Mango Rice

Ingredients:
Mango - 1 medium sized (let it be a bit tangy)
Rice - 1 cup
Gingely oil - 8 tbsp
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Green chilly - 4 nos (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tbsp

Method:
The Totapuri mango vareity is best suitable to make mango rice. Peel the skin and grate it. Chop the green chillies finely. 
Wash and pressure cook the rice with just 3/4th cup of water and a spoon of ghee. Pressure cook it for 2 whistles. When cool transfer to a shallow plate and spread it and let it cool. 
Heat a hard bottom pan and add 6 tbsp of gingely oil. when hot add the mustard seeds and when it splutters add the hing, turmeric powder and green chillies and saute well. Add the grated mango and mix well. cover and cook in medium flame. Once the mango is soft add the salt and mix well. Switch off the stove. 
Add the cooked rice and mix it thoroughly. Add the ghee to it. Adjust the salt as required. 

Tomato rice for neivedhyams

When it comes to making neivedhyams and when you plan to make mixed rice varieties it is always to be made without Onions and garlic. Many people find it hard to have it without these two. But my mom makes tomato rice without onion and garlic always and I have grown up eating that. This recipe is my mom's favourite and so is mine. The taste of the juice of the tomato seeping inside the cooked rice is definitely something to be relished. It does not need any special rice variey like Basmathi or Jeeraga Samba. Can be made with the regular raw rice that is used daily

Ingredients:

Tomato - /12 kg or 8 nos

Green chilly - 2 nos

Curry leaves - 1/4 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Mint leaves (optional) -  1/4 cup

Ginger - 1/2 inch piece1

Salt - 1 1/2 tbsp

Gingely oil - 4 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Dhaniya - 2 tbps

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Channa dal - 2 tbsp

Red Chilly - 6 nos

Rice - 1 /2 cups

Water - 2 cups

Method:

In a tadka pan add dhaniya, 1 tbsp of channa dal and urad dal and fry till it starts getting golden brown. Transfer it to a plate. Add the red chillies and fry it till it starts becoming aromatic. When it is cool dry it to a fine powder. 

Chop the tomatoes finely either using manual or electric chopper. Add the green chillies ginger, curry leaves, 1/2 cup coriander leaves and mint leaves along with the tomatoes and chop all. 

Pressuire cook the rice with a spoon of ghee and 1 1/2 cups of water for 2 whistles. Once cool spread it on the plate.

In a hard bottom pan add the ghee and gingely oil. Once hot add the mustard seeds, 1 tbsp of channa dal, hing, turmeric powder and mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water and salt. Cover and cook in a slow flame till all the water is absorbed. Mix well. Add the powder and mix thoroughly. 

Add the cooked tomato to the cooked rice slowly and mix slowly. Use a fork or the back of the laddle to mix the rice so that it does not break. Add the remaining finely chopped coriander leaves. 

Adjust the salt as required. 

Serve hot with the vegetable of  your choice. But it tastes yummy even without any side dish. 

Sambar sadham for neivedhyams

 When we make mixed rice varieties one of the recipes that needs extra care and cooking is sambar saadham or sambar rice and when it is made for neivedhyam /prasad, onion is not added. It can be made with just one vegetable or with a few vegetables. It is similar to araichu vitta sambar

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup

Thuvar Dal - 1 1/2 cup

Water - 5 cups

Tamarind paste - 3 tbsp

Gingely oil - 4 tbsp

Ghee - 4 tbsp

Dhania - 2 tbsp

Thuvar dal - 1 tbsp

Channa dal /  Kadala paruppu - 1 tbsp

Red Chilly - 8 nos

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1/2 cup

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Hing - 1/4 inch piece (or 1 tsp powder)

Salt (preferrably rock salt) - 1 1/2 tbsp

Cashew nuts - 12 to 15 nos (finely chopped)

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - /12 spoon

Vegetables to use:

Carrot - 2 nos

Potato - 2 nos (medium sized)

Beans - 150 gms 1(can also be avoided)

Green peas -1/2 cup (if using dry peas soak it the previous night)

Chow chow - 1 no small size

Brinjal - 2 nos (round ones medium sized)

Pumpkin - 1/4 kg

Method:

Wash and Soak 1/2 cup dal and rice seperately for 30 mins. Pressure cook it with 3 cups of water. Add 1 spoon of gingely oil to it. Once cooled and pressure is released mash it well. Transfer it to a bowl and keep that in a shallow plate with hot water so that it does not gets lumpy. 

Pressure cook 1 cup dal with a pinch of turmeric powder and mash it well.

