Seaweed Fried Rice with Peri Peri Sauce

          Fried rice is a quick one-pot meal that is very easy to prepare and comes in handy when time is a constraint. So here is my version of a quick and a simple fried rice made with some roasted seaweed, mixed veggies and peri peri sauce. 

          Any leftover rice can be made use of. Enjoy this yummy Seaweed fried rice just as it is, with some extra sauce as accompaniment, with grilled meat / fish, any side dish or with raita. So check out a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy concoction.

           Seaweed contains a lot of nutrients, minerals, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is recommended for a balanced diet. Besides fried rice, you can dish out various recipes with it. 

          It is widely used by the Japanese, Koreans and the Chinese in their cuisines. As I had some last batch of these roasted seaweed (nori) sheets, I decided to incorporate them in the fried rice along with some veggies. 

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 15 small roasted seaweed (nori) sheets, cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms 
• 4-5 cloves
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed veggies
• 3-4 tbsp. peri peri sauce
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1-2 tbsp. fried onions
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, dry red chili, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Stir fry till light brown. Now add the mixed veggies and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Add the peri peri sauce, followed by the cooked rice and all the dry spices. Mix everything well and sauté for a couple of minutes. 

          When done, add the coriander leaves, seaweed and fried onion. Give it a toss and enjoy this yummy Seaweed fried rice just as it is, with some extra sauce as accompaniment, with grilled meat / fish, any side dish or with raita for a great comfort meal.

                       I have made use of these roasted seaweed (Nori) sheets. 

                        I have cut them into small pieces. 

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, dry red chili, cinnamon, cloves &
                      cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds.

                     Add chopped onion, ginger, garlic & green chilies. Sauté till light brown. 

                        Add mixed veggies & sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

                        Add peri peri sauce, 

                      followed by cooked rice & all dry spices. Mix well & sauté for few min. 

                       Add coriander leaves, seaweed & fried onion. Mix everything well.

                    Enjoy just as it is, with some extra sauce as accompaniment, with grilled
                    meat / fish, any side dish or with raita.

Green Peas Paratha (Flat Bread)

       
         This is a healthy stuffed Peas Paratha made with whole wheat flour. It is a complete meal in itself. Very filling and wholesome, it is best had with yogurt or pickle. It equally tastes yummy with butter too. Besides having for breakfast, they can be served for lunch, dinner or as a lunch box meal for young and old alike. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Stuffing - 

• 1 & 1/2 cups frozen green peas, ground to a paste
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. green chilies paste
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed

Dough-

• 1 & 1/2 cups atta (whole wheat flour)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• pinch of salt
• oil to shallow fry

          For the Filling - Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds.  Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chili paste. Sauté for a minute on med. flame. Then add the green peas paste and all the dry spices. Sauté till dry. Keep aside to cool.

          For the Dough - Knead together the atta, salt, oil with required quantity of water. Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each into a small puri and stuff a tbsp. of the filling in it.

          Close all edges and roll out into a circle / chapatti with the help of some flour. Roll the rest of the dough along with the filling in a similar manner.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and fry one paratha at a time with a tsp. of oil till brown on both sides. Fry the rest of the parathas in the same manner. Serve hot with yoghurt and / or pickle.

                Heat oil in a non-stick pan & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Sauté
                few seconds. Add ginger-garlic paste & green chili paste. Sauté for a minute. 
                Add green peas paste & all dry spices. Sauté till dry. Keep aside to cool.

                     Divide dough into equal portions. Roll out each into a small puri & stuff
                     a tbsp. of the filling in it.

                                  Close all edges.

                                 Roll out into a circle / chapatti with the help of some flour. 

                            Heat a tawa & fry parathas with some oil till brown on both sides.

                                 Serve hot with yoghurt and / or pickle.

Keema & Couscous Paratha (Chicken Mince & Couscous Flat Bread)

          
          Any leftover keema (mutton / chicken mince) can be used to prepare these delicious parathas. I also added some couscous to it. They are very filling and wholesome for a perfect no-fuss meal. You can try having it with some butter, raita or pickle. It simply tastes awesome. 

• 100 gms. chicken mince
• 1/4 cup couscous, soaked in 1/4 cup hot water for 15 minutes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
• 1 tbsp. oil to knead
• oil to shallow fry

       
           Knead the atta, 1 tbsp. oil and enough water to make a dough. keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds. Then add the onion and sauté till light brown.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder mixed with little water. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the mince and salt and fry till dry. Add 1 cup water and cook, covered on a low flame till done and till all the moisture dries up.

        When cool, mix with the couscous and salt to taste. Keep aside. Divide the dough and the keema-couscous filling into equal portions.

          Roll out one portion of the dough into a small circle. Place a portion of the filling and bring all the edges together and close. 

          Roll into a circle with the help of some atta and keep aside. Roll the rest of the dough in the similar manner with the filling.

          Heat the tawa / griddle and fry the parathas with the help of some oil on both sides till light brown. Serve with some yoghurt or pickle.