and mustard seeds.
After the mustard gets cracked, add the dry red chilli and fry for a while.
Then take the chilli alone out , keep it aside.
Now add the cilantro leaves and chopped tomato to the hot oil and fry them till the tomato becomes mushy.
Then add the cumin seeds, tamarind , salt, garlic and mix them all. Then switch off the stove.
After it gets cooled , grind it in to a fine paste in a mixer/ blender.
Check for salt.
Cook the rice with twice the measure of water and a little salt.
After the rice gets cooled , add the cilantro masala and mix well.
Cilantro rice is ready.

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot with egg omelet or raitha . I prepared cauliflower fry as a side dish.

I would like to thank Varsha of will-O'-the-wisp for passing me this cute award.

Thank you Varsha.
I am glad to pass this award to sriharivatsan , Premy's cakes,
Chitra , Swapna and Shama .
Enjoy .