Sambar Sadam | Sambar Rice| Bisi Bele Bath

Sambar Sadam or Sambar Rice is a South Indian comfort food which is one of my favorite variety rice. In my native they wont make sambar sadam i have tasted this rice first when i was doing my under graduation. Initially i was not a big fan of this rice. Once they serve this rice with crispy fried potato chips i started loving it and now with simple papad or pickle i could relish this rice. My husband and kids likes this sambar rice with mixture. If i donot get time to fry potato chips my choice would be papad.
After marriage i was making this sambar sadam in normal pan i just make sambar and then cook the rice separately and mix it well and allow to simmer. Once life got busier i started to use all shortcut tricks in all my detailed curries, biryanis and rice. Likewise i started making this rice too in pressure cooker. This saves my time and tastes delicious as the rice is cooked in the maslas. Nowadays I make it less spicy to make sure my son too tolerate the spice level.

Bisi Bele Bath

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Eliza Lincy
Cuisine: Indian
Category: Carbohydrates

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Oil- 2 teaspoons
  Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
  Fenugreek seeds- pinch
  Jeera| cumin seeds- 1/4 teaspoons
  Curry leaves- 2 strands
  Asafetida- pinch
  Onion- 1
  Tomato, small- 2
  Carrot-1
  French Beans- 4-5
  Drumstick-1
  Brinjal, small- 2-3
  Potato- 1
  Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
  Red chilli powder- 2 teaspoons
  Coriander powder- 2 teaspoon
  Tamarind, soaked- 1 cup water
  Rice- 1 cup
  Toor Dal- 1/2 cup
  Salt- to taste
  Ghee- 1 teaspoon
  Coriander leaves, chopped-1 tablespoon

Instructions

• Wash and soak the rice and dal just prior to chopping the veggies or 20-30 minutes.
• Peel and chop the veggies into medium sized cubes. Cut the drumstick into 2 inch long pieces.Chop the onion lengthwise and finely chop the tomatoes.
• In a pressure cooker (above 4 liter, i have used 5 liter pressure cooker here) heat the oil and splutter the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds.
• Once the mustard seeds splutter and fenugreek seeds becomes golden colour add the curry leaves and asafetida and fry for a second.
• Now add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook for a minute and then add the tomatoes and cook for a minute or two till the tomatoes starts to become soft. 

• Add the cut veggies with some salt and saute for a minute.
• Add the masala powders turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Then add a cup of tamarind water; mix well and allow to boil for a minute.

• Now add the soaked rice and dal with some salt and 4 cups of water; mix well.
• Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles and switch off the gas.

• Once the pressure releases open the lid and drizzle a teaspoon full of ghee and sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

• Serve hot with Papad, Potato chips, Mixture or Pickle of your choice.

Notes

• The amount of water which i have mentioned to add looks like too much but it is just perfect for sambar rice. The dal in this dish makes the rice subsequently thicker once the rice cools down.
• You could use sambar powder instead of these masala powders mentioned.

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Nellikai Sadam| Gooseberry Rice| Amla Rice

Nellikai Sadam| Gooseberry rice preparation and also taste is similar to lemon rice. It is an easy to prepare rice variety for lunch box or with left over rice. Quick to make tasty rice dish which could be whipped up in minutes. Tasty healthy and also a flavourful rice variety. Gooseberry is rich in iron content. Some kids donot like to eat gooseberry at their early stages of growth. By making this rice at home you could feed them the goodness of gooseberry.

INGREDIENTS:
Rice- 1 cup
Gooseberry, grated- 1/2 cup(big, 5 nos)
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Chana dal- 1 teaspoon
Urad dal- 1 teaspoon
Peanuts- 1/4 cup
Green chillies, cut- 2-3
Ginger, finely chopped- 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 2 strands
Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- to taste

PROCEDURE:

• Cook the rice and set aside. You could use ponni, basmathi or any rice used for lunch.
• Grate the gooseberry in a carrot grater and discard the seeds.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal and peanuts. Cook till the mustard seeds crackle 
  
  .
• Now add the green chillies, ginger and curry leaves and cook till the curry leaves turns crispy. 
• Add the grated gooseberry and saute for a minute.
• Add the turmeric powder and fry for a second in oil and immediately add the cooked rice with some salt.

• Allow to cook till the rice heated up well. Switch off the gas and serve with potato roast or papat.

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Kashmiri Pulao Recipe

Kashmiri Pulao is my favourite i love lots of dry fruits and nuts in this rice. Even i like fresh fruits too, most of the people hate fresh fruits added in this pulao. But i like the texture and the taste of the pulao. I enjoyed this with spicy Butter paneer, you can serve with any mildly hot curry as the dish does not have any spices gives which gives heat. Kids love this rice as it is not spicy and also colourful.
Best dish to prepare at any festive season or guest arrival. Easy to make tasty dish in minutes. I felt as it has many dry fruits, nuts and fresh fruit it suits well for Christmas Party. So i have prepared and sharing the yummy colourful dish!!

