Recently, for the first time I tried to add coconut milk (for a tinge of sweetness) and kidney beans (for protein value) to the basic version of tomato rice. It just turned out to be a  bit of sweet, tangy, spicy, salty and flavourful rice enriched with the goodness of kidney beans. It was awesomely tasty and has become my favourite lunch box option and a party dish too in my house!

Here’s the recipe for my (new) favourite Tomato Rice.

Ingredients

Cooked kidney beans – 1 cup

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Water – 1 cup

Thick coconut milk – 1 cup

Cooking oil – 3 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Cardamom – 3

Cloves – 3

Cinnamon stick – 2 inch piece

Bay leaf – 1

Star anise – 1

Green chillies (slit) – 3 (to taste)

Ginger (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp heaped

Garlic (finely chopped) – 1 tbsp

Onion (thinly sliced) – 2 medium sized

Salt – 1 tsp (to taste)

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder – 1 tsp

Ripe tomatoes (thinly sliced) – 2 large

Green capsicum (cut into small cubes) – 1/2 medium sized (totally optional)

Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped) – handful

Yield
Serves 3 – 4

Prep time
8 to 10 hrs for soaking kidney beans
30 mins on the day

Cook time
30 mins

Method

1)   Wash and soak kidney beans for 8 to 10 hrs. After soaking drain the beans completely and add 1/4 tsp salt and fresh water, boil until the beans cook well. Once the beans are cooked well drain them and set aside. If you are using store bought canned beans, skip this cooking process. Just drain the beans in the can and use straightaway.

2)   While the beans are cooking, wash the basmati rice and then soak in water and coconut milk for 20 mins.

3)   Heat a thick bottomed kadai  or cooking pan, add oil. When it is hot enough add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and star anise. Saute for 30 s.

4)   Now reduce the heat to a minimum and add green chillies, ginger and garlic. Fry for 1 min or until garlic turns golden. Then add onions and 1/4 tsp salt and fry on medium heat until onion becomes translucent.

5)   Now add turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Saute for 30 to 40 s and add the tomatoes. Mix, cover and cook until the tomatoes are cooked and mushy.

6)   Then add the rice with the water and coconut milk mixture. Mix gently, add the remaining salt and cover the pan. Cook on high heat for the first 6 to 7 mins. Then simmer the heat completely, open the pan and add the cooked kidney beans. Mix everything very gently, cover the pan again and cook the rice for a further 7 to 8 mins or until the rice is cooked.

7)   Now add coriander leaves and capsicum and your tasty tomato rice is ready to serve. Pair it with some vegetable raitha to make it a complete meal.

Notes

1. If you are not vegan, go ahead and add a tbsp of ghee just before adding coriander leaves. This adds an extra aroma to tomato rice and also keeps the rice fluffy and not stick together. 
2. I generally don’t add mint in tomato rice, but if you are a big fan of mint, you can add a handful of fresh mint leaves along with the onions.
3. If you want to use store bought ginger garlic paste instead of fresh ginger and garlic use 1 tbsp for this recipe.
4. Be gentle when mixing basmati rice. It will break easily!
5. Check out my other interesting rice dishes like Tawa Pulao, Moringa Pulao and Chickpea Pulao.

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The recipe is quick and easy, especially if you have some leftover rice. If you plan to take this for your lunch box, cook rice the night before and refrigerate to save more time. I’ve added peanuts for crunchy texture but feel free to experiment with any other nut variety!

Ingredients

Rice (any) – 1 cup

Water – as needed to cook the rice

Salt – 1 1/4 tsp (or to taste)

Cooking Sesame Oil – 3 1/2 tbsp

Curry leaves – a few leaves

Flavour enhancer powder – 1/2 tsp (optional) (refer Puliyodharai recipe to make this)

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Chana dhal – 1 tbsp

Urad dhal – 1 tbsp

Peanuts – 1/2 cup

Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Lime/lemon zest – 1 tbsp

Lime/lemon juice – 3 to 4 tbsp

Jaggery powder/brown sugar – 1 tsp

Yield
Serves 3 – 4

Prep time
15 mins

Cook time
30 mins

Method

1)   Wash and soak rice for 15 mins. Then cook the rice until soft and fluffy, but not mushy. Transfer the cooked rice to a wide bowl or a plate to cool down a bit. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, a few curry leaves (hand torn), flavour enhancer powder and 1 tbsp sesame oil on the rice and set aside.

2)   While the rice is cooking, heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a wide pan and roast the peanuts on low flame until crunchy and set aside.

3)   In a bowl take 3/4 tsp salt, jaggery powder/brown sugar, lime/lemon zest and lime/lemon juice. Mix well and set aside.

