Sweet Corn Egg Fried Rice

 

           Chinese Egg Fried Rice is a yummy street food and is very popular in all Chinese restaurants. It is very quick and easy to prepare right at home. Assorted veggies that is easily available can be added. The eggs can be either scrambled or made into an omelet and then cut into strips. For a veg. version, simply skip it. 

           In this recipe, I have added sweet corn kernels too along with green chili sauce, tomato sauce and peri peri sauce. You may also add soy sauce if preferred. So adjust the sauces accordingly. This is a simple and a wholesome one pot meal - Chinese style, which can be relished with or without any side dish for lunch, brunch or as a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this great comfort food.

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 eggs, whisked with a pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3-4 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 green chilies. chopped
• 1/3 cup sweet corn kernels
• 1 tsp. salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. peri peri sauce
• 1 tsp. tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. green chili sauce
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

         Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan. Add the beaten egg and keep stirring till it is well scrambled. Keep aside.

         In the same pan, heat the butter and remaining oil. Add the garlic and sauté till it changes color. 

         Now add the sliced onion and stir fry till it turns slightly brown in color. 

         Add the chopped green chilies and the sweet corn kernels. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

         Then add the cooked rice, salt to taste, pepper powder and red chili flakes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Add all the three types of sauces and mix well. Continue to stir fry for 1-2 minutes. 

          Finally add the scrambled eggs and chopped coriander leaves. Combine everything well and serve as is or with any non-veg. dish. 

          

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan. Add the beaten egg & keep stirring till it is well scrambled. Keep aside.

                    In the same pan, heat the butter & the remaining oil.

                     Add the garlic & sauté till it changes color. 

      Now add the sliced onion & stir fry till it turns slightly brown in color. 

        

Add the chopped green chilies and the sweet corn kernels. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.

Then add the cooked rice, salt to taste, pepper powder & red chili flakes. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          

Add all the three types of sauces & mix well. Continue to stir fry for 1-2 minutes. 

                      Finally add the scrambled eggs

                   and chopped coriander leaves. Combine everything well.

                     Serve as is or with any side dish. 

          

Khichu Balls (Gujarati Snack)

 

          Khichu is a traditional Gujarati breakfast / snack / light meal typically made of rice flour.  As Khichu is generally bland, it is relished with a drizzle of pickle oil / pickle masala and chopped coriander leaves. One can also add some peanut oil or ghee for added flavour. 

       Besides rice flour, it can also be made with Wheat flour, Bajra flour, Jowar flour or Ragi flour to make them nutritious, wholesome and diabetic friendly. So check out my version of Khichu Balls, where I added some flaxseeds and some lime juice. Here is a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy snack.

          It is basically a street food, that has a soft and sticky dough like consistency. It also goes by the name of Papdi No Lot, meaning dough for papad.

           Khichu is similar to 'Ukad' from Maharashtra or 'Morkali' from Tamil Nadu. You can also shape the dough into small doughnuts before steaming. 

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. carom seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp. flaxseed
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. pickle masala, to garnish
• 1 tsp. chopped coriander leaves, to garnish
• 1 tsp. pickle oil to garnish

           In a saucepan, add all the ingredients (except the garnishing). Bring it to a boil and simmer on a low flame for 5 minutes. 

          Now gradually add the rice flour and keep stirring with a rolling pin or with the back of a wooden spatula till it turns into a soft dough like consistency. 

          Switch off the flame. Cover and keep it aside for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and knead well by drizzling some oil. 

          Take a small portion from the dough and make small round balls. You can also give a long cylindrical shape to the dough.

          Place the khichu balls and the logs on greased plates and steam for 10-12 minutes and set aside to cool down. Then carefully cut the log into equal sized pieces. 

          Place all the steamed Khichu in a serving plate. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, pickle masala and pickle oil and enjoy as breakfast, snack or as a light meal. 

             In a saucepan, add all the ingredients (except the garnishing).

                     Bring it to a boil & simmer on a low flame for 5 minutes. 

Gradually add the rice flour & keep stirring with a rolling pin or with the back of a wooden spatula till it turns into a soft dough like consistency. Switch off the flame. Cover & keep it aside for 5 minutes. 

     Transfer the dough to a plate & knead well by drizzling some oil. 

        Take a small portion from the dough & make small round balls.

You can also give a long cylindrical shape to the dough. Place the khichu balls and the logs on greased plates & steam for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool down. Then carefully cut the log into equal sized pieces. 

