Spring Onion & Red Chilly Fried Rice

Wow! This was amazing. It was an innovation. A spontaneous one and I just loved it.

It was such a tiring late evening (almost night I can say). 10:30 PM is way too night ha-ha

I was working in night shifts in the office and barely had any sound sleep since three days.

Y’day was the worse. I just had 3 hours sleep and had to rush to office. Well not office but a team outing to a resort. Though I’ve not been a active participant but the resort and office work took its toll on me. I barely had any energy to drive back to home. Just wanted to throw my slippers off and hit the bed. But; this thing called “hunger” – damn! It’s so pricky. Pricky like a taunting wife (it’s that bad).

My husband too had the same pricky hunger. I was so thinking on what to order (home – delivery) KFC/Biryani/ Subway ---- wasn’t very keen on ordering stuff. Milk n Oats / muesli /cereals. Easy – but … Oh! Damn that but… meanwhile my husband – guess he read my mind – “Let’s not order stuff from out and not go for cereals too – Can you make one of your quickie?”

As an obedient / typical “bharteey naari”(Indian wife) – I agreed.

BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!!

Go open the refrigerator – found this fresh spring onion. My favorites. Went ahead thinking I’d make a curry. I’m such a flickering person. I settled down to experiment on some fried rice. I did not find any green chilies in there – hence decided to prepare this pepper-spring onion fired rice. But I ended up with red chili flakes spring onion.

When I prepare fried rice / pulao kinda recipes – I always prefer cooking the rice in microwave. Though I had other stuff in micro hence turned to my good-old-friend – electric rice cooker.

Ingredients:

1. Rice – 2 Cups (these are Indian cups and quire small – I must say two fistful would make one cup)
2. Water – 4 Cups
3. Olive Oil / Vegetable Oil – 5 Tsp
4. Ghee/Butter – 2 Tsp
5. Garlic Pods – 10 minced / chopped
6. Salt – Acc to taste
7. Pepper – ½ Tsp
8. Spring Onions – 5
9. Red Chilies – 5 (Acc to taste)
10. Ajinomotto (Chinese Salt) – ½ Tsp
11. Coriander – 1 Small Bunch

Method:

• Add rice, water, salt to electric cooker and let it cook.
• Add oil + ghee to skillet
• Separate the onions and stalks
• Chop the onions to circles
• Finely chop the stalks
• Add garlic and onion to the wok.
• Let the white folks turn pink – then add finely chopped spring onion
• Cook for 5 minutes – while stirring randomly.
• I’ve torn the red chili flakes with my hands
• Add red chili flakes, Coriander Chinese salt, salt, and pepper to the wok
• Oh! Wow! What a great color kaleidoscope that was.
• Mix well
• Put on the high flame – add rice gradually
• Gradually adding rice would ensure the whole greens/reds/seasoning is spread evenly

Serve hot.

It was amazing – fresh fragrance, the fibery texture while we chew spring onion. Wow! What an amazing flaovour!!!

I would make it a regular in my kitchen

Raagi Rawa Dosa

One fine day that was last day morning – I woke up to the idea of preparing a Rawa Dosa.

God only knows why.

And strangest thing was I just thought its Mix Rice Flour(rice ground to coarse powder) and Rawa(Suji)

Did not even google the recipe.

Ground two cups of rice to coarse powder. Mixed some suji in it. Dashed it with some salt . I was vrrooom! Disaster struck when I did pour it onto the pan. I could not remove it and neither did it taste well. I was like WTH! WTH!! It was then I decided its better to google.

OMG! WTH was that! Recipe actually demands the rice flour to be fermented for 3 hours in sour buttermilk or water. Neither I have that time nor I’m such a huge fan of this Rawa dosa. OKAY! Done is Done! What Next???

YAY! Disaster Management! I love to do some quick fixes in kitchen. As I’m super confident I’d turn things edible (tasty too eh J)

First step was to make that yucky looking plain white liquid to color.

