Spinach and Carrot Pulav

Spinach offers twice as much fiber as other greens. It is a good source of iron & loaded with vitamins and minerals, some of which are hard to find in other foods. 

Ingredients :

• Basmathi rice - 2  cups 
• Spinach - 2 cups (chopped)
• Carrot - 1 cup (grated)
• Onion - 1 (chopped)
• Bay leaf - 1
• Cinnamon - 1 inch 
• Cloves - 2
• Cardamom -  2
• Fennel seeds (sombu) - 1/4 tsp
• Green chillies - 4 
• Ginger & Garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 strands
• Mint leaves - 1 handful
• Coriander leaves - 1 handful
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - as per taste
• Ghee - 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp

Method :

1. Wash and soak the rice for 10 min and then drain the water completely. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan  and fry the rice till it does not stick to the pan in a medium flame and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil and ghee in a pan add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. Then add onions fry untill becomes golden brown color. Now add ginger & garlic paste saute until raw smell goes. Add mint and coriander leaves and mix well. 
3. Now add spinach and carrot fry for some time atleast 5 min. Add chilli powder and mix well.
4. Add 3 cups of water. Let the mixture come to boil. Now add rice and required salt. Mix everything well.
5. In this stage reduce the flame, close the pan and cook  till all the water gets absorbed. Check in between so that it doesn't get burnt.
6. Now pressure cook the rice for 3 whistles and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves.
7. Spinach & Carrot Pulav is ready to eat. Serve with raita, papad or your favourite curry.

Sambar (Hotel Style)

Ingredients : 

• Toor dal - 1/2 cup
• Red Pumpkin (poosanikai)  - 1/4 (finely chopped)
• Onion - 1 (chopped)
• Tomato - 1 (chopped)
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind - small round size 
• Asofoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 strands
• Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
• Jaggery - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - for taste
• Ghee - 2 tsp 
• Oil - 2 tsp 

For Dry Roast : 

• Red chillies - 6
• Channa dal (kadalai parupu) - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. Pressure cook the toordal and pumpkin  along with 2 cups of water and turmeric powder for about 6-7 whistles (it should be finely smashed).
2. Heat the pan add all ingredients given in 'for dry roast' section, fry without adding oil until turns brown color (until nice aroma comes out). After it cools grind it to fine powder and keep aside.
3. Heat 2 tsp of oil and 1 tsp of ghee in a pan add mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. Now add onions fry until turns light brown and add little salt. Then add tomatoes and fry for some time.
4. Now add tamarind juice, 1/4 cup water and asofoetida make to boil. In this time add few curry leaves and coriander leaves. 
5. Add dry roast powder (before adding make the powder to liquid by adding some water to avoid the formation of lumps). Then add the cooked dal (smash it nicely using whisk or any spatula) and water,  make to boil for some time. Now add the required salt for sambar.
6. Now add jaggery and mix well. At last add some curry leaves, coriander leaves and 1 tsp of ghee and switch off the flame. 
7. Hotel style sambar is now ready to serve hot. This sambar goes very well with Idly, Dosai, Pongal, Urad dal Vadai, Plain rice and other tiffin items.

Tips : 

• You can also add vegatables like carrot, beans, drumstick etc.. of  your choice.You need to add the vegatables after adding the tamarind juice and cook until all the vegetables are fully cooked, then proceed with step 5.

Semiya payasam (Vermicelli Payasam)

Serves : 2

Ingredients :

• Semiya/Vermicelli - 1/4 cup
• Milk - 3  cups or more depending on the consistency
• Sugar - 1/2 cup or more
• Cashews - 6 no
• Raisins - 6 no
• Cardamom Powder - a pinch
• Saffron - a pinch
• Ghee - 2 tsp 

Method :

1. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan fry cashews till light golden brown and keep aside. In the same pan fry the raisins for few seconds and keep aside.
2. In the same pan heat 1 tsp of ghee fry the vermicelli till it turns golden brown and keep aside.
3. In a separate pan boil the milk then add the roasted vermicelli and cook for 15 minutes in a medium flame stirring occasionally. 
4. Add sugar, cardamom powder, saffron and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Now add the roasted cashews and raisins and switch off the flame.
6. Serve hot or cold.

