Cranberry Rice

When I found this recipe I tried it instantly. And the rice tasted just like Puliyogare. The sour Cranberries give their own flavor to the rice.

Ingredients :

Rice : 1 cup (sona Masoori rice)
Cranberries : 3/4 cup
Onion : 1 medium sized
Green Chilli : 2
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin : 1 tsp
Urad Dal : 1 tsp
Peanuts : 2 tbsp (Optional)
Asafoetida : a pinch
Curry Leaves : few
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt According to Taste
Oil : 2 tsp

Procedure :
1. Cook the rice as usual and bring it to a room temperature.
2. In a wide pan heat oil and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Urad Dal, peanuts, curry leaves, asafoetida.
3. Now add the finely chopped onion and cook till they turn slightly brown.
4. Add the washed and quatered cranberry pieces followed by turmeric powder and turmeric powder.
5. Once the cranberries turn slightly squishy add the cooked rice and the requires amount of salt. Serve it hot.

Matar Paneer Biryani

This is a royal dish I would say. Paneer is something that if consumed once in a while makes us wanna drool all over it. I used to have paneer on a regular basis; as a result I simply lost interest in having paneer. Over time I started to cook it just once in a month; and each time I drool over the pieces of paneer which makes me enjoy my food. In this particular recipe I cooked the rice with a combination of milk and water. This recipe is full of fat.

Ingredients :

For Rice :
Basmati Rice : 1 cup (Wash and Soak it in water for 30 minutes)
Cloves : 3
Cardamom : 3
Bay Leaf : 1
Cinnamon : 2 (1" stick)
Milk : 3/4 cup
Water : 3/4 cup
Ghee : 1 tsp
Salt According to Taste

For the Paneer Layer :
Paneer : 1/2 cup (Cubes of Paneer)
Green Peas (Fresh or Frozen) : 1/4 cup
Onion : 1/2 cup (Finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Tomato Puree : 1/2 cup
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder : 1 tsp
Biryani Masala : 2 tsp ( I used Shaan Bombay Biryani Masala)
Pudina / Mint Leaves : 1/2 cup (Finely chopped)
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 cup (finely Chopped)
Salt according to Taste

For topping :
Onion : 1
Oil for Deep frying

Procedure :

For Rice :

1. Heat ghee in a cooker and add all the whole spices either in a cooker or tawa.
2. On a tawa and make sure to mix half of milk and half of water to cook the rice. But do not cook it completely. Only 80% of the rice should be cooked . Rest 20% can be cooked in microwave or in using "Dumm" style.
3. I cooked the rice in my rice cooker. Instead of adding 1:2 ratio reduced the quantity to 1:1.5. (Here 1.5 is a mixture of milk and water).
4. Once rice is cooked keep aside.


For Paneer Gravy :
1. In a tawa heat oil add onions and roast till it turns brown.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes or till it comes to a boil.
3. When you soak the rice marinate the paneer with chilli powder, garam masala, salt and biryani masala.
4. Add the marinated paneer in the boiling tomato puree. Also add chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves).
5. Add the green peas and cook for 2 minutes.

For Topping :
1. Cut the onions into thin slices and deep fry or in a microwave safe bowl add 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt and microwave for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep checking every 2 minutes.

Layering the Biryani :
1. Grease the bowl if planning to bake it. If using dumm style lower the flame and cover the lid using chappati dough and cook for 10-15 minutes.
2. If using oven preheat for 350 degree Fahrenheit and cook for 15 minutes.
3. The bottom most later should be rice; topped with layer of paneer gravy and finally top with rice again and garnish with fried onions.

Prawn Biryani

This mildly spiced beauty captured my heart. Not much of a Prawn eater plus the fact that the hand starts itching the moment I clean lobsters or prawns is a big turn off for me. But the flavor of mild spices definitely attracts you towards it. Prawn lovers are definitely gonna gorge on this. My MIL gave me this recipe which she found on a local Kannada Cookery show called Oggarane  Dabbi.

Ingredients :

Prawns : 15-20
Oil : To deep fry/ to shallow fry
Ghee+Oil : 1 tsp +1 tsp
Basmati Rice : 1 cup (Soak for half an hour)
Onion : 1
Tomato : 1
Ginger : 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
Garlic : 1 tbsp (Finely Chopped)
Green Chilli : 3-4
Mint Leaves : 1 bunch/ 1 cup
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 cup
Salt according to Taste


Spices :
Bay Leaf : 1
Cinnamon : 2 (1" pieces)
Cloves : 2-3
Green Cardamom : 2
Fennel Seeds : 1 tsp
Star Anise : 2

Spice Powders :
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Shaan Biryani Masala : 1 tsp

Marination for Prawns :
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 ts
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt according to Taste



Procedure:

1. Add oil in a pan to fry the marinated prawns. I just shallow fry the prawns till they turn slightly white.  (Marinate the prawns for 4-5 hours)

2. In a cooker/tawa add ghee and oil. Put in the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds and star anise.

3. Once the spices start giving out aroma of spices add finely chopped onions and once they turn slightly pink add chopped tomato.
4. Make a paste out of ginger, garlic and green chilli and add the same after the tomatoes turn mushy.
5. Now add the coriander leaves and mint leaves
6. Add chilli powder, biryani powder, coriander powder and once the spice powders are slightly (be careful not to burn the spice powders ) add fried prawns.
7. Now add the soaked Basmati rice and the required amount of water along with salt.
8. If using the cooker cook for 1 whistle and simmer the flame for 5 min/ if using tawa keep checking the rice to see if its cooked.
9. Serve it hot.

Purple Cabbage Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice : 1 cup

Purple Cabbage : 3/4 cup (Shredded)
Green Peas : 1/4 cup

Onion : 1/4 cup (Finely Chopped)

Ginger : 1 tsp (Finely Chopped)
Garlic : 1 tsp (Finely Chopped)
Cashews : 2 Tbsp
Almonds : 2 tbsp (Blanched and Chooped)
Raisins : 1 tsp

Cloves : 2-3

Green Chilli : 2-3 

Lemon Juice : 2 tsp
Oil : 1 tsp

Ghee : 1 tsp

Salt according to taste

Procedure :

1. In a deep bottomed tawa heat ghee+oil add cloves, green chilli and finely chopped onions and cook on a low flame till it turns slightly pink.

2.  Add finely chopped ginger, garlic and fry till the raw smell disappears.

3.  Now add green peas and shredded cabbage and saute it on a low flame. 

4. Add cashews, almonds, raisins and lemon juice and add enough water for the rice to cook.

5. Garnish with fried cashews.

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice:

Ingredients:
Boiled white rice:2 cups
Mustard Seeds

Chana dal-1/2 Tsp
Urad Dal-1/2 Tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 Tsp
Green Chilly 2-3
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Lemon juice 1 tsp
salt
Oil -1Tbsp

Procedure:
1.Take a pan and put 1 Tbsp oil along with mustard seeds.
2.Once it starts spluttering add urad dal and chana dal till it turns slightly brown in color.
3.Add the chopped green Chillies and curry leaves along with turmeric powder and salt.
4.Add the boiled rice and mix well.
5.Once mixed,take it off the gas burner add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.