In a hard bottom shallow pan add 1 tbsp of ghee and 2 tbsp of gingely oil. When it gets hot add dhaniya, thuvar dal, channa dal in the same order. When all these changes colour add hing and red chillies. Fry all these for 5 mins add 1/4 cup of  curry leaves, grated coconut and mix them all well till the coconut turns slightly golden. Remove from flame add the cumin seeds and let it cool. When cold grind it with 1/12 cup of coriander leaves to a fine paste by adding 1/4 cup of water. 

Heat 1 cup of water and add the tamarind paste to it and make it tamarind water.

Peel and chop carrots, chow chow and potatoes to cubes. Beans to 1 inch pieces. Brinjal to cubes, peel and cut the pumpkin to big pieces. If it is dry green peas pressure cook it seperately. If it is normal green peas add it along with the other vegetables. Pressure all with a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/2 spoon of salt for just 2 whistles. Let it cool.

In a hard bottom pan add 1 tbsp of gingely oil and 1 tbsp of ghee and once hot add the mustard seeds and when it splutters add the tamarind water slowly to it. Add the salt and bring it to boil. Once it starts boil add the pressure cooked vegetables and 1/2 cup of water and let it boil for a while. When it starts boiling add the ground paste and mix well. Keep stirring so that it does not settle at the bottom but is mixed well with the tamarind water. Once it thickens add the mashed dal and mix it well and bring it to boil. 

In a shallow vessel transfer the rice and add sambar slowly and keep mixing till it reaches the perfect consistency. 

In the tadka pan add the gingely oil and ghee. When hot add the finely chopped cashew nuts. Spread the remaining curry leaves on top of the mixed rice. Pour the cashew nut tadka on top of the curry leaves. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup coriander leaves and add it on top. Keep coered so all the flavour and frangrance is enhanced. Mix well before serving. 

Serve hot with fried appalam or pappadam or with potato kara curry. 

Potato Jeera Rice

When it comes to packing lunch box for kids, it is always a confusion for all the mothers. But there are lots of dishes that can be made in the morning, and pack it for the kids. One such is mixed rice. Giving kids different kinds of mixed rice will keep them energetic and filling too.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Potato - 2 nos (medium size peeled and diced)
Onion - 2 nos (finely chopped)
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Salt - 1 tbsp

Method:
Wash and soak Basmati rice for 30 mins. In a pressure cooker or pressure pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee. Fry cumin seeds. To that add slit green chilly and layer the onions. Add the potato cubes and basmati rice in layers. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix. Spread the coriander leaves and mint leaves on top and pressure cook it for 3 whistles.

Remove from flame, open immediately by releasing the whistle. Fluff up the rice with a fork. Transfer it to a serving bowl immediately.

Serve with any raitha of your choice. Best will be capsicum raitha. 

Poondu Rice- Garlic Rice

Garlic Rice is a speciality of Chettinadu Cuisine. Good for health and relieves gastric trouble too.

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups
Garlic Pods - 15 nos
Red chilly - 2 nos
Coriander seeds - 2 spoons
Bengal Gram Dal - 1 tspn
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Ghee -2 tsp
Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup finely chopped
Cashew nuts - 8 to 12
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash soak and pressure cook rice with 4 cups of water. The rice should not be sticky but separate.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and when it splutters add the bengal gram dal, urad dal, coriander seeds and red chillies. Fry them well and when they turn golden in colour add 5 to 6 pods of garlic and saute together. Remove from flame, when cold grind it to a fine powder.

Heat 1/2 tbsp of ghee in a pan add the remaining garlic pods and fry them till they become golden brown in colour. Break the cashew nuts into pieces and fry them too till they become golden brown. Remove the pods and let them cool. Add the remaining ghee and oil to the pan, and add the mustard seeds when it splutters add curry leaves and saute it a while.
Add the cooked rice, ground powder and required salt and mix well. Add the fried garlic pods on top. Decorate it with coriander leaves and fried cashewnuts.

Kootanchoru or Kootanjoru

A recipe from Tirunelveli district.

Ingredients:
Jeeraga Chamba Rice - 1 cup
Tuvar Dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp
Drumsticks - 2 nos
Shallots (Sambar or small onions) - 6 nos
Onions - 2 nos
French Beans - 8 nos
Hyacinth Beans (Avaraikkai) - 6 nos
Carrot - 2 nos medium
Potato - 2 nos
Raw Banana - 1 no
Brinjal - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 1/2 cup
Dried Chillies - 12 nos
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Corinder seeds - 2 tsp
Bengal Gram - 1 1/2 tbsp
Oil - 4 tbsp
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafodeita powder - 1/2 tsp
Asafodeita piece - 1/2 inch
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Method:
Cut drumsticks into 3 inch pieces. Chop onions finely. Dice beans, brinjal, potaotes, carrot, hyacinth to reasonable size cubes.

