Vegetable pulao/pilaf

This recipe is not only easy to make but is also a treat for the taste buds. It can be served on the sides or as main dish with yogurt and/or pickle. A number of variants are present in every household in India.

Serves 2

Ingredients
1. Rice (Basmati)- 1 cup
2. Carrots- 1/2 cup chopped
3. Beans - chopped about 1 tbsp
4. Peas- 1/2 cup
5. Potatoes- 1 medium, chopped into small cubes
6. Clove-1 crushed
7. Black cardamom- 1 ,crushed
8. Green cardamom- 2-3. crushed
9. Cinnamon- 1/4 tsp
10. Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder- 2 tsp
12. Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp or to taste
13. Salt- 1/3 tsp or as per taste
14. Ghee- 1 & 1/2 tbsp
15. A dash of lime

( You can use any number of vegetables. I usually use what ever I have left with in the fridge in small amounts. Avoid pungent vegetables like onions, broccoli or cauliflower here, as they have a strong taste of their own. Savor the flavor of fragrant spices.)

Cooking equipments you will need:
• Pressure cooker
• Chopping board
• Knife
• Ladle/ long steel spoon

Method
1. Wash and drain the rice thoroughly. Then steep the rice in water for 10-15 min.
2. Wash and prepare the vegetables on the chopping board.
3. Take the pressure cooker. Heat ghee in it.
4. Add clove, green & black cardamom and cinnamon.
5. When they start to sizzle add cumin seeds. These will probably splatter immediately too.
6. Now add red chilli powder and add vegetables right after it.
7. Add coriander powder and toss the vegetables in the spice mixture.
8. Cook at high flame for 2-3 min.
9. Now add the rice and water(about 2 cups).
10. Close the lid and keep it on high flame till one whistle.
11. Switch off the gas and let the cooker cool down.
12. Serve hot.

The rice should not be mushy, avoid keep on the flame for a longer period as it will lead to overcooking of the rice.

Happy eating!

Choco strawberry cake- B'day special

Yesterday was my birthday. It was the first birthday after my marriage. So to make it special I decided to bake a homemade cake (hey! that rhymes). Thanks to Anushruti of divinetaste, my eggless cakes come out very nicely. This recipe is adapted from her recipe.

Ingredients
1. 160 gm strawberries
2. 2 cups maida/ white flour/all purpose flour
3. 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
4. 1 Tbsp coco powder (i used Cadbury's)
5. 1tsp cinnamon powder
6. 2 tsp baking powder
7. 1 tsp baking soda
8. 1/2 cup olive oil
9. 1/2 cup yogurt
10. 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
11. 1 cup milk

Method
1. Sift the white flour, baking powder, baking soda and coco powder together
2. In another deep bowl mix brown sugar, yogurt, oil and milk.
3. Pour half of dry ingredients in the wet ingredients and blend with a hand blender, Combine the rest of the half and again blend it. Alternatively keep sprinkling dry ingredients and mixing it with a long spoon.
4. Now stir in the vanilla extract, the chopped strawberries & the cinnamon powder.
5. Pre heat the oven at 150 degrees centigrade.
6. Pour the cake mix in previously prepared(greased and floured) pan.
7. Keep the pan in the oven and keep for about 50 min. or till a skewer comes out clean.

I also used her chocolate butter frosting recipe to decorate the cake.

Ingredients
1. 1/3 cup cocoa powder
2. 1/3 cup butter, softened
3. 2 cups icing sugar
4. 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
5. 1 to 2 tbsp hot water


Method
With the help of a hand mixer or a wire whisk, mix the cocoa and butter. Stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla and hot water. Beat until you get a smooth frosting which can be spread easily.

My frosting was a bit runny, I might have accidently put more water. I used up only half of the running chocolatey liquid. So, if you dont want to store anything, I suggest halving all the measures for the frosting.

