Egg Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice	3 cups
Egg	2 nos
Onion	1 medium
Green chilli	1 small
Garlic	2 cloves
Red chilli powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Turmeric	little
Curry leaves	6-8
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	2+1 tbsp
Cashew	5

Method:

1. Heat a kadai with 1 tbsp of oil. Beat eggs with 2 pinch of salt and add to medium hot oil. Lower the flame and scramble the eggs till cooked. Transfer it into a plate and keep aside.
2. Chop onion and green chilli into fine pieces. Crush garlic and chop into fine.
3. To the same kadai, heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add chopped onions, green chilli and garlic pieces. Fry till dark pink. Do not brown. Lower the flame and add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Fry for a second. Spread cooked rice and gently mix. Check salt. If needed, adjust with little more and again mix without breaking the rice.
4. Now add scrambled eggs and mix again till well combined. Switch off the flame. Mix once again. Egg rice is ready.

Serve hot as it is or can be packed for lunch with any spicy side dish.

Carrot Rice

Ingredients:

 

Cooked rice	3 cups
Carrot	1 small
Onion	1 small
Red chilli	1
Red chilli powder	¼ tsp
Coriander powder	¼ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Mustard	¼ tsp
Curry leaves	6 – 8
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin of the carrot and cut the carrot into small bits or can be grated using big hole. Then roughly chop. Chop onion into fine pieces. Break red chilli and discard the seeds.
2. Heat a kadai with oil to medium hot. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Then add onion pieces, red chilli and curry leaves. Fry till onion pieces turns into pink. Lower the flame and add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt. Mix and fry for a second. Now add carrot bits and coriander leaves with two tbsp of water. Mix, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Now open the lid and cook till little dry or oil appears on the sides.
3. Now spread cooked rice over this and mix gently without breaking the rice till well combined. Check salt. If needed adjust with little more. Again mix well and switch off the flame.
4. After 5 minutes, mix once again. Carrot rice is ready.

Serve hot or pack for lunch.

Suggestion: One day old cooked rice is best to use. If taken out from fridge, bring to normal temperature and then use. If preparing fresh, spread the hot cooked rice in a wide plate to completely cool down (or can be kept in fridge for half-hour to one-hour). Then use for the recipe. Rice should not be too soft. Take care not to over cook the rice.   

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice	3 cups
Tomato	1 medium
Red chilli powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Turmeric	a pinch
Salt	½ tsp
Curry leaves	6 – 8
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Cashew	6 nos
Oil	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut tomato into thin slices. Break cashew into bits.
2. Heat a kadai with oil. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add cashew bits. Fry for a second. Then add tomato slices, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt. Cook till tomatoes becomes soft and oil appears on the sides. Now add curry leaves and coriander leaves. Cook for 2-3 seconds.
3. Now spread cooked rice and gently mix. Take care not to break the rice. Once evenly mixed, switch off the flame. Check salt. If needed adjust with little more and mix again. Cover and keep aside for 20-30 minutes to allow the rice to absorb all the flavour.
4. After 20 minutes, once again mix. Simple tomato rice is ready.

Best packing for lunch and for travelling.

Suggestion: One day old cooked rice is best to use. If taken out from fridge, bring to normal temperature and then use. If preparing fresh, spread the hot cooked rice in a wide plate to completely cool down (or can be kept in fridge for half-hour to one-hour). Then use for the recipe. Rice should not be too soft. Take care not to overcook the rice.

Beetroot Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice	3 cups
Beetroot	½ from small
Onion	1 medium
Red chilli powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Mustard	1/8 tsp
Curry leaves	6 – 8
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Peel the skin and chop beetroot into fine, small bits. Chop onion into fine pieces.
2. Heat a kadai with oil to medium hot. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Add onion pieces and fry till it turns into pink. Lower the flame and add red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric. Fry for a second. Then add beetroot bits, salt, curry leaves and coriander leaves with 3-4 tbsp of water. Mix, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Open the lid and cook till dry or oil appears on the sides.
3. Now spread cooked rice over this. Mix gently until all combined well. Take care not to break the rice. Check salt. If needed adjust with little more. Mix once again and switch off the flame.
4. Leave it for 5 minutes and then mix again. Beetroot rice is ready.

Serve hot or can be packed for lunch.