In a frying pan add 1 tbsp of oil and when hot add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried chillies, 1/4 cup of curry leaves and asafodeita piece one by one and fry till bengal gram turns golden brown. Ensure it is not over fried. In the end add the grated coconut. When cool grind it to a very very fine paste.

Pressure cook rice and dal separately in pressure cooker. (Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder to the dal while cooking). Make 2 cups of thick tamarind water from the tamarind paste.

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water and add the chopped drumstick pieces. Remove the drumstick pieces from the water. In a shallow vessel add the remaining 3 tbsp of oil and when hot add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add fenugreek seeds, asafodeita and saute for a while. Add the chopped onions and small onions and saute till they turn glassy. Add the all the other vegetables except drumstick and saute for a while. Add the tamarind water, salt, turmeric powder and reduce the flame to medium heat. Cook till the vegetables turn tender.

Mix the ground paste into the cooked dal and mix well and let it boil for about 3 to 4 mins till they blend thoroughly. Mash the cooked rice a bit and add it to the vessel little by little. Ensure that no lumps are formed. Keep mixing the ingredients in the vessel too. Add the drumsticks and the water that is used to cook it. Keep the flame in low and stir gently. If the mixed rice is thick add another 1/2 cup to 3/4th cups of water and stir till everything gets mixed thoroughly. Add more salt if needed.

This is similar to bisibela bath. But the taste slightly differs as the rice that is used is a different kind of rice. This is also one pot meal

Pudina Aloo Baath

Ingredients:

1. Pudina - one bunch

2. Ginger - 2 inch piece

3. Garlic - 3-4 cloves

4. Green chillies - 3-4

5. Coconut shredded - half cup

6. Potatoes - 3 - peeled and cut into cubes.

7. Onions - 1 - chopped fine

8. Oil - 3 tblspns

9. For seasoning - turmeric powder, fennel seeds, cinnamon 2 inch piece, cloves - 2, cardomom - 1, bay leaves -2

10. Salt - as needed.

11. Cooked basmati rice - about 2 cups

Method:

1. Grind the items mentioned 1 through 5 into a paste

2. In a kadai, pour oil, and season with items mentioned for seasoning.

3. Add onions. Saute until they are cooked.

4. Add the ground masala. Saute until the raw smell goes.

5. Add the potato cubes. Add salt. Cook until the potatoes and well-done. 

6. Add the cooked basmati rice to the cooked curry. Mix without breaking the rice.

7. Enjoy with a raita of your choice.

Tomato Pulav by Shripriya

Party menu recipe posted by Shripriya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Tomato - 2 chopped fine.

Red onion - 1 big chopped fine.

Tomato puree - half cup

Coconut milk (thick) - half cup

Cloves 2

Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Garlic - 5 cloves

Red chillies - 4

Oil, Curry leaves - few springs, Cumin seeds and bay leaf for seasoning.

Salt - as needed.

Method:

Soak cloves and poppy seeds in warm water for 30-40 minutes.

Grind the soaked items and ginger, garlic, and red chillies into a paste.

Fry the basmati rice in a tbspn of oil and keep it aside.

In a kadai, pour about 2-3 tbspn of oil, then add the items mentioned for seasoning. Once the cumin seeds splutter, add the chopped onion. Then add the ground paste. Fry until raw smell goes.

Then add the tomatoes and salt. Once all the water evaporates and it is a fine tomato-onion curry, add the fried basmati rice, mix it and turn off the stove.

Transfer into a pressure-cooking vessel or in the rice cooker, add the tomato puree and coconut milk and one cup of water. 2 Whistles enough in the pressure cooker.

This is the tomato pulav....or we can even call it as red pulav.

Vaangi bath by Kanthi Narayanan

Brinjal contest entries by Kanthi Narayanan

Ingredients :
Brinjal - 6 firm cut into 1' pieces vertically
Rice - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Dhaniya seeds - 2 tablespoons
Kadale paruppu - 1 tablespoon
Red chillies - 2 big
Cinnamon - 1/2' piece
Cloves - 2
Dry Cocoanut - 1 tablespoon
Kariveppilai - 6 leaves
Oil - 4 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 3/4 teaspoon
Peanuts - 1 tablespoonTurmeric - 1 teaspoon

Method :
Saute ingredients in BOX in a little oil to golden brown. Cool and make a coarse powder. Set aside. Saute the brinjal in oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt until cooked. Cook rice (not too soft). In a little oil, make seasoning with mustard seeds & peanuts, add the rice, rest of salt, brinjal, masala powder & turmeric powder and mix well but gently.