4)   Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Simmer completely and add chana dhal and urad dhal. Roast until golden. Add asafoetida and turmeric powder to the roasted dhals and mix once.

4)   Immediately add green chillies and few curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds. Transfer this tempering to the lime juice mixture. Allow it to sit for about 5 mins.

5)   After 5 mins transfer the tempering and lime juice mixture to the cooked rice and add the fried peanuts. Add some curry leaves and gently mix (without breaking the rice) once. Gently press down the rice and cover the pan. Let it sit for 10 mins at least.The rice will absorb all the seasoning and the flavours during this time. 

6)   6)   Serve lime rice with a vegetable koottu (check out my green papaya koottu and watermelon rind koottu) or any dry vegetable spicy curry. Simple Indian papad and fryums are also great accompaniments. My all time favourite with lime rice is crunchy potato chips or spicy potato dry curry.

Notes

1. Make sure to cook your rice just enough, because Lime Rice will not taste good if the rice is mushy. Adding a small amount of oil on top of the cooked rice, while it is cooling helps to keep the grains separate.
2. You can use cashews or walnuts, instead of peanuts, if you prefer. Adding any one of these nuts gives a nice crunch to the rice and also adds protein value to your meal.
3. Adding zest increases the nutritive value and enhances the intense lime flavour.
4. Lemon/lime juice and zest left on its own (without adding sugar or salt) might become bitter after few mins. So whenever you squeeze citrus fruits for your food, squeeze directly on top of your food which is already seasoned.
5. Like Puliyodharai, this rice also is a great option for short travels, picnic or lunch box. The natural acidity from lemons, sesame oil and the flavour enhancer acts as a preservative and increase the shelf life even without refrigeration. Stays good for nearly 2 days at room temperature.

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In fact on a day when I feel like skipping a full meal, I have fruit and a glass of buttermilk mixed with this cut mango pickle. Perfect and yum!

Here’s the recipe for yet another interesting combo that is super easy to make and great to taste.

Ingredients

For Curd Rice:

Rice – 1 cup (see note 1)

Water – 2 cups

Milk – 1 1/4cups

Unsalted butter – 1 tbsp (optional)

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Fresh curd – 2 to 3 cups

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dhal – 1 tsp

Dry red chilly – 1 (cut into pieces)

Green chillies – 1 (finely chopped) (optional)

Ginger – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)

Curry leaves – a few (hand torn to pieces)

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (finely chopped) (optional)

For Cut Mango Pickle:

Raw/green mango – 2 medium sized

Salt – 1 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder – 3 tbsp

Sugar/Jaggery – 1 tbsp (if your mango is too sour)

Asafoetida – 1 tsp

Cooking sesame oil – 1/4 cup

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Flavour enhancer powder – 1/2 tsp  (refer my tamarind rice recipe to make this powder)

Yield
Serves 2

Prep time
30 mins

Cook time
15 mins

Method

1)   Wash the rice twice, add water, unsalted butter and 1 cup milk (refrigerate the remaining 1/4 cup) to it. Mix once and cook until rice is done completely to a soft and mushy consistency. Once cooked, remove from heat and allow it to cool down a bit.

2)   While the rice is cooking, wash the mangoes thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure the mango is completely dry before chopping. Now chop the mangoes finely and add salt. Mix well and set aside for 10 mins.

3)   After 10 mins add red chilly powder, sugar/jaggery and asafoetida on top of the finely chopped mangoes. Let it all be a blob on top of the mango pieces. Do not mix it.

4)   In a tempering pan heat sesame oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Remove the tempering pan and let the spluttering settle down. After about 30 secs pour this tempering on the spices.

5)   Finally add the flavour enhancer powder and mix everything thoroughly. Let it sit for 10 mins for all the flavours to soak into the mango pieces. Your instant, delicious cut mango pickle is ready.

6)   When the rice is still warm, add salt, sugar and 1/4 tsp asafoetida to it. Gently mix everything once. Add curd and the remaining refrigerated milk. Mix nicely and set aside.

7)   In a tempering pan heat ghee. When ghee is medium hot (take care not to heat ghee until it becomes smoky) add mustard seeds and let it splutter.

8)   Now add urad dhal and red chilly pieces and fry until the dhal turns golden. Then add the remaining 1/4 tsp asafoetida, just mix and add chopped ginger, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for a min and transfer this tempering to the curd rice.

9)   Add finely chopped coriander leaves to the curd rice and gently mix everything. It is now ready to serve with the pickle on the side.

