Cranberry Pulihora / Cranberry Rice - South Indian style

 

           Check out this Cranberry Pulihora, which is a spicy and tangy fried rice using cranberries that are naturally sour in taste. At times you can use lemon juice or tamarind pulp for more tanginess. It can be relished for breakfast, snack, a quick brunch / lunch or as a lunch box meal. 

            Very easy to prepare, it is also a perfect picnic meal that can be served with any chips, papad, fryums or pickle. It is also a quick dish if you already have some cooked rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome and comforting one pot dish. 

               Pulihora is a traditional rice dish, popular in South India, especially Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Typically, lemon juice or tamarind pulp is used to make this dish tangy and flavorful. At times, I also prepare pulihora with raw mango, coconut, tomato, curry leaves or sorrel leaves and using the same method. They come out real amazing and comforting. 

               Pulihora is often served during festivals and as prasadam in temples. It is also known as Puliyogare in Karnataka and Puliyodarai in Tamil Nadu. A great way to use up any leftover rice is to prepare this simple and yummy rice dish.

       

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed & drained
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split green gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal Gram)
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. roasted cashew nuts / peanuts
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Add the cranberries to a pan along with 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. oil. 

          Simmer on a low to medium flame till all the water has evaporated and it turns soft and mushy. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

          Then add the dry red chili, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the cooked rice, cranberry paste, salt and cashew nuts. Mix everything well and sauté for 2 minutes. 

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. 

          Serve with papad, chips or fryums for a nice comforting breakfast / meal.

Add the cranberries to a pan along with 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt & 1 tsp. oil. 

Simmer on a low to medium flame till all the water has evaporated & it turns soft & mushy. Keep aside. 

      Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

Add the dry red chili, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies  curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the cooked rice, cranberry paste, salt & cashew nuts. Mix everything well & sauté for 2 minutes. 

     When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with papad, chips or fryums for a nice comforting breakfast / meal.

Thekua (Indian Cookies - Bihari style)

 

          This is a traditional and a very popular Bihari style deep fried snack that is typically prepared during Chhat Puja. They are offered to God and served as prasad. It is prepared with wheat flour along with few other ingredients and then deep fried to perfection. They turn out crisp and crunchy from outside and soft inside. These cookies are also relished as a tea time snack. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these regional festive sweets.

          

           Cardamom powder, semolina, fennel seeds, dry coconut flakes, ghee and jaggery syrup goes into making these yummy biscuits. 

          However, I also added a little bit of pistachio and almond powder, which is purely optional. As dried coconut was unavailable, I substituted it with dry roasted coconut. 

          Special Thekua molds are used to prepare them. But you can create any design of your choice with the help of a toothpick or fork. Traditionally they are deep fried in ghee to a golden brown color during the festival. 

          They can be stored for almost a week if stored in an air tight container. Hence, it can be enjoyed as and when desired. 

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. semolina
• 2 tbsp. dry roasted coconut
• 2 tbsp. powdered pistaschios & almonds (opt)
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee
• 1/3 cup jaggery powder 
• 1/4 cup warm water
• oil to deep fry

          Mix together the jaggery and warm water till it melts. Then strain and keep aside. 

         Mix together whole wheat flour, semolina, pinch of salt, pistachios & almonds powder, roasted coconut, cardamom powder and fennel seeds. 

          Then add the ghee and combine with the flour into a breadcrumb like consistency. It should form a lump and hold its shape. 

         Slowly add the jaggery syrup, little at a time, and knead into a tight dough. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes. Knead again and divide into small equal portions.

          Take each portion and give the shape of a leaf. Then mark with a toothpick. 

          Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them on a low flame, few at a time, till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel.

          Cool them completely and store in an air tight container. Enjoy as a tea time snack. 

Mix together whole wheat flour, semolina, pinch of salt, pistachios & almonds powder, roasted coconut, cardamom powder and fennel seeds. 

                       Then add the ghee.

Combine with the flour into a breadcrumb like consistency. It should form a lump  hold its shape. 

Slowly add the jaggery syrup, little at a time, & knead into a tight dough. 

                     Cover & keep aside for 10 minutes. 

                  Knead again and divide into small equal portions.

     Take each portion & give the shape of a leaf. Then mark with a toothpick. 

        Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry them on a low flame, few at a time, 

                    till light golden in colour. 

                     Drain on a kitchen towel.

                     Cool them completely & store in an air tight container. 

                Enjoy as a tea time snack. 