Suggestion: One day old cooked rice is best to use. If taken out from fridge, bring to normal temperature and then use. If preparing fresh, spread the hot cooked rice in a wide plate to completely cool down (or can be kept in fridge for half-hour to one-hour). Then use for the recipe. Rice should not be too soft. Take care not to overcook the rice.

Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice	3 cups
Tamarind	4 one inch pieces
Red chilli	2 nos
Curry leaves	6 – 8
Cashew	6 – 8
Turmeric	a pinch
Red chilli powder	little ( 2 pinch)
Coriander powder	little ( 2 pinch)
Mustard	¼ tsp
Gram dhal	¼ tsp (optional)
Fried groundnut	1 tbsp (optional)
Sambar powder	1 tsp
Salt	1 tsp or to taste
Oil	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of water for 15 min. Squeeze and strain to take thick pulp. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, curry leaves and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
2. Break red chillies and discard the seeds. Break cashew into bits.
3. Heat a kadai with oil to medium hot. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add gram dhal (if using). Fry till light golden brown. Now add red chillies and broken cashew bits. Fry a little bit (take care not to burn the cashew).
4. Now add tamarind pulp mix. Raise the flame and allow to boil. When consistency becomes thick, lower the flame and add sambar powder. Cook till oil floats on the top. Take care not to dry the mix.
5. Now spread cooked rice and mix gently without breaking the rice. Once it completely mixed, switch off the flame. Check salt. If needed, adjust with little more and mix gently. Now sprinkle fried groundnuts if using (remove the skin and break into two).
6. Cover and keep aside for 20-30 minutes to allow the rice to absorb all the flavour. Tamarind rice is ready.

Suggestion: One day old cooked rice is best to use. If taken out from fridge, bring to normal temperature and then use. If preparing fresh, spread the hot cooked rice in a wide plate to completely cool down (or can be kept in fridge for half-hour to one-hour). Then use for the recipe. Rice should not be too soft. Take care not to overcook the rice.

Best to pack for lunch and for travelling.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice	3 cups
Lemon juice	2 tsp
Turmeric	2 pinch
Salt	1 tsp
Red chilli	2 nos
Curry leaves	6 – 8
Cashew	5
Mustard	1/8 tsp
Oil	2 tbsp

Method:

1. Break the red chillies and discard the seeds. Break cashew into bits. Keep aside.
2. Add turmeric, salt and 2 tsp of water to lemon juice. Keep aside.
3. Heat a kadai with oil to medium hot. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add red chillies, cashew bits and curry leaves. Fry for a second. Do not burn. Immediately add lemon juice mix. Cook till oil floats. Add cooked rice and gently mix without breaking the rice. Once well mixed, switch off the flame. Check salt. If needed, sprinkle some more and again mix. After 10 minutes mix once again.
4. Another method:  Add lemon juice and salt to cooked rice and mix till well combined. Heat a kadai with oil. Add mustard and allow to splutter. Lower the flame and add red chillies, cashew bits, curry leaves and turmeric. Fry for a second. Now add rice - lemon juice- salt mix. Gently mix without breaking the rice. Switch off the flame. After 10 minutes mix once again.
5. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes to allow the rice to absorb all the flavour. Lemon rice is ready.

Can be packed for lunch and for travelling. Serve with veg or non-veg side dish.

Suggestion: One day old cooked rice is best to use. If taken out from fridge, bring to normal temperature and then use. If preparing fresh, spread the hot cooked rice in a wide plate to completely cool down (or can be kept in fridge for half-hour to one-hour). Then use for the recipe. Rice should not be too soft. Take care not to over cook the rice.   

 

 

Chicken 65

Ingredients:

 