Notes

1. To make authentic south Indian curd rice use any short grain, non fragrant rice like sona masoori or ponni rice. Try and avoid fragrant rice varieties like basmati or jasmine rice. These fragrant rice varieties have a distinct fragrance which will not go well with the typical taste of curd rice. In case you don’t have non fragrant rice varieties, you can make curd rice with millets too. Millet curd rice is equally tasty and much more nutritious.
2. I’ve used ponni rice to make curd rice. This variety takes 3 times water for each cup of rice to get cooked perfectly. However I’ve taken 2 parts water, 1 part milk (instead of all 3 parts water) and a tbsp of butter to cook the rice. Addition of milk and butter with water makes curd rice rich, creamy and tasty. Adjust the amount of water according to the variety of rice or millet you are using. Remember to add some portion of milk and a tbsp of butter.
3. Choose a raw mango variety that is not extremely sour for this kind of instant pickle. If possible wash and allow the mangoes to air dry before you make the pickle. Even the slightest moisture would reduce the shelf life of any pickle. Ensure to keep the bowl in which you are making the pickle and your hands dry as well.
4. The amount of salt, oil and flavour enhancer powder is important to maximise the taste and shelf life of this pickle. So try to stick to the quantities given here as much as possible. 
5. If your mango is not sour enough then add juice of a lime/lemon to the pickle and mix. This helps to add some sourness and also acts as a preservative.
6. This pickle stays fresh for a week when refrigerated.
7. I’ve given the recipe for basic curd rice. There are many things you can add to this basic version to enhance its taste and nutritive value. Finely chopped cucumber, grated carrot, finely chopped mango, cashew nuts, pomegranate pearls,  chopped fresh grapes are some of the options.

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Neer Aagaaram improves digestion, builds immunity, provides vitamin B6 and B12, enhances availability of micronutrients such as iron, potassium and calcium many folds and reduces many stomach related problems like acidity, bloating, heaviness, to name a few. It gives a lot of energy and cooling effect to those who go out in the sun for manual labour. The nutritional benefits of fermented rice is highly disproportionate to the effort it takes to make. And what’s more, it’s absolutely delicious!

Ingredients

Cooked rice – 2 cups

Plain yoghurt – 1 cup

Water – as required

Baby onions/shallots – 10 to 12 finely chopped

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Green chilly – 1 finely chopped (optional)

Ginger – 1 inch piece finely chopped or grated (optional)

Cooking sesame oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Sprouted fenugreek seeds – 2 tbsp (optional)

Dried curry leaves powder – 1 tsp (optional) or few fresh curry leaves finely chopped

Yield
Serves 3

Prep time
Overnight soaking

Making time
10 minutes

Method

1)   Soak the cooked rice in an earthen pot (if you have one) with enough water to cover the rice. Cover and leave overnight at room temperature.

2)   Next morning the rice will be fermented. Sometimes you may even see small bubbles from the fermentation process. Slowly transfer the excess water, if any, to a different vessel and keep it aside. With clean hands mash the rice slightly so it becomes like cooked porridge. 

3)   Add salt, yoghurt, dried curry leaves powder (or fresh curry leaves), sprouted fenugreek seeds and mix once. Set aside.

(See fenugreek grape pickle recipe and banana stem mung sprouts curry recipe for tips to sprout fenugreek seeds.)

4)   In a small pan, heat the sesame oil until medium hot and add mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Then add green chillies and ginger, fry for 30 secs. Immediately add the onions and fry just for 30 secs. Transfer this tempering to the rice-yoghurt mixture. Mix well.

5)   Now add back the drained fermented water to the rice mixture. Your Neer Aagaaram is ready. If needed, add more water to dilute and bring the Neer Aagaaram to drinking consistency. Serve immediately, it cannot be stored.

Notes

1. Green chilly, ginger, sprouted fenugreek seeds and curry leaves are optional ingredients. Neer Aagaaram tastes perfectly fine even without these four ingredients. But I personally prefer to add green chilly and ginger to give that extra zing to my morning breakfast. Curry leaves and sprouted fenugreek seeds are added purely to enhance the nutritional value of this dish.
2. You can ferment red rice, brown rice, traditional rice varieties or millets too in the same method. 
3. Using clay pots to ferment rice is the best option. The natural pores in the clay increases the air circulation inside the pot which helps better fermentation, and thereby increases the production of gut friendly bacteria. It also gives a pleasant cooling effect to the Neer Aagaaram without any refrigeration. If you don’t have an earthen pot, it’s fine. Go ahead and ferment the rice in a porcelain/stainless steel or glass container. Please avoid nonstick or plastic containers when fermenting.
4. Adding plain yogurt to fermented rice increases the probiotic content of this dish. For vegan options, you can either use vegan yoghurt or just skip the yoghurt.
5. Don’t ferment the rice beyond 12 hours. It might start to spoil beyond that, depending on the weather. 