Foxtail Millet Cranberry Rice - South Indian style

 

           Looking for a quick meal that is both healthy and nutritious? Then this South Indian recipe of  FOXTAIL MILLET CRANBERRY RICE is just for you, where I substituted rice with millet. Very yummy and easy to prepare, this diabetic friendly dish can be served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, evening snack or as a lunch box meal. So it is a great option to use up any leftover cooked millet. Enjoy just as it is or with pickle or papad for a comforting meal.

         This dish is a spicy and tangy millet recipe using cranberries that are naturally sour in taste. At times you can use lemon juice or tamarind pulp for more tanginess. It is also a perfect picnic meal that can be served with any chips or pickle. It is also a quick dish if you already have some cooked millet sitting in the refrigerator. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome one pot dish. 

          Millets in general are very popular these days. This wonder grain is both diabetic and heart friendly. It is a great substitute to rice and has a lot of health benefits and antioxidants. It helps in reducing blood sugar levels, has healthy carbs, dietary fiber, calcium, iron, etc. So do try this amazing and wholesome millet recipe and introduce something new to your dear ones. 

          Easy, hassle free and simple to prepare, it is ideal when you run out off time or when you have those hungry pangs. This recipe can be considered as a wholesome meal. You can serve as it is or with pickle, chips, papad or fryums.

          Cranberry, on the other hand, has a lot of healthy benefits. It is a rich source of vitamin E and C. It also prevents urinary problems, is good for the heart, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, improves cholesterol, etc. 

• 1/2 cup Foxtail Millet, Soaked for 1-2 hours
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed & drained
• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split green gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal Gram)
• 1-2 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. roasted cashew nuts 
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the soaked Foxtail Millet in 1 cup water for 3-4 whistles. Once it has cooled down, then fluff it up with a fork and keep aside.

           Add the cranberries to a pan along with 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. oil. 

          Simmer on a low to medium flame till all the water has evaporated. It should turn soft and mushy. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 

          After it stops spluttering, add the dry red chili, peppercorns, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the cooked millet, cranberry paste, salt to taste and cashew nuts. Mix everything well and sauté for 2 minutes.

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with papad, chips or fryums for a nice comforting breakfast / meal.

Add the cranberries to a pan along with 1/4 cup water, a pinch of salt & 1 tsp. oil. 

Simmer on a low to medium flame till all the water has evaporated. It should turn soft and mushy. Keep aside. 

         Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 

After it stops spluttering, add the dry red chili, peppercorns, urad dal, chana dal, asafoetida, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the cooked millet, cranberry paste, salt to taste & cashew nuts. Mix everything well & sauté for 2 minutes.

 When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. 

Serve with papad, chips or fryums for a nice comforting breakfast / meal.

Biuli Daler Borar Jhol (Urad Dal Pakoras in Gravy - Bong style)

 

           This is a traditional Bengali recipe where pakoras / fritters are made of soaked & ground urad dal and then made into a gravy. Typically, split urad dal is used. But I made use of urad dal with skin for additional fibre. The pakoras can also be prepared  of chana or masoor dal. This is a great comfort food and comes in handy when you run out of any veggies. 

          Besides eggplants, potatoes, ridge gourd, pointed gourd or bottle gourd can also be added to the gravy. This simple delicacy is usually relished with hot steamed rice. However, it can also be had with chapattis. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional dish. 

Pakora-

• 1/4 cup urad dal (black gram lentil with skin)
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to shallow / deep fry 

Gravy - 

• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 long eggplant, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 small onion
• 1 tomato
• 1" ginger
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Soak the lentils for an hour. Wash, rinse and grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

          Blend together onion, ginger, garlic and tomato into a smooth paste and set aside.

          In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

          For the Pakoras - Heat oil in a pan and drop in small balls into the hot oil. Fry till light golden in color. Drain and keep aside. 

          For the gravy - Heat oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add 2 cups water and bring it to a boil. Then add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants and green chilies. 

          Cover and simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

          When done, add the garam masala, ghee and coriander leaves. Give it a stir and serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.

                      Soak the lentils for an hour. 

       Wash, rinse && grind, using very little water into a smooth paste. 

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under pakora (except oil) into a thick batter. 

                   Heat oil & drop in small balls into the hot oil. 

                    Fry till light golden in color. Drain & keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the eggplants with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder till they turn slightly brown. Set aside. 

Temper the same oil with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

Add the onion paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder & salt to taste. Sauté till the oil separates.

                    Add 2 cups water & bring it to a boil. 

Add in the fried pakoras, fried eggplants & green chilies. Cover & simmer on a low to medium flame for 4-5 minutes. (Let there be enough gravy as eventually the fritters will soak in most of it).

When done, add the garam masala, ghee & coriander leaves. Give it a stir.

                       Serve with steamed rice or any flat Indian bread.