Place all the steamed Khichu in a serving plate. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, pickle masala & pickle oil and enjoy as breakfast, snack or as a light meal. 

Mutton Donne Biryani (Karnataka Cuisine)

 

          Check out this amazing Mutton Donne Biryani from Karnataka, that is a must try recipe. Donne in Kannada means a small bowl made of palm leaves. As this Biryani is served in a bowl, hence the name Donne Biryani. The specialty of this biryani is the use of short grain rice called Seeraga Samba rice. 

          This recipe also uses a green masala paste in which the mutton and rice is cooked in an open pot in a dum style, thus imparting an aromatic fragrance. However, I prepared this yummy biryani in a pressure cooker and cutting short the time. 

          Donne Biryani can be prepared using either chicken or mutton. It is actually a street food, served in small palm leaf bowls, accompanied with a boiled egg and raita / salad. It is a one-pot meal that is so comforting and delicious. 

          Being a resident of UAE, I was not able to procure these typical bowls, so served this biryani in earthen ware bowls. So go ahead and prepare this unique biryani by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe.

Marination - 

• 600 gms. mutton with bones 
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 cup yoghurt

Green Masala Paste - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves 
• 1/2 tsp. peppercorns
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 green chilies
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

Mutton Curry - 

• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted fennel powder

Biryani - 

• 1 cup Seeraga Samba / Jeera rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom 
• 5 cloves
• 1 mace
• 2 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, sliced
• green masala paste
• 1 tomato chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 & 3/4 cups gravy

          Marination - 

          Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients for 2 hours. 

          Green Masala Paste - 

         Heat oil in a pan and sauté the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds and fennel seeds for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion and the green chilies. Stir fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell disappears. 

          Add the coriander and mint leaves. Sauté till they are wilted. Keep aside to cool down.

          Then transfer to a mixer-grinder and blend along with some water into a smooth paste. Keep aside. 

        

          Mutton Curry - 

         Transfer the marinated mutton into a pan. Add roasted coriander powder, roasted fennel powder and roasted cumin powder.

          Mix well and sauté till dry. Add 2 cups water and pressure cook for 10-12 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Separate the mutton from the gravy.

          Biryani - 

          Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. Temper with all the whole garam masalas (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, mace, star anise and bay leaves). Sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the onion and continue to sauté till light brown. Then add the prepared green masala paste. Sauté till the oil separates.

          Add the chopped tomato and stir fry till it is mashed and the oil separates. 

          Then add the cooked mutton pieces and mix everything well. Add the soaked rice, 1 & 3/4 cups gravy, lemon juice and salt to taste. 

           Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Let it remain covered for 15 minutes. Then fluff it up with a spoon. Serve hot with boiled egg and salad / raita.

Note - 

1.  In case the said small variety of rice is unavailable, then feel free to use basmati rice or any other small variety.

2.  The homemade spices and herbs that are ground and used in this biryani gives a nice flavor to the dish.

3.  In addition to coriander and mint leaves, a handful of fenugreek leaves can also be used.  

    Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients for 2 hours. 

     Heat oil & sauté cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cumin

     seeds and fennel seeds for a few seconds. 

        Add onion & green chilies. Sauté till light brown. Add the coriander 

        and mint leaves. Sauté till they are wilted. Keep aside to cool down.

        Add ginger-garlic paste & give it a mix. Sauté for a minute or till

        the raw smell disappears.

      Add coriander & mint leaves. Sauté till they are wilted. Keep aside

      to cool down.

       Transfer to a mixer-grinder & blend along with some water into a

        smooth paste. Keep aside. 

        

Mutton Curry - Transfer the marinated mutton into a pan. Add roasted coriander powder, roasted fennel powder & roasted cumin powder. Mix well & sauté till dry. 

                    Add 2 cups water.

         Pressure cook for 10-12 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

     Heat oil & ghee in a pressure cooker. Temper with all the whole garam

     masalas. Sauté for a few seconds.

                 Add the onion & continue to sauté till light brown. 

                Add the green masala paste. Sauté till the oil separates.

             Add the tomato & stir fry till it is mashed & the oil separates. 

                  Add the cooked mutton pieces & mix everything well. 

                   Add the soaked rice, 

                   1 and 3/4 cups gravy, lemon juice & salt to taste. 

         Pressure cook for 2 whistles. Let it remain covered for 15 minutes. 

         Fluff it up with a spoon. 

                    Serve hot with boiled egg and salad / raita.