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2

Cuisine: North Indian

INGREDIENTS:

Basmati rice- 1 cup

Milk- 1/2 cup

 Water- 1 and 1/2 cups

 Saffron- 5-6 strands (i used a pinch of turmeric too to enhance the colour)

Onion-1 large

Oil- 2 tablespoons

Salt-to taste

Ghee- 1 tablespoons

Cinnamon- 1 inch broken

Cloves-3

Cardamom-3
Bayleaf-1

Dry fruits, nuts, Fresh fruits:

Cashewnuts- 8

Almonds- 6

Raisins- 15nos

Pomegranate- 1/2 small

Pineapple, chopped- 2 rings

Apple, chopped-1/2

PROCEDURE:

• Rinse the rice and soak for 30 minutes.
• Boil or microwave the milk and add the saffron and set aside.
• In a flat broad pan heat oil and fry the onion till golden brown and crisp, remove from oil and set aside.

• With the oil add the ghee and fry the cashews, almonds and raisins. Remove from ghee and set aside.
• In the remaining ghee add the cinnamon, clove, cardamom and bayleaf and cook till the aroma arises.

• Now add the rice and fry if you wish for a second.(optional)
• Add the saffron milk, water and salt and mix well and close with a lid and allow to cook till the water totally evaporates and rice has cooked well.

• Switch off the flame and fluff it with fork. Add the fried onions, dry fruits and nuts.
• Once the rice almost cooled add the fruits and serve.

• Do not reheat the rice once you add the fresh fruits which change the taste of the pulao.

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Spinach and Sweetcorn Fried Rice

Fried rice is always handy which does not require any side dish and it is full of nutrients as it has many veggies in it. It comes handy when ever i feel lack of time for cooking. It is whipped up in a jiffy with out much effort. Especially my little one also likes it as it is less spicy. Today i have come up with another combination for the fried rice.

One day morning i planned to prepare fried rice for my hubby's lunch box and opened up the fridge and there was no carrots. I found a bunch of spinach over there and i made fried rice out of that and we liked that healthy version of fried rice. So i thought of sharing with you the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach| Palak, chopped- 1 big bunch
Sweetcorn, fresh or frozen- 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Basmathi rice- 1 cup
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Garlic- 2 cloves
Soya sauce- 1 teaspoon
Pepper- to taste
Sugar- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Spring onion- 1(optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Half cook the rice with salt and enough water then drain the excess water. Spread the rice over a broad plate and allow to cool (or) Cook 1 cup of rice with exactly 1.5 cups of water and fluff the rice with fork.
• Heat oil in a wide pan or wok and add the garlic and the white part of spring onion if you wish to add.  Cook till the aroma arises.

• Now add the spinach and cook till it shrinks by constant stirring, when the moisture is almost dry add the sweetcorn and cook for a minute. Once the  mixture is almost  getting dry add the salt and cook for fifteen seconds.
• Add the cooked rice and sugar increase the flame to high and cook the rice by constant stirring or tossing for about 2 minutes.

• Finally sprinkle the green part of spring onion and switch off the gas.
• If you want this rice more spicy add a teaspoon of schezwan sauce with soya sauce.
• If you prefer scramble an egg with a pinch of salt and add with this.

• Note: Adding egg, spring onion, schezwan sauce is optional.
• Do not cook and burn the spinach before you add the rice.

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Curd Rice recipe| Thayir Sadam| Bagala Bath

Thayir Sadam Recipe| Curd rice| Bagala bath is a quick fix variety rice which requires very limited ingredients. It is simple and a quick to prepare lunch box recipe too. It is also prepared during festivals like Navaratri, Vinayaka chaturthi, Pongal ..etc.

The best combinations are pickles like Mango, Lemon or Gooseberry, Moor milagai and pearl onions. My favourite is pickle and curd rice combo, an unbeatable tasty evergreen combination. At every Iyengar's home it is an inevitable dish in their day today life.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves:1

INGREDIENTS:
Raw rice- 1/2 cup (I used to make with parboiled rice(leftover) too)
Curd/Yogurt, cold- 1 cup
Milk- 1/2 cup
Carrot, grated- 2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves, chopped- 1 tablespoon
Salt- to taste

To temper:
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal/ Ulunthu- 1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chillies, broken- 2 small(optional)
Curry leaves- 2 stands
Hing/ Kayam- pinch
Green chillies, chopped- 1big
Ginger, finely chopped- 1 teaspoon

PROCEDURE:

• Wash the rice and pressure cook the for 4 whistles till slightly over cooked consistency.
• Meanwhile heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds; then add urad dal and cook till golden. Add the dry red chillies and curry leaves with hing.
• Finally add the green chillies and ginger and cook for fifteen seconds just to leave the raw flavour; switch off the gas.

• Once the pressure releases open the lid and mash well with a masher or backside of aladle.
• Now add milk and cook till it get absorbed; switch off the gas and allow to cool.
• Once it the mixture is cool add the salt and curd; mix well.