Tip: Thin green brinjals are the best for this recipe.

Kalkandu Saadam|Sweet Candy Rice

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Sweet Candy (Diamond Kalkandu) - 1 1/2 cup
Cashew Nuts - 12 nos
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1/2 cup

Method:
Powder the candy. Make syrup out of it. Cook rice using 1 cup of milk and 3 cups of water. Remove from flame and mash it well. Add the cooked rice to the syrup and boil it for a few mins.

In a frying laddle add ghee and fry the cashew nuts and fry it to a golden brown colour. Pour it to the rice and add cardamom powder and mix well.

This is prepared normally for Pournami Pooja(Puja done on full moon day) as a prasadam or Neivedhyam. Can be made on Chitra Pournami day in the place of Sarkarai Pongal.

Tomato Rice without Garlic

Tomato rice can be done in different ways. Many dont like the taste of masalas and garlic while having this delicay. Here is a method to make tomato rice without garlic.

Ingredients:
Tomato - 1/2  kg (Red ripe, banglore vareity)
Green Chilly - 2 to 3 nos
Onion - 2 nos (medium size)
Salt to taste
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Rice - 2 cups
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Bengal Gram Dal - 2 tbsp
Broken Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Asafodeita - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook rice with 4 cups of water and spread it on a plate. Add ghee to it and mix well with the handle of a laddle so that the rice dont break.

In a pan heat oil and when it splutters add bengal gram, broken urad dal and asafodeita. Slit green chillies and add it to the pan. Chop onion finely and add it to the pan and when it turns glassy add finely chopped tomates. Mix well. Add turmeric powder, salt and mash well. Add half a cup of water, reduce the flame and cover it with a lid. Cook for about 5 mins, remove the plate and mash well so that all the tomatoes have become soft and tender and is in a semi puree form.

Remove from flame and add little by little to the rice spread in the plate and mix so that all the grains are coated with the cooked tomato paste. If needed a bit more of salt can be added after tasting it.

Chettinad Briyani using Baby Potato

Whenver the term Chettinad Briyani is spoken, it is normally non-vegetarian briyani with Chicken pieces. But here is a recipe retaining the same flavour and taste but is made with baby potatoes. Though one cannot expect the taste of juice of chicken in the briyani, still this tastes heavenly and almost just the same.

Ingredients:
Baby Potatoes - 1/2 kg
Onions - 2 nos
Tomato - 1 no or Tomato puree - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 2 nos
Basmati Rice or Jeeraga Samba rice - 2 1/2 cups
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece 2 nos
Bay leaf - 2 nos
Fennel seeds (Perunjeeragam) - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Thick unsour curd - 1/4 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup

Method:
Mix chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp of salt and curd. Beat well and keep it aside. Boil the baby potatoes for about 15 mins or pressure cook it for 1 whistle. Peel the skin and poke the potatoes with a fork making about 6 to 9 small holes. Add the potatoes to the curd mixture and ensure all the potatoes are coated with it. Let it marianade for about 45 mins.

Wash and soak the rice in luke warm water for 10 mins. Drain the water thoroughly. Heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the rice till it all separates and doesnot stick to the pan. Remove and spread it on a plate. 

Chop onions to small pieces. Slit the green chillies into 2. Dice the tomato into small pieces

Heat 4 tbsp of ghee in the pan, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon pieces, bay leaf and fennel seeds. Add onion, chillies and tomato or tomato puree. Saute till the onion turns glassy. Add the marianated potato pieces and saute in medium heat. Cover and cook in low heat for about 5 mins. Add the coconut milk along with 2 cups of water. Add desired salt to taste (better add less and if needed a bit more can be added later). When the water boils add the rice. Cover and cook till the rice gets cooked. (This will take about 8 to 10 mins). Alternatively, the mixture can be transferred to a hard bottom vessel and pressure cooked for 1 whistle.

Remove from flame and mix thoroughly. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. (Can also garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins, if preferred).

Serve with Onion Raitha or Chettinad Ennai Kathrikaai.

Potato Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cup
Potato - 3 Medium sized
Green Peas - 1/4 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 4 flakes
Green Chillies - 8 nos
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Ghee - 5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cardamom - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Bay leaf - 1 no
Clove - 1
Salt to taste

Method:
Wash and soak the rice for about 15 to 20 mins. Cut the onions to thin slices. Cut tomato to small cubes. Wash and peel the potatoes and cut them to small cubes. Slit the green chillies. Chop ginger and garlic into very fine pieces.

