Poha or Aval Upma

I love beaten rice or poha. It is normally made for dinner or sometimes as an evening snack. It makes you feel full plus its less in calories. Its my favourite and it can be done in less than 10 minutes if you have all the ingredients ready.

INGREDIENTS:
Poha or beaten rice-2 cups(soaked in water for a minute and strained).
Onions-1 no(finely chopped)
Potato- 1no(cut in to thin slices)
Green chillies-2-3 nos(slit in to 2)
Curry leaves-a sprig
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Grated coconut(optional)- 3 tsp.
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Chana dal- 2tsp
Urad dal- 2tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp(optional)

Method:
   In a hot pan add 2 tbsps oil, add chana dal, urad dal and mustard seeds till the dals become brown and mustard seeds crackle. Add curryleaves, onions,green chillies, salt, turmeric till onions become translucent. Add potatoes slices and fry and add the strained poha and adjust salt and saute till done. Add grated coconut in the end before switching off the heat. I have not added coconut. Serve hot with coconut chutney or it can be taken as a snack without any accompaniment.

Vegetable Biriyani

Its a long time since I blogged. I have made up mind to blog very often as it makes me feel good. I lost most of my pictures when my mobile crashed. I made vegetable biriyani and loved it. Let me take you through the traditional simple south indian recipe. This is my modified version.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice- 3 cups(washed thrice and kept aside).
Carrot- 3 medium nos(cubed)
Beans- 250 gms(cut in to large sizes)
Potato(large)- 2 nos(cut in to large pieces than carrot and beans)
Onions-2 (finely chopped)
Tomatoes-3 (diced)
Mint leaves-a bunch(cleaned and washed well)
Green chillies-5 nos(slit)
Cashews-100 gms(fried in 1 tbsp ghee fot garnishing)
Oil- 2 tbsp
Ghee-2 tbsp.
Ginger Garlic paste-2 tsps.

For Garnishing:
Coriander leaves-1bunch.

Spices:
Cinnamon-1" stick
Cardamom-3 nos
Cloves-2 nos
Fennel seeds-3 tsps.

Biriyani masala-2 tsps(any brand-available in indian shops).

Method:
In a heavy bottomed vessel or pan, add  1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee . Once hot , add all the spices , green chillies, Onions and fry well. Add a pinch of salt. Fry till onions are translucent. Once onions are fried, add ginger garlic paste and fry well till the masala smell fades. Add the tomatoes and fry well. Add all the vegetables , biriyani masala and rice(coated with remaining one tbsp oil). Add mint leaves and add salt to taste. Transfer to the rice cooker and add the cashews fried in ghee. Add 6 cups of water with the same measuring cup used for rice measurement.  Wait till rice is cooked. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Mixed Vegetables Curry

I brought some frozen Undhiyo vegetables from an indian shop and was wondering what to do with them.Here in melbourne we don't get indian eggplants quite easily.We get them in Asian grocery shops or indian shops if we are lucky.This curry is a type of ready made curry which can be done quite fast if we have all the ready made stuff at home.
UNDHIYO VEGETABLES TAMARIND CURRY:
Ingredients:
Undhiyo vegetables(frozen)-1 packet
(Indian brinjals,Indian broad beans,Yam,Raw Plantain,baby potatoes)
Onion-1 no(Big-chopped medium size)
Tomato-2(Medium size).
Turmeric-a pinch
Red chilli powder or Sambhar powder-2 tsp
Coriander powder-3 tsp
Tamarind-a lemon size(extract juice by adding water)
Salt to taste


For Tempering:
Cumin seeds-1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves-a bunch
For Garnishing:
Coriander leaves
Method:
In a hot kadai,add oil.When the oil is medium hot add cumin seeds,mustard seeds and curry leaves.After the mustard seeds splutter add onions and fry them till they are translucent.
Now add the tomatoes and fry for a while.Add the undhiyo vegetables,red chilli powder,turmeric and coriander powder.Mix well and cook till the vegetables are half cooked say abt 5 minutes.Now add the tamarind extract and allow the vegetables to completely cook till the curry attains a semigravy consistency.Garnish with coriander leaves and curry leaves.Serve hot with rice and Papad.