Brinji

Brinji is a flavored rice popular in Chennai.  It is a cousin sister of the popular ghee rice, pulav, kuska, veg briyani and tomato rice. There are many kinds of rices in India with a garam masala flavor. The south Indian Ghee rice is prepared without tomato, while kuska is cooked with some soup (if it is non veg kuska). Brinji is something like 'vegetable briyani' minus the vegetables and coconut. As far as I know , Chennai people do not use much coconut milk or ghee in their cooking. So obviously brinji should be made with simple ingredients like a pack of store bought 'whole garam masala sachet', ginger garlic, onion, tomato etc. 

In Chennai, they usually serve this with onion raitha for breakfast cum lunch or dinner. But if served in weddings, they would serve this brinji as a tiny scoop along with a kurma and potato chips before serving the white rice for sambar. I prepare it very rarely, but we love it very much.Mostly I cook rice and sambar or some non veg curry during weekends. Nowadays my hubby dear always wants different and newer variety of foods, as we are all eating 100% home cooked meals since 2020. The following recipe is for 4.

Brinji rice with tandoori chicken and onion raitha

cook soy chunks in hot water

soak rice at room temp for 10 -15 mins

ingredients 

whole spices getting saute`ed

onion sauteed

adding ginger garlic paste

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2  1/2 cup (approx 500 gm or 1 lb)
peanut oil - 1/2 cup
Onion - 2 big (250 gm)

tomato - 2 big (300 gm)

green chili - 5

Soy chunks - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

curd - 1 cup 

cilantro , mint leaf - handful

Paste 1:
Ginger - 2 inch
garlic - 10 pearls

For tempering:

fennel - 1 tbsp

cinnamon - 2 inch , 

1 star aniseed, 

cashews - 5,

Sea weed (kalpaasi) - a small piece

a small chip of Nutmeg (jathikkai) 

1/4 of a mace (jaathi pathiri) 

raisin - 10 

bay leaf - 2 

cardamom - 4

cloves - 4.

Powders:

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

coriander powder - 2 tsp

red chili powder - 1/2 tsp 

garam masala / briyani powder - 1 tsp

Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.  I recommend doing this while we start chopping the onion.

Keep aside the stuffs given under tempering in a bowl.

Peel and grind ginger garlic together.

Slice the onion lengthwise.

Chop tomato into big cubes and chili to long slices.

chop mint, cilantro.

Bring 3 cups of water to boil. Add soy chunks and cook it. Drain water and keep it handy.

Heat oil in a wide vessel (heavy bottomed).

Add the tempering items. 

As the fennel gets mild red, add onion and saute' till it gets mild pink (not brown). 

Add the ginger garlic paste.

Saute for 15 seconds and add chopped tomato, chili, mint, cilantro and cook well till oil separates.

Add curd, saute for a minute.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala / briyani powder, cooked soya chunks and cook covered for a minute.

Add the soaked rice and stir well.

Add required salt (I add 1/2 tsp per cup of rice).

Pour water until it covers the rice and an inch of water stands above. Stir gently to mix everything well.

Bring to a high boil. Let it simmer in low flame and wait till all water is almost absorbed. Don't stir.

Close the vessel with a tight lid. Cook at low flame for 10 minutes. 

Open and check if the rice is cooked,

Brinji rice is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as main course meal (lunch or dinner) along with raitha.

This is a non spicy rice dish. So serve this with any curry of choice.

Chennai Kaara chutney

While every city in Tamilnadu is telling tales on their own special cuisines, Chennai has it all under  one roof.  Have you ever wondered what makes those Chennai restaurant idlies more delicious? Other than the usual sambar and coconut chutney we see everywhere, they would serve you a spicy red chutney, called kaara chutney. I think it might have originated from Andhra, as they make the spiciest foods in India. If you buy a parcel of idly (carry home version) , from those small idly shops, they would tie this spicy red chutney in a small pouch along with all the other side dishes. If tomatoes are in their peak season, we can see this chutney in all shops. This is one of my most favorite chutney and here goes the recipe for that spicy kaara chutney.

Ingredients:
Red onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 4 (1/4 kg)
urid dhal (black gram) - 2 tbsp
Dried Red chilli - 6 to 8
tamarind - gooseberry size
oil - 1 tbsp
for tempering:
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
urid dal - 1 tsp
curry leaves - 1 sprig
sesame oil - 2 tsp
Salt - tsp
hing - a big pinch

Method:
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.
Fry the 2 tbsp urid dhal to red color. In the same oil fry the red chillies and keep them aside.
In the same pan add chopped onion and fry to golden brown.
Add chopped tomato and cook covered with few tbsp water till done.
While the tomato is cooking add tamarind and cook it also.
Let everything cool and grind together the onion, tomato, urid dal, tamarind, salt, dry chilly.
For tempering, heat 2 tsp oil in a separate pan.
Crackle the mustard, then add urid dal. Let it get red. Then goes the curry leaves, hing.
Pour this hot over the prepared chutney and mix well.
Chennai kaara chutney is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish with Idly , dosa , along with sambar and coconut chutney for a special treat.
It would be enough to serve with 25 idly.
Makes a big batch and stays good refrigerated for a week.