Tips :

• Once you turn off the flame the semiya payasam will get thicken after sometime. The payasam thickens even when refrigerated. So at the time of serving add some few tablespoons of warm milk and mix well and serve. 
• Here i  used the ordinary vermicelli so i roasted with the ghee(step 2). If you use the roasted vermicelli (available in indian stores) skip the step 2. 

                                        

Pepper Chicken

Ingredients :

• Chicken - 1/2 kg
• Onion - 2 (finely chopped)
• Tomato - 2 (finely chopped)
• Ginger & Garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
• Crushed pepper corns - 2 tbsps
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - for garnishing (finely chopped)
• Salt - for taste
• Oil - 2 tbsps

For Seasoning  : 

• Cinnamon - 2 sticks
• Cardomom - 2
• Cloves - 3
• Bay leaf - little
• Fennel seeds(sombu) - 1 tsp 
• Curry leaves - 2 strands 

 Method :

1. Marinate the chicken pieces for 30 minutes with chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste(1 tsp) and salt.
2. Heat oil in a pan add the given items 'for seasoning' one by one in the given order.
3. Add the onions and saute till the oil separates. Then add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder mix well so that it does not get burnt. 
4. Now add the tomatoes mix well and add coriander powder. Then add 1/4 cup of water, close the pan with a lid and cook for 5 min in a medium flame. Now you can see oil separates on the top .
5. Now add the marinated chicken pieces mix well with the masala. Saute till the moisture come out from the chicken. Now there wil be enough water in the chicken to get cooked. Add the required salt. Close the pan and cook for 10-12 min in a medium flame. If not cook for some more time.
6. Once the chicken pieces are cooked well, then add crushed pepper corns and mix well.
7. Then add the lemon juice after switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Chicken Briyani

Ingredients :

• Chicken - 1/2 kg 
• Basmathi Rice - 2 cups
• Big Onion - 2 (size - medium, chopped)
• Tomato - 2 (chopped)
• Coconut milk - 1 cup  + 2 cups water
• Green cillies - 3
• Mint leaves - 1 handful
• Coriander leaves - 1 handful
• Cloves - 4 
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon - 2 pieces
• Bay leaf - 2 small pieces
• Fennel seeds(sombu)  - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Oil

For Marination :

• Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Thick Curd - 1/4 cup
• Briyani masala - 1 tsp (optional)
• Salt - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Cut the chicken pieces to the required size. Wash it, drain the water completely and marinate with the items given in 'for marination'. Let it get marinated for 1 hr or overnight in fridge.  
2. Wash and soak the rice for 10 min and then drain the water completely. Heat 1 tsp of ghee in a pan  and fry the rice till it does not stick to the pan in a medium flame and keep aside.
3. Heat 2tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee in another pan add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, fennel seeds. Now add the onions, little salt fry untill becomes golden brown. Then add ginger & garlic paste, mint leaves and tomatoes cook for few minutes.
4. Then add the marinated chicken pieces mix well  in a medium flame for 2 min. Now reduce the flame and cover it with a lid, let the chicken get cook for 5 min.
5. Add 1 cup of coconut milk and 2 cups of water. Let the mixture come to boil. Now add rice and required salt. Mix everything well.
6. In this stage reduce the flame, close the pan and cook for 7 min(cook till all the water gets absorbed). Check in between so that it doesn't get burnt.
7. In another stove heat the dosa tawa in a medium flame. Open the lid after 7 min mix everything well. Now reduce the flame tobe very low. 
8. Now close the pan with the hot dosa tawa so that the top portion gets cooked by the heat of the tawa. Heat of the tawa will be there for 5 min. If you have another tawa, can be used side by side. (If you dont have another tawa dont worry, heat this tawa one more time and put it on the top).By the second time the briyani will be cooked.Garnish with coriander leaves.Now chicken briyani is ready to eat.
9. Serve chicken briyan along with  raita. 