Hence grabbed these b’ful round n bright tomatoes, finely chopped coriander, curry leaves and onions

Took them in a bowl – added pinch more salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, red chilly powder and generous amount of coriander powder – crushed/mixed them with my fingers. Now this part of crushing with fingers was an expert tip from one our Muslim family friends. This would enhance the taste and flavors are mixed uniformly all across. Aunty told me this while she taught me preparing majjiga pulusu.

And the next step was – to make the liquid more nutritious and bit more tasteful . I don’t know I did not like that bland spread of rice n suji . Hmm while I was still wondering if I should add wheat powder – I found my good friend – Raagi Powder.

To that bland looking mixture – I’ve added the “colourful stuff” and then this pinkish flour.

Guys! I’m such a random cook – I don’t the heck remember the quantities. Its all about to bring the right flavor and the right consistency for a dosa.

Heat the pan – add some oil – splash water (a religious exercise I do without any logical knowledge).

Pour this liquid – around a cup – I used Sambhar Serving Spoon(Ganta) to it.

Oil all around this pan cake ( it can be called pan cake now eh J )

Let the bottom side be roasted and then turn it over.

Stand for a minute

Serve hot with curd/pickle.

My husband was floored by it

Spring Onion N Moong Dal

Preparation time – 15 Mins
Cooking Time – 15 Mins
Spring Onion is one of my favorites. And nothing can buy me the feeling of I buying it from Badi Chowdi mandi. We have our regular vendor – for almost 13 years. He has this bright smile and his wife is very pleasing and beautiful. Its always heart-warming to visit their bandi.
I’m almost addicted to this spring onion. I do try it out with moong dal, red gram and tomato. Once in a while I do cook with potato too. For today; I had to be a quickie. And did’nt have much time to ponder on the combination – hence rushed forward for moong dal.
Ingredients:
1. Oill – 2 Tbsp
2. Green Chillies – Slit : 5
3. Garlic : 7
4. Curry Leaves – chopped : 7
5. Turmeric Powder – ½ Tsp
6. Spring Onions : 10-15
7. Moong Dal (Pre soaked in water for 30 mins)– 1 Cup
8. Coriander Leaves – 1 Small Bunch
9. Salt – Acc to taste
Method:
Heat kadai – add oil
Add green chillies, garlic, curry leaves
Separate the glorious white onion from the stalks
Chop the onions and the stalks.
Add the chopped onions to the kadai
Yummieeeez the smell - just love it.
Once the white darlings turn pale pink – add moong dal.
Stir well – After 2-3 mins put in salt and turmeric powder
Finally add the chopped stalks. Mix well.
Cover with a lid.
Keep checking if you might have to add some water.
Once its cooked – add chopped coriander.
Server it with roti/rice.