• Add the tempering, grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

• Serve with pickle, moor milagai or pearl onion.
• Notes: Add more milk if the curd is sour and adjust the proportions.
• Do not add curd in hot else the curd rice it turns watery.
• You could add some fruits like pomegranate, apple and grapes to make fruity curd rice.
• You could add some nuts like cashewnuts at the time of tempering if you like.
• You could add a teaspoon of butter while mashing the rice to make the rice more tasty rich and creamy.

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Ghee Rice Recipe

Ghee rice| Nei Choru| Ney Choru is an easy to prepare variety rice which goes well with vegetarian as well as non vegetarian like (Pepper chicken) side dishes. It is quite simple to make dish dominated with the flavour of ghee and garam masala. It is generally prepared for festivals or family or friends gathering or weddings as it is simple as well as a rich versatile dish.

I usually serve this dish with Pepper chicken for non vegetarians and for vegetarians with Kurma. Pepper chicken compliments very well as it is a spicy dish. I prepare this dish whenever i feel lazy to prepare Biryani or Pulao. Check my other Rice Recipes in this link.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: South Indian
Serves:4-5

INGREDIENTS:
Basmathi Rice- 3 cups
Water- 4 and 1/2 cups
Salt- to taste
Ghee- 1/4 cup+1 tablespoon+ 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon- 1 inch
Clove- 4
Cardamom-5
Bay leaf- 2
Star anise-1(optional)
Jeera/cumin(or)Shahi jeera- 1/2 teaspoon
Onion, chopped lengthwise- 1
Green chilies, slit-3(optional)
Ginger garlic paste/chopped- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon

Ghee- 2 tablespoons
Onion, chopped lengthwise-1
Cashew nuts-20 nos
Raisins- 20 nos

PROCEDURE:

• Wash and soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
• Heat 1/4 cup of ghee inside the pressure cooker and add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, star anise and jeera.
• Once they fry in oil and starts to give the aroma add the onion and green chillies with a pinch of salt.

• Once the onion becomes translucent add the ginger garlic paste and cook for fifteen seconds to leaves the raw flavour.
• Drain the water thoroughly from the rice and add inside the pressure cooker.
• Fry the rice inside the ghee for a minute by gently mixing without breaking the rice grains.(If you feel the rice is breaking proceed to the next step)

• Add some salt and 4 and 1/2 cups of water (use boiling hot water to save the cooking time) and mix and cover it with the lid and keep the weight on it.
• Cook for 2 whistles and switch off the gas.
• In a separate pan heat a tablespoon of ghee and fry the chopped onion till golden crisp.
• Add the cashews and raisins together with onions once they starts to become golden.(you could remove the fried onion and fry the cashews)

• Open the pressure cooker and sprinkle some coriander leaves; now add the fried onion, cashews and raisins with the ghee.

• Add a teaspoon of fresh ghee for more flavour and mix gently without breaking the rice.
• Serve hot with Pepper chicken
• Note: You could follow the same procedure for huge quantities. Instead of pressure cooking, cook the rice separately with salt and mix once the the onion and ginger garlic cooks well. 

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Curry leaves Rice | Karuvepillai Sadam

Curry leaves have many health benefits such as aiding digestion,  promoting hair growth and is good for eyes as well. Generally we are used to discarding the curry leaves from the when we consume curries. By following this recipes we will be able to get all the goodness of curry leaves.

Here i have used normal ponni rice to make this dish. You could use basmathi rice or prepare using  left over ice too. You could also use either  peanuts or cashewnuts of your choice. Flavourful rice which is the best for kids lunch box too.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:
Rice- 1 cup
Salt- to taste

To roast and grind:
Dry red chilli-5
Coriander seeds-2 tablespoon

Channa dal- 2 tablespoons

Urad dal- 1 tablespoon
Jeera- 1 teaspoon
Peppercorns- 1/2 teaspoon
Oil-1/2+ 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 1 cup
Tamarind- small gooseberry size
Asafetida- pinch

To temper:
Ghee- 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
Cahewnuts/ Peanuts- 10-15 nos

PROCEDURE:

• Wash the rice and pressure cook with 2 cups of water for 3 whistles or cook the rice with plenty of water and drain the extra water. Allow to cool.
• Wash the curry leaves and wipe them on a towel and allow to dry them under the fan for 10 minutes.
• In a pan add half a teaspoon of oil and roast the dry red chillies, coriander seeds, channa dal, urad dhal, jeera and pepper corns. 

• Roast them till the channa dal colour changes to golden. Now add half a teaspoon of oil, the curry leaves, tamarind and asafetida (If you use block add when you roast the dhal). Roast for two minutes and switch off the flame.

• Allow to cool the ingredients and finely powder them using a blender jar.

• In a pan heat the ghee and add the mustard seeds and cashewnuts/peanuts once the mustard seeds crackles add the rice and salt and on top of that add the curry leaves powder and toss well without any lumps. Do not add the powder directly on the ghee as the mixture has dhals in it chances are there the masala to form clumps.

• Or else add the masala and the ghee with cashews directly with rice and mix well. Heat slightly if required.
• Serve with papad and raita or coconut chutney.
• Note: Tamarind could be ground with masala like this or could be made as paste and do how we prepare tamarind rice.

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