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The recipe is quick and easy, especially if you have some leftover rice. If you plan to take this for your lunch box, cook rice the night before and refrigerate to save more time. I’ve added peanuts for crunchy texture but feel free to experiment with any other nut variety!

Ingredients

Rice (any) – 1 cup

Water – as needed to cook the rice

Salt – 1 1/4 tsp (or to taste)

Cooking Sesame Oil – 3 1/2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Chana dhal – 1 tbsp

Urad dhal – 1 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green chillies (split) – 5

Curry leaves – a few leaves

Unripe green mango (de skinned and grated) – 1 medium sized

Peanuts – 1/2 cup

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Jaggery powder/brown sugar – 1 tsp (optional, add if your mango is sour)

Yield
Serves 3 – 4

Prep time
30 mins

Cook time
25 mins

Method

1)   Wash and soak rice for 15 mins. Then cook the rice until soft and fluffy, but not mushy. Transfer the cooked rice to a wide bowl or a plate to cool down a bit. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt, a few curry leaves (hand torn) and 1 tbsp sesame oil on the rice and set aside.

2)   While the rice is cooking, heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a wide pan and roast the peanuts on low flame until crunchy and set aside.

3)   In the same pan, heat the remaining oil, add mustard seeds and let it start spluttering. Add chana dhal and urad dhal and roast until golden. Now add the fenugreek seeds and fry until golden as well.

4)   Now add green chillies and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida at this stage and fry for another 10 seconds. Then add grated mango, 3/4 tsp salt, and jaggery powder (if you are using).

5)   Cover the pan and cook the mango until soft. Once the mango is soft, simmer the heat completely at this stage, add the cooked rice, fried peanuts and some curry leaves and gently mix (without breaking the rice) once. Cover the pan again, for just 2 to 3 mins. The rice will absorb all the seasoning and the flavours during this time. 

6)   After about 3 mins, open the pan and mix everything very gently. Your Mango Rice is ready now. Switch off the heat and transfer the Mango Rice to a serving dish. Garnish with grated carrots and chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy with any raitha of your choice, potato chips or pappad.

Notes

1. Make sure to cook your rice just enough, because Mango Rice will not taste good if the rice is mushy. Adding a small amount of oil on top of the cooked rice, while it is cooling helps to keep the grains separate.
2. You can use cashews or walnuts, instead of peanuts, if you prefer. Adding any one of these nuts gives a nice crunch to the Mango Rice and also adds protein value to your meal.
3. Choose a mango which is not too sour. Go for a mango variety that is both sweet and sour for a more balanced taste.
4. Whenever I cook unripe mango, be it in Mango Rice or Maangaai Paruppu (check out my recipe for a sweet, sour and spicy dish), or Mango Sambar or Mango Pickle, I use wood pressed sesame oil. Generally, mango increases the body heat and sesame oil cools down the body. To balance out both these aspects, I use sesame oil in most of my mango dishes.

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In case you don’t get moringa flowers, then you can also use only moringa leaves to make this pulao (substitute the quantity of flowers with leaves). It does take a bit of time and effort to remove the leaves from the stems, but I have a hack for this. Wrap the moringa stems with the attached leaves in some newspaper and leave it overnight. The next day, if you shake the stems, the leaves will fall off automatically. You can also store this newspaper packet in the fridge, if you want to use it after a few days.  I promise you, the effort is worth it.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups (see note 3 for an alternative)

Salt – 1 tsp (or to taste)

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 2 tbsp (optional)

Moong dhal (split yellow lentils) – 1/2 cup

Fresh Moringa flowers – 2 cups (see note 2)

Fresh Moringa leaves – 1 cup

Carrot (cubed) – 2 medium sized

Cardamom – 2 

Cloves – 2 

Cinnamon stick – 2 cm piece

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Star anise – 1

Green chilly (slit) – 3 (or to taste)

Ginger (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Onion (julienned) – 2 medium sized

Coriander leaves (chopped) – 3 tbsp

Yield
Serves 3 – 4

Prep time
30 mins

Cook time
25 mins

Method

1)   Wash and soak moong dhal in water for 15 mins. Cook the dhal until just done (al dente). Set aside. Wash and drain the moringa flowers and leaves in a colander.

2)   Simultaneously, soak 1 cup basmati rice in 2 cups of water for 30 mins.

3)   In a wide pan/kadai heat ghee and oil together. Once it is heated a bit, add cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and star anise. Fry for a minute until fragrant.

