Lemon Rice

Hey this one is one of my favorite variety rice.. this reminds me of my school days when I used to take Lemon Rice to school in Lunch Box and it is finished by my friends in no time.. whether hot or cold.. this is always a tummy filler...

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Lemon - Juice extracted from 1 lemon
Salt
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Cashews - 4 to 5 ( broken into pieces)
Asafoetida - a generous pinch  
Green Chillies - 2 (cut into slits)
Red Dried Chillies -  2
Ground nuts - 10 to 12  
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig Coriander Leaves for garnish 
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp  
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal, green & red chillies, cashews and ground nuts.
2. Once the dals, ground nuts & cashews turn brown, add curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
3. Pour this tempering over warm cooked rice (in a wide bowl).
4. Add salt and lemon juice & mix till the rice is thoroughly mixed.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot with chips.

Tips:

• You may used preserved lemon juice as well. But the lemon rice tastes best with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Try using Basmati Rice, it will taste even better.
  

 

Coconut Rice

I made Coconut Rice for the Variety Rice plate.. This rice itself is a complete meal. It is a dish with no onions & garlic so it can be made on pooja days as well..

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice - 1.5 cup
Fresh Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Cashews - 4 to 5  ( broken into pieces)
Asafoetida - a generous pinch
Green Chillies - 2 (cut into slits)
Red Dried Chillies -  2
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves for garnish
Appalam/Urad Papad - 2 (broken) (optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add Channa Dal, Urad Dal, green & red chillies, cashews and appalam.
2. Once the appalams are fried,  dals & cashews turn light brown, add curry leaves & asafoetida.
3. Add grated coconut and saute for 1 to 2 mins
4. Add cooked rice & salt & mix for another 2 to 3 mins till the rice is thoroughly mixed.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot.

Sweet Modak (Kozhukattai)

Hi... Sorry for posting this after two weeks of Ganesh Chaturthi... But I was so held up that I could not post it at that time. I made these & came out to be very tasty on Ganesh Chaturthi. This is especially for those who do not know how to make modaks. It is very simple recipe taught by my Chachi (Chitti) Radha.. who is one of my inspirations to cook..

This can also be made during Navarathri especially on Saraswathi Poojai which falls on the 9th day of the Navarathri Festival.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing:

Grated Fresh Coconut - 1 cup
Grated Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Cardamom Powder - a generous pinch

For Dough:

Rice Flour - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Oil - as needed

Method:

1. For preparing the stuffing, heat a heavy bottom pan, add Coconut & jaggery
2. Keep stirring till the jaggery melts & combines well with coconut. Saute till both are mixed well & forms a lump. Add Cardamom powder & remove from heat to let it cool. Make 10 to 15 small balls from it.
3. For preparing dough, boil water in a pan rigorously, take a tbsp. of rice flour & mix with 2 tbsp. of boiling water separately in a bowl.
4. Add this mix to boiling water to prevent lumps when you add entire portion of rice flour (This tip was given by my Chachi!!)
5. Add the entire portion of rice flour gradually while stirring it continuously.
6. Stir until Thick lump is formed. Let the rice flour mix cool
7. Dab some oil on your palms & knead the rice dough
8. Make 10 to 15 small balls, make small cups out of those balls & stuff the prepared coconut stuffing, thereby, making modaks.
9. Steam those modaks for 10 mins in a bamboo steamer/idly cooker

Tips:

• Step no. 4 is very important to avoid lumps in the rice flour dough.
• Measurement of Rice Flour to water is 2:1.