Tawa Pulao

 Tawa Pulao is a popular spicy Indian street food in Mumbai. It's a quick and simple recipe made with cooked rice and vegetables and seasoned with Pav Bhaji masala.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1, medium sized
• Tomato - 2, medium sized
• Green bell pepper - 1
• Boiled potato - 2, cubed
• Green peas - 1/2 cup
• Chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Garam masala - 1 tsp
• Pav Bhaji masala - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - as required
• Coriander leaves - to garnish
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 2 tbsp

     For chilli garlic paste

• Kashmiri red chillies - 6, deseeded
• Garlic cloves - 5

Method

1. Soak the red chillies for about an hour and grind along with garlic cloves into a smooth paste. Chilli garlic paste is ready.
2. Soak the rice for about 30 minutes.
3. Par boil the rice with turmeric powder and salt, strain and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a wide pan and add finely chopped onion. Saute well until the onions become translucent.
5. Add chilli garlic paste and saute till oil separates from its sides.
6. Add chilli powder, garam masala and pav bhaji masala. Mix well.
7. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till they are mashed well.
8. Then add bell pepper, boiled potatoes, green peas and salt. Mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes.
9. Add the cooked rice and mix gently.
10. Adjust salt to taste, add lemon juice and butter, mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita and papad.

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Ven pongal|வெண் பொங்கல்

Ven pongal is a traditional South Indian breakfast that is healthy and delicious. This simple recipe is made with rice and split moong dal. It is usually served with coconut chutney and sambar. Pongal is easily digestible and is loved by people of all age groups.

Ingredients

• Raw rice - 1/2 cup
• Split moong dal/Pasiparuppu - 1/2 cup
• Water - 3 cups
• Ghee - 1tsp
• Salt - to taste

     For the seasoning

• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp, broken
• Curry leaves - few
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Whole black pepper - 1 tsp

Method

1. Dry roast the split moong dal in medium flame for 3-4 minutes.
2. Wash the rice and soak it along with roasted dal in water for 10 mins.
3. Add 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker and bring it to boil.
4. Add the soaked rice and dal, salt and 1 tsp of ghee. Pressure cook for 5 whistles in medium flame.
5. Heat oil and 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan in medium flame.
6. Then add hing, ginger, cahewnuts and curry leaves. When the nuts are roasted reduce the flame and add cumins seeds and pepper and roast for 20-30 seconds.
7. Add it to the pongal and mix well.
8. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar.

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Tamarind Rice|Puliyodharai|புளியோதரை

Tamarind Rice is a popular and delicious South Indian dish. It is a famous temple prasadam and is an ideal food to pack for travel. It is also a perfect lunch box recipe. You can prepare the tamarind paste (pulikaaichal) in advance and can store in refrigerator for more than a week.

Tamarind Rice

Ingredients

• Raw rice - 1 cup
• Tamarind - Lemon size (soak in 1 cup of warm water and extract juice)
• Roasted Peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Salt - To taste
• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp

     To roast and grind

• Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
• Red chillies - 3 (depends on your spice level)

     For the seasoning

• Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Channa dal - 1 tbsp
• Urad dal - 1 tbsp
• Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chillies - 2 (broken into half)
• Curry leaves - few
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method

1. Dry roast fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and red chillies and grind into a fine powder.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds.
3. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add channa dal, urad dal, asafoetida, red chillies and curry leaves. Fry until they turn light brown.
4. Add the tamarind extract, turmeric powder and salt and cook on a medium flame until the mixture thickens.
5. Now add the spice powder and roasted peanuts. Mix well and turn off the stove. Pulikaaichal (tamarind paste) is ready.
6. Cook rice with 2 cups of water and spread the cooked rice evenly in a wide bowl to cool. Mix it gently with 2 tbsp of sesame oil and salt.
7. Add the tamarind paste to the rice. Mix gently and serve.

Tips

- If you are preparing pulikaaichal in advance don't add peanuts while preparing the paste. Add roasted peanuts while heating up the paste if stored in fridge.

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