4)   Add the slit green chillies and chopped ginger. Saute for a minute. Then add onion and a pinch of salt and fry until they’re translucent. Add the moringa flowers and leaves as well and fry for 2 mins more.

5)   Now add cooked moong dhal and carrot. Add 1/2 tsp salt and mix. Cover the pan and cook for 3 to 4 mins.

6)   After about 4 mins, open the pan and add basmati rice along with the water (see note 3 for an added flavour). Add 1/2 tsp salt and lemon juice and mix well. Cover the pan again and cook on medium heat.

7)   After 7 or 8 mins reduce the heat completely, open the pan and mix the Moringa Pulao once. Cover the pan and continue cooking in very minimal heat.

8)   After another 7 or 8 mins open the pan and gently mix the rice once.

9)   Garnish your Moringa Pulao with coriander leaves. Serve with raitha/plain yoghurt and/or pappad.

Notes

1. Cook the dhal in a open pan with enough water until done. Make sure to remove from heat once dhal cooks about three fourths of the way. The rest of the cooking will happen along with the rice. This way the dhal doesn’t get over cooked and become mushy.
2. Moringa leaves and flowers can be cleaned well in advance to save time. Store it in an airtight container lined with paper towels and refrigerate. Remove the unwanted small stems attached to the leaves and flowers. This requires some patience, but considering the health benefits of this Moringa Pulao, it’s definitely worth it to spend this time. If you are making this pulao only with moringa leaves, then take 3 cups of cleaned moringa leaves for 1 cup of basmati rice.
3. For an added flavour, you can use 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water to cook this pulao, instead of using only water. The richness  and mild sweetness of coconut milk helps to reduce the (very mild) bitterness of moringa leaves and flowers.
4. Instead of a combination of oil and ghee, you can omit ghee and make it vegan. You could also use only ghee to make this pulao and it will taste richer. See how to make your own ghee here!
5. You can also add a few peppercorns along with the other whole spices to add a little kick to this dish.
6. Adding lemon juice helps the rice cook without breaking. Basmati rice cooks pretty fast but also breaks equally fast if you don’t mix the rice gently. So take care when you mix the rice.
7. I’ve just used carrots in this Moringa Pulao, but feel free to use other veggies like, fresh beans, peas, corn, cauliflower etc, according to availability or your personal preference.

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VeN Pongal is made with few simple ingredients and each ingredient has a unique role in flavour and taste. Having said that, one important ingredient which decides the ultimate taste of VeN Pongal is the aromatic ghee we use. Home made, slow cooked, ghee enhances the aroma of the pongal and takes it to a different level. So, I suggest to use fresh home made ghee (see how to make home made ghee here). Paired with chutney/sambar/gothsu or any pickle, this is an easy to make, sumptuous dish. 

Till date, I’ve never tasted better VeN Pongal than the one my mom makes. She is an expert in making VeN Pongal and I’m happy to share her recipe here. Try the VeN Pongal with our Sutta Kathrikkai Gothsu!

Ingredients

Rice – 1 cup

Moong dhal – 1/4 cup

Salt – 1 tsp (or to taste)

Ghee – 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

Crushed black pepper – 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tbsp

Grated/minced ginger – 1 1/2 tbsp

Fresh curry leaves – a few

Cashew nuts halved – 15-20 pieces

Milk – 3 tbsp

Asafoetida (hing) – 1/2 tsp

Yield
Serves 3-4

Prep time
10 mins

Cook time
30 mins

Method

1)   In a kadai/pan, on minimum heat, dry roast moong dhal for 3 to 4 mins until you get a nice aroma.

2)   Now wash the rice and dhal together twice. Add 1/2 tbsp of ghee and cook them until soft and mushy. Set aside.

3)   In the meantime, heat a kadai/pan, add 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashews until mild golden and set aside.

4)   In the same kadai/pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee. When mildly heated, add the cumin seeds and let it splutter a bit. Now add crushed pepper, ginger and curry leaves. Fry for 30 secs and add this to the cooked rice, dhal mixture. Also, add the fried cashew, salt and asafoetida to it and mix properly.

5)   In a different pan, mildly heat the remaining ghee and add this to the pongal. Also add the milk at this stage and mix one last time. 

6)   Serve VeN Pongal hot with chutney/sambar/pickle/gothsu.

