Lemon rice/Chitranna

Ingredients:
Rice-2cups
Water-4cups
Preparing rice:
1.Wash rice changing water until the water appears clear.
Soak the rice for 15minutes before cooking.
2.Boil the water in a pan when it comes to boil,reduce the heat to medium, add soaked rice and allow to cook until rice is tender and most of the water is evaporated,now reduce the heat to low,cover the lid and allow to fluff up for 5-6minutes. When you remove the lid steam will come and rice looks fluffier.Now keep it aside to cool.
Microwave Method:
In microwavable bowl add soaked rice and four glasses of water and keep in microwave for 20 minutes or until it is done.
For lemon rice
Ingredients:
2 tbsp-vegetable or sunflower+ oil extra oil for mixing
1/2 tsp- cumin seeds
1/2 tsp- mustard seeds
1/2 tsp- turmeric
2 -dried whole red chili(break them into 2 pieces)
1- green chili sliced in four long way
12 to 15 fresh curry leaves
1 tbsp- channa dal/bengal gram
1tbsp-urad dal/blackgram
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts(store bought)
1/4cup-fresh coconut,grated
1 salt to taste
Lemon juice according to taste
Fresh coriander chopped
Method:
1.Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat,add mustard and cumin and allow them to splutter,now add both dals,make sure to keep an eye on the flame other wise it will burn the tempering,after the dals become lightly brown add green chillies,red chillies,curry leaves and turmeric and saute for 1minute,mix well and add salt and take out of the flame and keep aside to cool for 5 -10minutes.

For mixing:
Take a wide bowl and add all the rice,break the lumps very gently with wooden spatula(clean hand is better),now add the cooled tempering,chopped coriander,lemon juice,and 1 or 2tbsp of oil,roasted peanuts,grated fresh coconut on top of the rice.mix gently with wooden spatula ,making sure not to break the rice.If you find salt is less you can add and mix it along with other ingredients.Before serving garnish with fresh coriander,fresh grated coconut and fried peanuts and enjoy with pickles and
curd rice.

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Aloo Taheri

Aloo Tahri or Tehri is  a Pakistani dish,I got this from one  of the cookery shows..Tehri  means rice cooked with veggies especially potatoes...The aroma of this dish is unbelievable!!!...You can add other veggies  also.Potato lovers must try this recipe,you will love it for sure....

 Ingredients:
2- onions
3-4-medium potatoes,cut into bite size pieces
3-4 tomatoes,finely chopped
2cups-basmati rice
1/2cup-yoghurt/curd, well beaten
salt to taste
2tbsp-oil
1tsp-ghee
2-3-green chillies,slited
1tsp-chillipowder
2tsp-gingergarlicpaste
1/4tsp-turmeric
1/2tsp- garam masala
1/2tsp-cumin seeds
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2cup-mint leaves,finely chopped
1/2cup-fresh coriander,finely chopped

Whole garam masala:
Cinnamon-2 sticks
Cloves-10
Black peppercorns-10
Cardamom-6-7
Black cardamom-2
Mace-1

Method:
1.Chop one onion finely and slice and fry one onion until blackish brown.Wash and soak the rice for 20minutes.
2.Heat oil in a heavy pan,add whole garam masala,cumin seeds,when they begin to splutter add chopped onions and fry until golden brown,then add tomatoes,ginger garlic paste and salt,cook until it leaves oil.
3.Add yoghurt,Chillipowder,garam masala,turmeric, potatoes and sufficient water,cook with lid closed until potatoes are nearly cooked.
4.When the water begin to boil and potatoes are nearly cooked add rice,cook until well cooked and all the water evaporates.

5. Now spread fried onions,green chillies,mint leaves,coriander,sprinkle ghee and lemon juice on top of the rice,close the lid tightly and leave for dum on a low flame for 10-15minutes.
6.Serve hot with any raitha.

Asparagus, Sundried Tomato & Olive Loaf

This bread recipe is from Mary Cadogan,She is one of the best cooks in U.K..I made little changes to her recipe,This savoury bread is very moist and perfect to have for breakfast with any butter or spread.Because of asparagus this will be little moist,you can slice them and toast it for more flavour and crunchyness.It will be better to eat fresh. 