Tips :

• You can also prepare chicken briyani without adding coconut milk. Instead of that add same amount of water.
• If you dont have the dosa tawa to put on the top, after the water gets absorbed (step 6), close the pan with lid and cook for 5 min more in low flame stirring in between, if not cook for some more time.
• Dont forget to add the mint leaves, it gives  good taste & flavour to briyani.

Gobi 65

Ingredients :

• Cauliflower - 1 (medium size)
• Onion - 1 (cut into thin slices)
• Capsicum - 1 (small, cut into thin strips)
• Chilli Powder -1 tsp
• Cornflour - 3 tbsp
• Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
• Tomato Sauce - 1 1/2 tsp
• Ajinomoto - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Oil 

Method :

1. Clean the cauliflower and cut into smal florets. Soak it in hot water for 5 minutes.
2. Drain the Cauliflower florets and add cornflour, chilli powder, salt. Mix it well with hands. If needed sprinkle little water.
3. Heat the oil in a pan, deep fry the cauliflower florets till golden brown and keep aside.
4. In another pan heat 2 tsp of oil add onions, capsicum and little salt fry for 2  to 3  min till the onions becomes transparent. Remove from the fire and keep aside in a vessel.
5. In the same pan heat 1 tsp of oil  add soya sauce, tomato sauce and ajinomoto. Immedietly add the deep fried cauliflower and saute for 2 min in a low flame. 
6. Now add the onions and capsicum, mix well and switch off the flame.
7. Gobi 65 is now ready to serve.

Pineapple Kesari

Ingredients :

• Rava or Sooji - 1 cup
• Sugar - 2 cup
• Pineapple - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
• Cashews - 12 no
• Yellow food color - 1/4 tsp
• Pineapple essence - 2 drops
• Water - 3 cups
• Ghee - 5 tbsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a pan and fry the rava till its become light brown color (careful not to burn the rava). Keep the roasted rava aside in a vessel .
2. Heat the pan with Oil and Ghee(2 tbsp). Add Cashews fry until color changes to light brown. Now add Pineapple pieces and fry for one minute. Then add the roasted rava and fry for some time .
3. In another pan boil the water (3 cups) and add the yellow food color to the boiling water.
4. Do the step 2 & step 3 side by side in a separate pan. 
5. Now add the boiling water(step 3) to the rava mixture(step 2) and mix well. Reduce the flame and cover it with the lid and cook for 5 to 8 min.
6. Next add sugar and mix well. Keep stirring for 5 min to avoid the formation of lumps (once sugar melts, whole mixture will be in semi solid state).
7. Now add 2 tbsp of ghee, 2 drops of pineapple essence and mix well for another 3 min and switch off the flame(Kesari will be in semi solid state, allow it to cool for 20 min to become solid).
8. Pineapple Kesari is ready to serve. 

Tips :

• Before adding the pineapple pieces to the kesari, add 2 tsp of sugar to the pineapple pieces and mix well. Keep that pineapple mix in the fridge for 2 hrs or overnight. (By doing this sugar can reduce the sourness of pineapple). 
• Do the step 2 & step 3 side by side in a separate pan. Because while mixing (step 5 ) both water and rava mixture should be in hot state.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients :

• Peanuts - 1 cup
• Garlic - 2 
• Red Chillies - 5
• Big Onion - 1 (chopped)
• Tamarind - 1 (small ball size)
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt 

Method :

1. Heat the oil in a pan add Garlic, Red chillies and Onion fry for some time.
2. Add Peanuts, mix well and switch off the flame.
3. After it cools, grind the mixture to a fine paste by adding tamarind and salt. 
4. Serve the peanut chutney with rice.