Notes

1. Dry roasting moong dhal and adding a small quantitiy of ghee while cooking rice and dhal, adds more flavour and aroma to VeN Pongal.
2. Roast the cashews in minimum heat until golden and crisp and avoid high heat.
3. Don’t compromise on the quantity of ghee. Generous amount of ghee is added to get the perfect, glazed, non sticky pongal. The test my mom suggests – take a spoon of warm pongal in your mouth and it should slide down your throat easily without much effort to swallow. That is the right consistency. Infact, some call it Ghee Pongal for this reason. Since Pongal is fairly rich, it is usually consumed in smaller quantities.
4. Adding ginger and pepper helps to digest VeN Pongal easily. These also help reduce the heavy feeling some people experience after having pongal and aid digestion.
5. Adding few tbsps of milk helps to keep the pongal moist for a longer time.
6. Pongal is best enjoyed when hot. So keep all the ingredients ready and start preparing VeN Pongal just 30 mins before serving.

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Ingredients

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups

Salt – 1 tsp (or to taste)

Cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 2 tbsp (optional)

Chickpeas – 1 cup

Cardamom – 2 

Cloves – 2 

Cinnamon stick – 2 cm piece

Bay leaf – 1

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Star anise – 1

Green chilly (slit) – 3

Ginger (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp

French beans (julienned) – 1 cup

Carrot (julienned) – 1 cup

Broccoli florets (blanched) – 1/2 cup

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Onion (julienned) – 2 medium sized

Coriander leaves (chopped) – 3 tbsp

Yield
Serves 3 – 4

Prep time
30 mins
Soak chickpeas overnight

Cook time
20 mins

Method

1)   Soak raw chickpeas overnight. Cook the soaked chickpeas until soft but not mushy. (Use pressure cooker to save time)

2)   Soak 1 cup basmati rice in 2 cups of water for 15 to 20 mins.

3)   In a wide pan/kadai heat ghee and oil together. Once the oil is heated a bit, add cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and star anise. Fry for a minute until fragrant.

4)   Immediately add the slit green chillies and chopped ginger. Saute for a minute. Then add onion and a pinch of salt and fry until they’re translucent.

5)   Now add cooked chickpeas, french beans and carrot. Add 1/2 tsp salt and mix. Cover the pan and cook for 3 to 4 mins.

6)   After about 4 mins, open the pan and add basmati rice along with the water. Add 1/2 tsp salt and lemon juice and mix well. Cover the pan again and cook on medium heat.

7)   After 7 or 8 mins reduce the heat completely, open the pan and mix the chickpea pulao once. Cover the pan and continue cooking in very minimal heat.

8)   After another 7 or 8 mins open the pan and add the broccoli florets. Mix gently without breaking the rice.

9)   Garnish your chickpea pulao with coriander leaves. Serve with cucumber raitha/plain yoghurt and/or pappad.

Notes

1. You can use canned chickpeas to avoid the process of soaking and boiling, thereby reducing the prep time and effort.
2. Instead of a combination of oil and ghee, you can omit ghee and make it vegan. You could also use only ghee to make this pulao and it will taste richer. See how to make your own ghee here!
3. You can also add a few peppercorns along with the other whole spices to add more kick to this dish.
4. Adding lemon juice helps the rice cook without breaking. Generally basmati rice cooks pretty fast but also breaks equally fast if you don’t mix the rice gently. So mix the rice gently to avoid the pulao becoming mushy.
5. Broccoli is packed with nutrients and overcooking it will destroy a significant part of these essential nutrients. Blanching it, without actually cooking for a long time helps to retain the colour and nutrition. 

Beginner’s tips

1. Soaking the rice for 10 to 15 mins in water will speed up the process of cooking and also help the rice become fluffy and well cooked.
2. Cook your veggies until crunchy (al dente) on medium heat to retain their natural colour and texture. In general, vegetables are also healthier the lesser you cook them!
3. For tips on blanching broccoli, see my Cauliflower Bites recipe and follow the same method.

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In my childhood, I’ve enjoyed puliyodharai during many festival times, but never learnt the recipe that is passed on from generation to generation. After marriage, I learnt this recipe from my mother in law, who is an expert in making puliyodharai.

There is generally a misconception that it is difficult and time consuming to make puliyodharai. To break this notion, I’ve divided the recipe into four parts: Making flavor enhancer powder, making pulikachal (the tamarind based gravy), making rice and finally mixing everything to make puliyodharai. Out of the four processes involved, the first two can be made well in advance and stored in the refrigerator for many months. The day you decide to make puliyodharai, you just have to cook the rice and mix everything. It’s that simple to make. 

