Simple vegetable rice

INGREDIENTS:
Basmati rice – 3 cups
Water – 5 cups
Coconut milk – 1 cup
Onions – 1 large, chopped
Green chillies – 6, chopped
Carrots – 1 cup, chopped
Green peas – 1 cup
Capsicum – ½ cup, chopped
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves – a little, chopped
Mint leaves - a little, chopped

METHOD:
Wash the rice and keep aside.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add onions and green chillies and sauté them. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and garam masala powder. Mix well.
Add all the vegetables and sauté for some time. Add the rice and sauté well for 5 minutes. Add water and coconut milk, followed by salt and sugar. Close the pan with a lid and cook until there is no water content.
Remove from the stove and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

Postscript:
Ensure that you change the amount of water according to the rice (quality/type) you have.

Chicken curry

Ingredients:
Chicken – 1 kg, cleaned and cut into pieces
Onions – 3 medium, sliced
Potatoes – 3 medium, cut into pieces
Tomatoes – 3 medium, chopped
Green chillies – 5/6, slit
Ginger – 1 large piece, chopped
Chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 3 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp
Water – 2 small cups
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Sugar – 1 tsp (optional)
Monosodium glutamate – ½ tsp (optional)

Method:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Sauté the ginger, green chillies and curry leaves for some time. Add the onions and sauté until transparent.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder and sauté well. Add tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add potatoes and sauté them also for 5 minutes. Now add the chicken pieces, followed by salt, sugar and monosodium glutamate, and mix well.
Pour water, mix well and close the cooker. Place the weight. Cook for two/three whistles so that the potatoes are well done. Take off the stove.
Open the cooker and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves.



Postscript:
You can add a little coconut milk when you serve the curry. It adds to the flavor and reduces the spiciness.

Morozhicha Koottan

Ingredients:
Ash gourd - 250 gms, cut into small rectangles/squares
Tomatoes - 1 medium, cut into small pieces (optional)

For grinding:
Coconut - 1 cup, grated
Green chillies - 2 medium
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Black pepper - half teaspoon
Curd/buttermilk - 1 cup

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - half teaspoon
Red chillies- 2/3, broken into pieces
Curry leaves
Oil - 1/2 tablespoons

Method:

Grind the coconut, cumin seeds, pepper, green chillies and curd. Keep aside.

Boil the ash gourd and tomato pieces in water along with the turmeric powder and chilli powder. When the pieces are done, add salt.

Add the ground paste to it and bring to a boil. Take off the stove.

In a frying pan, heat oil well and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add fenugreek, red chillies and curry leaves.

Pour the seasoning on to the gravy and mix well.

Postscript:
1) As in the case of avial, you need not add curd/buttermilk when you grind the coconut paste. You can add it after you add the paste into the gravy and then bring it to a boil.
2) Tomatoes and pepper are optional.

Okra paneer masala

Ingredients:
Okra (lady's fingers) - 250 gms, cut into 1 inch pieces
Paneer – 250 gms, cut into 1 inch long rectangles

Onions – 2 large, sliced
Tomatoes – 2 medium, cut into small pieces
Green chillies – 3/4 , slit sidewise
Ginger – 1 inch piece, cut into tiny pieces
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Pepper powder – as needed
Chilli powder - teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt
Monosodium glutamate (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Curry leaves
Oil

Method:

Marinate the okra and paneer pieces in pepper powder and salt for half an hour.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry them separately and keep aside.

Add the chillies, ginger and some curry leaves to the oil. Then add the onions and sauté well. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well.

Add the tomato pieces, followed by salt, sugar and monosodium glutamate and mix well. Add the okra and paneer pieces and stir well. Pour the coconut milk, mix well, cover with a lid and cook until there is no water content.

Take off the stove and garnish with curry leaves.

Postscript: We used paneer in this recipe because some members in our family don't like okra! :D