Ingredients:

50ml olive oil , plus extra for greasing
10 asparagus spears , each cut into 3 pieces
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp thyme leaves(i used dried) or mixed herb will do
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
50ml milk
Handful pitted black olives
2tbsp sundried tomatoes , roughly chopped
50g cheddar cheese, grated

Method:


1.Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Oil and line the base of a loaf tin with baking paper. Cook the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 mins, drain, then cool quickly under cold running water. Pat dry.
2.Mix the flour and thyme with seasoning in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the eggs, milk and oil, stirring all the time to draw the flour into the centre. Beat for 1 min to make a smooth batter.

3.Reserve 5 asparagus tips and a few olives. Add the remaining asparagus, tomatoes, olives and two-thirds of the cheese to the batter. Pour into the tin, then put the reserved asparagus and olives on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake feels firm to the touch and is golden and crusty on top. Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

Preparing and cooking asparagus
Rinse spears. Hold one at each end, then bend - it will break where the tough woody stem meets the edible tip. the best way to cook the spears is in boiling water in a wide, deep sauté pan. Green asparagus will take 3-5 minutes, depending on its thickness. Test by piercing a spear with the point of a knife - when cooked it will just slide in easily. White asparagus takes much longer to cook as it has a woodier texture. It needs 12-15 minutes - test as above.

Fresh Tomato And Basil Soup

Ingredients:
250gms of chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 tin of plum tomatoes
small onion , peeled,chopped
1 small carrot , chopped
1 celery stick,chopped
3tbsp- olive oil
1 vegetable stock cube
Water as required
1 large bunch of basil
salt and pepper , to taste
Fresh cream and few basil sprigs to garnish


Method:
1.Chop all the veggies and keep it aside
2.Heat oil in a pan. Allow to heat and add the onions, carrots and the celery. Stir well. Cook gently until soft.
3.Put the diced fresh tomatoes to the pan, and allow to cook for a few minutes. Add the plum tomatoes, veggie stock cube and add water to cover and stir again. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20minutes.
4.Place the basil on the chopping board and strip the leaves from the stalk. Since the basil is going to be roughly blended, tear the leaves in half with your fingers.
5.Open the pan lid and add half of the basil leaves. Stir and then replace the pan lid and cook for a further 10 minutes.
6.Once cooked, allow the contents to cool down for a few minutes before adding the remaining half of the fresh basil. Stir, season with salt and pepper, and stir again.

7.In a blender, blend the soup on high power for a couple of minutes until it takes on a smooth, velvety texture. If desired,make it thin by adding water or stock.Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with fresh cream and fresh basil sprigs.
8.Serve hot or chilled with any crusty bread.

Hurulikaalu Dose/ Horsegram Dosa

Ingredients:
Hurulikaalu/horsegram-1 1/2cups
Rice-2cups
Uraddal/blackgram-1tbsp
Methi/fenugreek seeds-1tsp
Salt


Method:
1.wash rice,methi and uraddal and soak for 3-4 hours.Grind it into fine paste,leave to ferment for 6-7hours or overnight.

2.wash and soak huruli for 3-4hours,grind it into fine paste,mix this paste to fermented batter with salt and prepare dose as normal on hot tawa.Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Courgette/Zucchini Dal

                                                                      Courgettes

Ingredients:
Toordal/togaribele-1/4cup
Courgette-1 medium sized
Onion-1
Tomato-1
Green chillies-2 or 3
Gingergarlic paste-1tsp
Curry leaves-1sprig
Oil-1tbsp
Mustard seeds-1/2tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2tsp
Turmeric-pinch
Hing-pinch
Salt to taste
Juice of half lemon
Coriander for garnishing


Method:
1.Wash and cut courgette into thick roundels.
2.Pressure cook the dal in a cooker with pinch turmeric and 3cups of water.
3.Heat a oil in a pan,add mustard,cumin and hing,whenthey begin to splutter
add onions and curry leaves fry until they are golden brown,then add ginger
garlic paste,tomatoes and greenchillies and salt,cook until
tomatoes becomes soft.
4.Add courgette pieces and leave to cook lid closed on a medium flame until
it softens.
5.Now add the cooked dal and and mix well and cook for further 2-3minutes.
6.Remove from the heat,add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.
7.Serve hot with rice.