Ingredients

Short grain raw rice – 1 cup

Tamarind – Medium lime sized *

Salt – 1 1/4 tsp (or to taste)

Sesame oil – 4 to 5 tbsp

Jaggery powder or brown sugar – 1 tbsp 

Dry red chilly (broken into halves) – 10 (to taste)

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Chana dhal – 1 tsp

Urad dhal – 1 tsp

Peanuts – 2 tbsp

Cashewnuts – 10 (broken into pieces)

Curry leaves – a few (hand torn)

FLAVOUR ENHANCER POWDER:

Turmeric powder – 2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) – 3 tbsp

Yield
Serves 3-4

Prep time
20 mins to make rice
10 mins to make the flavor enhancer
40 mins to make  pulikachal

Cook time
20 mins

Method

1)   Heat up a heavy bottomed pan/kadai. Reduce the heat to minimum once the pan is heated reasonably. Dry roast the fenugreek seeds until golden and aromatic. (Refer our healthy rasam recipe for tips!) Set aside to cool down completely.

2)   Add 2 tsp of turmeric powder to the roasted fenugreek seeds and grind to a fine powder. This is the flavour enhancer powder and it adds lot of flavour to many dishes like puliyodharai, buttermilk neem flower rasam, vathakozhambu, pickles and many more.

3)   Soak the tamarind in 250 ml of hot water for about 20 mins (until it softens).  Squeeze the tamarind and extract the pulp. Pass it through a sieve/filter, to get rid of any impurities. Set aside. (* You could also use 2 tbsp of store bought tamarind paste instead.)

4)   Wash the rice twice, soak in 2 1/2 cups of water for half an hour. Add half tbsp of sesame oil to this soaked rice. Cook the rice until done, but not mushy.  (The grains have to cook properly but not stick together). This step is quite important for puliyodharai to taste good. 

5)   Once the rice is cooked, transfer the same to a wide bowl. Add quarter tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of sesame oil to this rice. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of the flavor enhancer powder and all the curry leaves on top of the rice. Set aside. Let it cool completely.

6)   Heat a heavy bottomed pan, add 3 tbsp of sesame oil. When slightly hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now add the chana dhal, urad dhal and the dry red chillies. Fry the dhal until golden.  Now add the peanuts and cashew nuts, roast for another 30 secs. 

7)   Immediately add the  asafoetida and 1 tsp of  turmeric powder.  Mix and add the tamarind extract. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp jaggery powder. Mix well. 

8)   Bring it to a rolling boil and continue boiling for 5 mins. Now cover the pan completely, reduce heat slightly and allow it to boil until the raw smell of the tamarind goes. (This should take approximately 12 to 15 mins). Stir in between to make sure the pulikachal doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.     

9)   The pulikachal will start to thicken now.  Simmer the heat completely, remove the lid and allow it to boil for further 7 to 8 mins.

10)   At this stage you will notice that the pulikachal has thickened and the oil we used initially, floats on top. This indicates that the pulikachal is done. Set aside to cool down. 

11)   Now add 4 tbsp of pulikachal to the rice. Mix it gently with greased hand (apply some sesame oil in your hand). It is not very convenient to mix everything evenly with a spatula because of the thick consistency of the pulikachal. Hence mixing with hand ensures even spread of flavor enhancer, oil and pulikachal with the rice. Now Puliyodharai is ready. Press and pack the puliyodharai to the bottom of the bowl, cover and set aside for half an hour. This resting time helps the rice to absorb all the flavors and is definitely recommended. Serve with any raita, avial, Indian pappad or plain yoghurt.

Notes

1. I’ve used short grain rice to prepare puliyodharai. Sona masoori or any other non fragrant rice can be used instead. Adding oil to rice while cooking helps in getting fluffy, non sticky rice. 
2. One of the main highlights in puliyodharai is the strong fragrance of sesame oil so don’t compromise on the quantity of oil used. It keeps the rice moist and also acts as a preservative.
3. Generally, puliyodharai tastes even better the next day. Allow the spices and flavours to soak overnight, if you can! It’s an ideal dish to take for picnics, travel and short trips. 
4. The above quantity of pulikachal is enough to make two cups of rice. I’ve given the quantity of pulikachal to be mixed with rice according to my preference (I like it spicy). If you wish to have a milder version of puliyodharai, then reduce the quantity  of pulikachal while mixing with rice.
5. Don’t try to hasten the process of making pulikachal by keeping the heat in high throughout. It requires some amount of slow cooking to blend and incorporate all the flavors with the tamarind extract (without the gravy drying out completely).
6. To add little more crunch to the puliyodharai, take half a tsp of sesame oil, heat a bit and add mustard seeds. Let it splutter, add 1 tsp of urad dhal to this and fry until the dhal turns golden. Add this to the puliyodharai just before serving. This is purely optional.

