Baby Corn Pulao (South Indian style)

 

            This pressure cooker method of preparing Baby Corn pulao is absolutely a no-fuss recipe. It can be dished out in a jiffy on those days, when one doesn't feel like preparing a full course meal. 

            This one-pot comfort food goes well on its own or with some pickle or papad as accompaniment. You just don't need anything else. It is just perfect when you are craving for something simple. You can always replace baby corn with sweet corn as per your choice.

          This pulao requires basic ingredients available in your kitchen, nothing fancy. It is mildly flavored with sambar powder for a South Indian touch. This quick recipe is ideal for brunch, lunch, a lunch box meal or a picnic meal. So do give it a try by following a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 8-10 baby corns, chopped into 1" pieces
• 1/2 cup Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1tbsp. ghee
• 1 dry red chili
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1" ginger, sliced
• 2-3 garlic, sliced
• 2 green chilies, sliced
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. Temper it with red chili and mustard seeds. Allow it to crackle.

          Add the onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

          Add the baby corn and stir fry for a minute. 

          Then add the sambar powder and give it a toss.

          Time to add the soaked rice. Sauté for a minute.

          Add water and salt. Give it a mix and pressure cook for 2 whistles. 

          After 10 minutes, open the lid and fluff it up a little. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot as it is or accompanied with pickle or papad.

                  Heat oil & ghee in a pressure cooker. Temper it with red chili & mustard 

                  seeds. Allow it to crackle.

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

                                  Add the baby corn and stir fry for a minute. 

                                  Then add the sambar powder and give it a toss.

                                  Time to add the soaked rice. Sauté for a minute.

                             Add water & salt. Give it a mix & pressure cook for 2 whistles. 

                                  After 10 minutes, open the lid and fluff it up a little. 

                     Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot as it is or accompanied with 

                     pickle or papad.

Luchi (Puffed up Indian Bread - Bong style)

          Luchi is a traditional Bong style deep fried puffed bread made of maida or plain flour. This is a quintessential Sunday breakfast menu in any Bengali household. It is also a favorite of all Bengalis, especially during special occasions and festivals. People, young and old alike, also enjoy it as a popular street food that is found in many corners of the State.

          Luchi with ghugni / cholar dal / aloo dum / kosha mangsho / payesh / halwa or just sugar (the list is endless) is pure divine. You can pick your choice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

           Besides West Bengal, it is also popular in other North Eastern States of India and Bangladesh too.

          Luchi is quite similar to poori. However the only difference is that the latter is made of atta or whole wheat flour. 

          Made these luchis after ages, as I occasionally indulge in such deep fried delicacies. And whenever I do, I usually stick to whole wheat flour pooris. Anyway, time to dig into these puffed up beauties...

• 2 cups plain flour (maida)
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• lukewarm water to knead
• oil for deep frying

          In a wide bowl, sift the plain flour. Add salt and oil and mix well so that it resembles bread crumbs. Add lukewarm water, little at a time and knead into a smooth dough. 

          Rub some oil all over the dough and cover with a cling film / damp cloth for half an hour. Knead it once again and then divide into equal balls or portions. I could make around 18 luchis.

          Meanwhile heat oil in a deep bottomed kadai / small wok. Grease the chakla & belan (rolling pin & board).

          Take a small portion of the dough or ball, apply few drops of oil over it and roll into a small round shape disc. Roll out few more luchis and keep them ready to be fried.

          Once the oil is hot enough, gently slide the luchi in it and press it gently with a perforated ladle so that it puffs up. Once one side is done, turn over and fry the other side too. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel. Make similar luchis with the rest of the dough and enjoy with ghugni, aloo dum or any side dish. It also goes well with sooji halwa or payesh (kheer).

                                  Add salt and oil to the flour & mix well.  

                    Add lukewarm water, little at a time & knead into a smooth dough. Rub some

                    oil all over the dough and cover with a cling film / damp cloth for half an hour. 

 

                     Take a small portion of the dough or ball, apply few drops of oil over it and

                     roll into a small round shape disc. 

                      Gently slide the luchi in it & press it gently with a perforated ladle so that

                      it puffs up. Once one side is done, turn over and fry the other side too. 

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                       Enjoy with ghugni, aloo dum or any side dish. It also goes well with sooji

                       halwa or payesh (kheer).

Khushka Biryani (Plain Biryani - South Indian Style)

          This is a delicious preparation of fragrant plain Biryani from the Southern Indian states, especially Tamil Nadu. It is more or less in the category of pulao minus any chicken, mutton or veggies. It is light on the stomach and the flavour of ghee, saffron and rose water makes it even more appetizing. 

          It goes very well with any veg. or non-veg. side dish or can be had as it is with some pickle and papad. Make it more appealing by garnishing with chopped nuts, coriander / mint leaves, saffron and fried onions. So give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 & 1/2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1/2 tsp. shahjeera
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves 
• 2 bay leaves
• 10-12 sambar onions
• 1" ginger, julienned
• salt to taste
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 2-3 tbsp. fried onion 
• 2 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. chopped nuts
• 1 tsp. rose water
• few saffron strands 

          Heat ghee in a pan and temper with shahjeera, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. After it stops spluttering add the onion and ginger. Sauté till translucent.

          Add the soaked rice, green chilies and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water and rose water. Pressure cook for one whistle. when it cools down, fluff it up with a fork and transfer to a serving plate.

          Garnish with fried onion, coriander leaves, chopped nuts and saffron. Serve with any veg. or any other non-veg. side dish.

 

                   Heat ghee & temper with shahjeera, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves & bay leaves.
                         

                                 Add onions & ginger. Sauté till translucent.

                                 Add soaked rice and green chilies. Sauté for a minute.

                                 Add water, rose water & salt. Pressure cook for 1 whistle.

                     Serve, garnished with chopped nuts, coriander leaves. fried onion & saffron.
                        

Spring Onion Paratha (Flat Bread)

          These healthy and nutritious Parathas makes for a delicious weekend breakfast.  In fact they can be had any time of the day as snacks or can be packed for a lunch box meal too. Made with finely chopped spring onions and other flavoring agents, these shallow fried flat breads can be relished with any side dish, pickle, yoghurt or butter. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 bunches spring onion (Only the green part), finely chopped
• 1 cup atta (whole wheat flour)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• oil to shallow fry

          In a bowl combine all the above mentioned ingredients, except oil to shallow fry and knead into a soft dough with the help of required quantity of water. Keep aside in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

          Divide the dough into equal portions and roll each portion into a circle by dusting some flour. Make parathas the same way with rest of the dough.

           Heat 1 tsp. oil in a tawa / skillet and shallow fry the parathas one at a time till light golden colour before flipping it over to the other side.

            Apply some oil over it and fry till light golden brown on the other side too. Similarly fry rest of the parathas in the same way and serve hot with some side dish, yogurt, butter or pickles.

                                 
                                  Finely chop the spring onions.

                    Mix with atta, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder,
                    1 tbsp. oil, chopped greens and kalonji.

                   Knead into a stiff dough & keep it aside in the refrigerator for 15-20 min.

                               
                                  Divide into equal portions.

                                  Roll out each portion into a circle just like chapatti.

         
                               Shallow fry with 1 tsp. oil each on both sides till light golden. 

                               Serve the parathas hot with chana Masala or any side dish.