Erra Kaaram Bheerakaya Pesarpappu

God! Wow what a meal that was.
I had spicy rasam(would post my recipe of this too) with “erra kaaram bheerakaya pesarpappu.”
Erra Kaaram is red chilly powder. Bheerakaya =Ridge Gourd ; Pesarapappu = Moongdal
I usually prepare the ridge gourd in fresh green chillies.
That is pale green and yellow in color.
The one I prepared today looked quite different for two reasons.
R-One : I used red chilly powder
R – Two: I’ve added pesarapappu without pre-soaking them. Instead of mushy looking pappu – I had something which looks like specks of pebbles.
It was more of red and dark green. Dark green as I’m still “in-fling” with curry leaves.
Nothing or no one can take away coriander from me haha
Usually I soak pesarpappu for atleast 30 mins before it goes into the skillet.
Today I had no plan of using it – eventually; without my knowledge I grabbed this jumbo glass jar.I have taken two fistful – and added to the skillet. I did not even wash it – lest I change my mind? There is so much moong dal in the pantry – since we had this party at home last month.
It would be infused with insects if I leave it like that (btw – insects are high protein food).
Hence all this unplanned grabbing. And I do have this “compulsive moong dal disorder” hehehe.
Best part of this curry is – it does not need any stirring once its covered.
I attended to all my house-wife chores – while it being cooked.
Ingredients:
1. Oil – 3 Tb Sp( I’m not a oil freak – I just use so that I can roast my spices)
2. Ridge Gourd – 2 Long
3. Moong Dal – ½ Cup – Actually two fistful would make it one cup I guess
4. Mustard Seeds – ½ Tsp
5. Jeera – ½ Tsp
6. Onion – Medium – 1
7. Curry Leaves – 10 Crushed
8. Coriander – 1 Small Bunch
9. Ginger Garlic Paste – ½ Tsp
10. Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp
11. Red Chilly Powder – 2 Tsp
12. Salt – 1 Tsp
13. Coriander Powder – 1 Tb Sp
Method:
Heat the Oil in a skillet.
Once its hot – add mustard, jeera
Let them splutter – add finely chopped curry leaves.
Stir – add chopped onions
Let the onions turn translucent (slightly pink)
Add ginger garlic paste and mix well
After a minute – when the gingery smell emanates – add turmeric
I just love this fragrance – turmeric, ginger –garlic and onion
Wow! I love cooking so that I can smell this J
Now add ridge gourd (cut into cubes) to the skillet
I was about to add red chilly powder at this instance – then my eyes fell upon these golden crystals
Moong dal – in a spur of a moment – it all happened
Now; add moong dal – red chilly powder
Taste and adjust salt/chilly
Add enough water – so that the whole thing is just drowned
Cover with lid – put on simmer
Check after 15 – 20 mins
Should be cooked – if not add some more water.
Before you put off – add coriander powder, freshly chopped coriander and stir well.
Serve with roti/rice.

Karivepaku Rice / Curry Leaf Rice

Karivepaku Rice :

Curry Leaves – my new found love.

I’ve learned it’s a “deal”. Has lots of goodness.

I’m not exactly sure – when did I fall in love with thismagical herb.

Looks so amiable, motherly n cool.

Aroma – makes me mad.

One of those lazy, sick or disturbed mornings – I crushthese leaves and smell them.

Aroma alleviates all kinds of sickness. By nature too - Iheard it’s given to early-pregger women who experience nausea. Said to relieve-the “pregger – nausea”/ morning-sickness.

This is so simple and such a quickie recipe and turns outreally yummyyyy.

I’d term it to be more of a bachelor kind of recipe – forits simplicity. On a busy weekday; this would be a time & money saver J

Ingredients:

• Curry Leaf – 1 Bunch
• Green Chillies – 3-4
• Tamarind – 4-5 flakes
• Garlic – 5 Pods
• Jeera – 2 -3 Tsp
• Salt – Acc to taste
• Cooked Rice – 2 Cups
• Dry Coconut Powder – 5 Tsp
• Cooked Rice - 2 Cups

For Tampering:

• Oil – 3 Tbsp
• Ghee – 2 Tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – ½ Tsp
• Jeera – ½ Tsp
• Urad Dal – 1 Tb Sp
• Broken Red Chilies - 2

Method:

• Heat oil in a skillet.
• Add jeera, once they splutter add garlic, tamarind flakes, green chillies
• Add fresh washed curry leaves, salt.
• Fry for 5 mins
• Put off the stove and let it cool
• Grind this mixture – I prefer coarsely.
• For the tampering - take a huge bowl – as wewould add curry paste/rice to it.
• Heat – it and add oil
• I usually don’t follow any serial order inadding the tampering ingredients.
• I collect all of them in a small bowl and throwinto the hot oil.
• I would not have time to add one by one –holding the spice box. I’m rather careless.
• Once the ingredients splutter – add the currypaste.
• Add dry coconut powder.
• Mix well.
• Now add rice – gradually – keep mixing – such that the curry paste is spreaduniformly.

Serving Tips:

Serve it with curd, raita.

I had aloo kurma in myrefrigerator – I had it with.

Turned out yum combi.