Beginner’s tips

1. Soaking the rice for half an hour in water will speed up the process of cooking and also help the rice become fluffy and well cooked. Also, adding a small quantity of oil in the boiling water while cooking the rice helps it to not stick together.
2. Dividing the recipe into four parts makes it super convenient to prepare this dish. You can prepare puliyodharai in just no time if pulikachal and the flavor enhancer are prepared in advance and stored.
3. When refrigerated, the flavor enhancer and pulikachal can be stored for upto 3 months.

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Sevai is nothing but steamed rice vermicelli, very healthy like the South Indian Idli and suitable for all age groups. Traditionally sevai is made at home from scratch, which is a lengthy process, but tastes awesome. To make a quicker version I’ve used the instant variety which is easily available in shops.

Generally sevai is bland on its own and needs some accompaniment or add ons to make it more tasty. There are many ways to make it into a complete meal and one such variation is this Paruppu Usili Sevai. As it has all the basic nutrients, (carbs from the rice vermicelli/sevai, protein from the dhal, vitamins and minerals from the vegetables and curry leaves, good fat from the fresh coconut) this becomes an ideal lunch box dish. Try this and I’m sure you will also thank my grandma for this awesome creation!! 

Ingredients

Rice Sevai – 1 packet (approximately 200 gms)

Water – 2 L

Salt – 2 tsp (or to taste)

Cooking oil – 4 to 5 tbsp

Fresh coconut grated – 1/2 cup

Thuvar dhal/Toor dhal – 1 cup

Dry red chillies – 4 or 5 (or to taste)

Asafoetida/hing – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dhal – 1 tbsp

Fresh curry leaves – a handful

French beans (finely chopped) – 1 cup

Carrots (finely chopped) – 1/2 cup

Yield
Serves 4

Prep time
10 mins to chop the vegetables
3 hours for soaking the dhal
5 mins to grind the dhal

Cook time
25 mins

Method

1)   Wash the dhal twice and soak it in water for 3 hours.

2)   Boil 2 liters of water in a wide pan with half tsp of salt and half tsp of oil. When the water starts to boil, add the instant rice sevai, simmer and cover the pan. 

3)   After 5 mins, open the pan, drain the sevai in a colander. Immediately wash it in running cold water and set aside to drain completely. 

4)   Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add half a tsp of oil. Add the chopped French beans and carrot. Season with salt, mix, cover until the veggies cook (till crunchy, not mushy). Set aside.

5)   After 3 hours of soaking the dhal, drain the water completely. 

6)   In a mixer/grinder take the dhal, dry red chillies, 1 tsp of salt and asafoetida. Grind to a coarse paste without adding water at all. Pulsing the mixer/grinder without continuous grinding will help to grind evenly and coarsely.

7)   Again heat the heavy bottomed pan, add 3 to 3 1/2 tbsp of oil. When mildly hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the urad dhal and fry until it turns golden. Now add the curry leaves. 

8)   Now add the coarsely ground dhal mixture. Reduce the heat to minimum. Mix this with a flat spatula so that the dhal fully mixes with the oil. Now let it fry in low heat. Make sure to mix and turn it around every 2 mins once. Slowly the mixture will cook and turn crispy, crunchy and golden on all sides. 

9)   Now add the cooked vegetables, boiled sevai and coconut. Mix well light handedly without breaking the sevai. Keep the heat to a minimum, cover the pan for 2 to 3 mins for the dhal mixture, sevai and vegetables to blend well and absorb the flavors.

10)   Enjoy paruppu usili sevai anytime of the day!  

Notes

1. I’ve used instant rice sevai in this recipe, which is easily available in most shops. The same can be substituted with other kind of millet sevai varieties too.
2. I have used thuvar dhal in this recipe, but you can alternate with a combination of moong dhal and thuvar dhal or only moong dhal or a combination of chana dhal, moong dhal and thuvar dhal. Process being the same, the end result will slightly differ in each variation.
3. Other alternatives for the vegetables are cauliflower, celery, green capsicum, cabbage, snake guard, okra, cluster beans, flat beans. A combination of two or more vegetables can also be used.
4. Even if the vegetable portion is eliminated, still the sevai tastes great. Adding vegetables helps in making it a complete meal. 

PRO TIPS:

1. The same recipe can also be made with any kind of vermicelli and it tastes equally great. If you get roasted vermicelli, then go for it, or roast the vermicelli (on low heat) with a tbsp of oil until golden. Unlike instant rice sevai, vermicelli has to be boiled in water for 5 to 7 mins, until cooked softly. Drain, run under cold water, set aside to drip and cool completely. The remaining process is the same.
2. Using virgin coconut oil instead of normal cooking oil enhances the flavor of the paruppu usili sevai.

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