Chicken	300 gms
Turmeric	¼ tsp
Red chilli powder	¼ tsp
Red chilli-Coriander powder mix	1 tsp
(Red chilli and coriander powder mix :: 100 : 150 gms)
Pepper powder	1 tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala (readymade)	¼ tsp
Salt	1 tsp or to taste
Lemon juice	½ tsp
Ginger-garlic paste	½ tsp
Curry leaves	5 – 6 leaves (finely chopped)
Orange red food colour	2 pinch
Corn flour	3 – 4 tsp
Rice flour	1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut chicken into medium sized pieces. Wash and drain the water completely. Add all the ingredients mentioned above except rice flour (rice flour should be added before frying) in a wide bowl. Mix well and check the salt. If needed adjust with little more.
2. Now add the chicken pieces to the mixed ingredients. Coat all the pieces using little water. Pieces should be coated smooth and even. Use water according to that. Keep marinated for 1-2 hours.
3. After 2 hours, sprinkle rice flour over the marinated chicken pieces and mix again. If needed, sprinkle some more water to coat the pieces smooth and even.
4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai for deep frying to medium hot. Lower the flame and drop 4-5 marinated chicken pieces into the oil. Do not use ladle immediately. Coated masala may get separated. Leave it without disturbing until sides turns into light brown. Now gently flip to other side. Again leave it undisturbed for few seconds. Then it will be easier to fry the pieces turning to all the sides. Once the pieces fried well to light brown and crisp, remove and place over a absorbent (tissue) paper. Repeat same procedure with remaining pieces.
5. If you wish the pieces should be more crispier, again fry the fried chicken pieces till done (double frying method). Mouth watering Chicken 65 is ready.

Serve hot with raw onion rings and lemon wedges.

Can be served as side dish for Biriyani along with kurma.

Mutton / Chicken / Prawn Biryani

Ingredients:

Jeeraga samba or Basmati rice	500 gms (3 cups)
Mutton with bone	300 gms
Onions	2 medium
Sour Tomatoes	2 medium
Green chillies	3 nos
Ginger-garlic paste	½ tsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Fennel powder	½ tsp
Garam masala powder	½ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	7 tbsp
Ghee	1 tbsp
Coriander leaves (chopped)	1 cup
Mint leaves	few (optional)

Whole Garam masala ingredients:

Bay leaf	2 – 3 nos
Clove	3 nos
Cinnamon	3 half inch pieces
Anistar	3 nos
Kalpasi (black stone flower)	2 – 3 pieces
Cardamom	2 nos
Fennel seeds	¼ tsp

Ingredients for marinating:

Ginger-garlic paste	½ tsp
Turmeric powder	2 pinch
Red chilli powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Fennel powder	¼ tsp
Garam masala powder (readymade)	¼ tsp
(Or)
Biriyani masala -	¼ tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Oil	2 tbsp

Ingredients for grinding:

Red chilli (long)	6 nos
Ginger	2 inch piece
Garlic	7 – 8 cloves
Cloves	2 nos
Cinnamon	1 inch stick
Fennel seeds	¼ tsp

For Coconut milk:

Coconut	½  from ½ small coconut
(Or)
Coconut grated	½ cup

Method:

Wash and soak rice for half-hour to one hour.

Preparation of mutton:

1. Clean and wash mutton pieces well. Add all the ingredients mentioned for marinating except oil to the mutton pieces. Coat well and keep aside for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a pressure cooker with 2 tbsp of oil to medium hot. Add marinated mutton pieces and saute in high flame for 2-3 minutes. Then add 1-1/2 cup of water and mix well. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles. After that keep the flame to the lowest and continue cooking for 10 more minutes. Keep aside.

Grinding:

1. Soak the red chillies in 1/4 cup of warm water (can discard the seeds before soaking. It's optional) for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a mixie jar, place all the ingredients mentioned for grinding along with soaked red chillies. Grind it to a smooth paste using soaked chilli water. Keep aside.
3. Grind coconut into a coarse paste using required water. Pour into a strainer, squeeze and take coconut milk for 2 times (squeeze and take the first milk. Again add 1/2 cup of water to the squeezed coconut residue. Repeat the process to take the second milk. Keep aside both the milk together.

Biryani Preparation:

1. Chop onions into thin slices. Slit the green chillies into length wise (discard the seeds). Cut each tomato into 4-6 big pieces length wise.
2. Remove the cooked mutton from the stock and keep aside. Add coconut milk to the stock and measure to get 6 cups less 1/4 cup (i.e. 5 cups + 3/4 cup. Add water if needed to get the required measurement. Measure with the same cup which is used to measure the rice). Keep aside.
3. Heat a medium size cooker or heavy bottom wide vessel and pour oil and ghee (7tbsp + 1 tbsp). When oil becomes hot, add half the portion of sliced onions. Along with add all the ingredients mentioned as whole garam masalas. Saute till light golden brown.
4. Now add ground red chilli masala paste and fry till oil seperates. Now add remaining half portion of onion slices and green chillies. Fry for 2-3 seconds and then add tomato pieces, ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice. Mix well and add red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, garam masala powder (or biriyani masala) and salt. Cook till tomatoes becomes soft and dry and oil leaves the sides. (Adjust the flame whenever necessary. Take care not to burn the masalas).
5. Now add cooked mutton, mint leaves and few chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently and keep cooking for 2-3 minutes. Now add measured liquid mix (mutton stock + coconut milk + water). Check salt and add if needed (salt should be little more than normal. When we add the rice, salt will be balanced). Mix gently without breaking the mutton pieces and allow to boil.
6. Side by side place a dosa tawa in another burner and keep the flame to the lowest.
7. Now coming back to the Biriyani making: Drain the soaked rice completely using a colander and add to the boiling water and mix gently. Again allow to boil. Cover with a suitable plate and continue cooking in medium - high flame for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes reduce the flame to the lowest. Open the plate and gently turn over the rice from bottom to top. Again check the salt and if needed add little more. If you prefer little more sourness, you can add 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. Mix gently taking care not to break the rice and pieces.
8. Again cover and continue cooking in low flame for 5 more minutes (or till the rice comes to the top and little moist was left). Now open and sprinkle remaining coriander leaves and flip the rice from bottom to top without breaking the rice.
9.  Now transfer the cooker over the hot tawa with plate covered. Keep like that for 15 minutes and then switch of the flame (flame should be in the lowest). Do not open for 20 minutes.
10. After 20 minutes open the plate (do not allow the vapourised water which was formed under the plate fall into the biryani). Gently flip the rice. Tasty, yummy and flavourful biriyani is ready to serve.

Serve hot with Raita or kurma.

Chicken Biriyani:  Add the marinated chicken directly to the masala ( i.e. add in place of mutton. No need to pressure cook). Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes in low flame. Open the plate and gently mix to avoid masala sticking to the bottom. Cook till oil appears on the sides. Remaining procedure as same as above.

Country Chicken Biriyani: Country Chicken should be pressure cooked for 2 whistles and continue cooking in low flame for 5 more minutes. Remaining procedure as same as above.

Prawn Biryani: Marinate Prawns with little ginger-garlic paste, little turmeric, 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp of coriander powder and little salt. Add to the masala ( in place of mutton) and cook in high flame for 5 minutes or till water dries up and oil appears on the sides. Remaining procedure as same as above.

 

 

 

 

Shark Puttu

Ingredients:

Shark	½ kg
Onions	3 big
Garlic	1 pod (10-12 cloves)
Ginger	1 inch piece
Green chillies	7 – 8 nos
Turmeric	little
Salt	¾ tsp or to taste
Curry leaves	few
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Oil	4 – 5 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut Shark into big pieces (or buy as it is). Wash 2-3 times by changing the water. Keep aside. Boil water in a wide big bowl with little salt and turmeric powder (need to boil enough water to immerse the shark pieces). Once the water comes to a boil, add shark pieces gently. Again allow the water to boil. Immediately switch off the flame and cover with a lid for 10 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes remove the shark pieces and allow to cool. Once the pieces cooled completely, peel off the skin from the pieces gently (the skin will peel off easily). Shred the pieces into crumbles (just like crumbling the paneer). Keep aside.
3. Chop onions and green chillies into fine pieces. Chop garlic and ginger into very fine pieces.
4. Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai to medium hot. Add chopped onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger. Saute till onions turns into light pink and translucent. Lower the flame and add turmeric, salt and curry leaves. Mix well. Add shredded shark pieces and chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently and keep frying in low flame. Do not cover. In between check the salt. If needed adjust (careful while adding salt).
5. In this dish only green chillies are used. If spice level is less, separately fry 1 or 2 green chillies (cut into fine pieces) and add to the dish.
6. Fry and cook untill all the moisture evaporates and sticking to the bottom stops. Just touch and check. There should not be any more wetness. At the same time the cooked dish should remain soft (do not over fry. The dish will turn into hard and rubbery). Once done, switch off the flame and keep frying for 1-2 minutes. Shark Puttu is ready.

This is a very flavourful and tasty dish. Can serve as side dish to any spicy curry or sambar or rasam.