Just to give a more berry-like touch, I decided to put in raspberry jam.
When the cake was cooled then I cut it into half and smeared the jam inside. After placing the top portion and pouring the frosting, the rough edges got covered. Not to mention that it tasted totally delicious!!

Tasty tip- Chill the cake after frosting and enjoy after a few hours.

Leek & broccoli soup

I was on the soup making spree. Most of my soups were already known recipes..you see that I do a lot of blog reading. This was one of the my own experimental soups which turned out to be decently edible..:P

Ingredients
1. Leek- chopped 2 katori
2. Spring onions- chopped, 3/4 cup
3. Garlic cloves- 2 big, chopped
4. Olive oil - 1 tbsp
5. Parmesan cheese- grated, 1 tbsp
6. Potatoes- 1 katori
7. Broccoli - 6 big florets, separated and cut into small pieces
8. Salt to taste
9. Black pepper- 1 tsp
10. Cream - 50 gm
11. Water or vegetable stock


Method
1. Heat oil in a tick bottomed pan/wok.
2. Sauté garlic and leek in it. Add potatoes and cook for a few minutes. The flame should be medium high.
3. Add broccoli and water or vegetable stock. Add salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper
4. Cover and cook till broccoli is tender and potatoes are cooked.
5. Remove from flame. Blend it.
6. Pour the blended ingredients into a pot and keep it on the gas stove at a medium- low flame.
7. Add cream and half of the spring onions.
8. Add cheese and stir till its mixed well.
9. Cover and cook for a few minutes. Add 1/2tsp black pepper.
10. Garnish with the rest of the spring onions and serve hot or warm.

Dal daliya with vegetables

As I've mentioned before , daliya (wheat bulgur) can be made in many varieties. This one is comforting, not to mention that it is an ideal vegetarian protein combination of both cereal & lentils . Here is one of the variety which is based on my father in law's recipe.

Ingredients
(Serves 2 in a meal)
1. Split green gram dal- 1/2 katori , washed thoroughly
2. Daliya- 1 & 1/4 katori
3. Tomatoes - 1 katori chopped
4. Carrots - 1 cup
5. Marrow- 1 small, peeled and chopped
6. Ghee- 2 tsp + 1tsp used while garnishing
7. Water for cooking (about 3 katoris/cups)
8. Salt- 1 tsp or as per taste
9. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

Method
1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Roast daliya in it, till it cooks well.
2. Add water, all the vegetables and dal in it.
3. Add all the spices and close the cooker.
4.Cook for 10 min at high flame, at least 2 whistles should come.
5. Reduce the flame to low and cook for another 5-6 min. At least one whistle should come.
6. Cook for longer if required. Switch off the gas, let the cooker cool.
7. Serve hot with curd and onions.

Peas poha

Poha or rice flakes is one of the favorite breakfast options in northern India. It is usually made in a very simple manner and is called "kanda (onion) poha". I love to create varieties and give a twist to the original.

Ingredients (serves 2)
1. Peas- 1 cup (I've used the frozen ones)
2. Onions- 1 medium sized, sliced
3. Potato - 1 small, chopped
4. Green chilies- 1 chopped
5. Rice flakes/poha- 1 & 1/2 cup
6. Groundnuts- 1 tsp
7. Tomato- 1 chopped
8. Lime juice of 1/2 lemon for one serving (optional)
9. Salt to taste
10. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp approximately
11. Red chilli powder- 1/4 tsp
12. Mustard seeds (rai)- 1/4 tsp
13. Oil- 1 tblsp

Method
1. Wash poha thoroughly. Then drain and keep it aside.
2. Sprinkle the salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder over the drained poha.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds to it.
4. When the seeds starts crackling, add groundnuts and fry them for a few seconds. They skin will crack when they cook.
5. Add onions and green chilly and fry for a few min. Add potatoes. Cook till they are done.
6. Add the poha and toss it in the kadhai.
7. Now add tomatoes and peas and stir till it mixes well. Cover and cook for a minute or so.
8. Add the lime juice after switching off the gas.
9. Serve hot.