Heat  1 tbsp of ghee in a pressure pan or hard bottom pan. When hot drain the rice thoroughly and fry it in the ghee for about a min till all the grains are coated with ghee and no moisture is left in the rice. Transfer the rice to a plate and spread it and let it cool.

Heat the remaining ghee and add cardamom, cinnamon, bayleaf, clove and saute for a few seconds. Add green chillies, finely chopped onions, ginger and garlic and mix well. Saute these items till the onions turns glassy. Add the tomato and salt. Mash the tomatoes and mix well. Let the tomato get cooked thoroughly. Add the potato and peas and add 1 cup of water. Cover it with a lid and let it cook for about 5 mins till the potatoes become soft.

Add the rice to the pan and add another 1 1/2 cup of water. Mix all the ingredients together and cover it with a lid. (If it is pressure pan, it can cook till the steam comes out, no need to put weight). Wait for about 5 mins and check whether the mixture have not settled at the bottom. Mix well again and cook for another 5 mins. If the rice is not cooked well sprinkle another 1/4 cup of water.

Can be served with onion or boondhi raitha.

Cheese Pulav

Ingredients:
Basmti Rice - 2 cups
Cheese - 100 gms (grated)
Onion - 2 nos
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 4 nos
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Method:
Wash and soak the rice for about 10 to 15 mins. Drain thoroughly. Fry in 1/2 tbsp of ghee and set aside. Chop the onions finely.

In a shallow pan or pressure pan, add the remaining ghee and when hot add onion, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and a pinch of salt. When the onion turns glassy, add the rice and add just 3 cups of water.

Cover with a lid leaving a little space for the steam to escape (if it is a pan) or close it with the lid of the pressure pan and let the steam escape. Let the rice cook for about 10 to 15 mins. (It will not take more than this time).

Reduce the flame, add the grated cheese and coriander leaves. Remove from flame and mix the cheese to the rice. Simple and easy to make Pulav.

Variations:
      Can add fried cashew nuts, raisins too to this pulav.

Recipe for Bengali Ghee Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1/4 kg
Ghee - 5 to 6 tbsp
Bayleaf - 1
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece
Black pepper corns - 4 nos (if more spiciness is liked can add upto 8 nos)
Salt to taste
Water - 2.5 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts - 6 nos

Method:
Wash and clean rice and soak it for about 2 hours. Drain the water thoroughly. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and saute the rice in it till all the rice is coated with ghee. Remove the rice from the pan and set aside.

Add 2 tbsp of ghee to the pan and add cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf and black pepper corns. Add rice to the pan and add water and salt. Close the pan with a lid (ensure that there is no gap). Cook untill the rice is done. Remove from flame and transfer it to a shallow bowl.

In a seasoning laddle heat ghee. Add finely chopped cashewnuts and when they turn golden brown add it to the cooked rice. Decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Spicy Egg Plant Gravy goes well with this dish.

Recipe for Pongal made of Sugar

Recipe for Sarkarai pongal made of sarkarai. This is not as famous as the Sarkarai Pongal made of Jaggery. My grand ma makes this on Pongal day itself. But my mom makes it during Kanu.

Ingredients:

Milk - 1/2 ltr
Raw Rice - 1 cup
Moong Dal - 1/3 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom - 3 to 4 nos
Cashew nut - 12 nos
Ghee - 1 cup

Method:
Wash and pressure cook rice and moong dal in 4 cups of water. When done mash the rice well. Add sugar and milk and mix well. In low flame cook for another 5 mins by stirring constantly.

Remove from flame, powder the cardamom and add it to the Pongal. Fry cashew nut in 2 tbsp of ghee untill it is golden brown in colour and add it to the Pongal. Add the remaining ghee.

Can be served as a part of breakfast along with Ven Pongal and Medu Vadai.

Tomato Pongal

Kids like variety in their lunch box and this Pongal is something which will make even those kids who dont eat tomatoes to eat it.

Ingredients:
Rice (Raw) - 2 cups
Tomato (Banglore vareity) - 6 to 8 nos depending upon the size
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 4
Ginger - 1 inch
Clove - 1 no
Bay Leaf - 1 no
Onion - 4 medium sized
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Cashew Nuts - 12 nos

Method:
Pressure cook rice and moong dal with 4 cups of water for almost 5 whistles.

Cut tomato into thin slices. Slit the green chillies in the middle. Cut the onion into thin lengthy slices. In a pan add half of the ghee and add bay leaf and cloves and the add onions when the onion turns glassy add the green chillies and ginger. Add the tomatoes and salt and saute them well till the tomatoes get mashed well. Add the cooked rice and moong dal and mash well. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves (chopped finely).In the remaining ghee fry the cashew nuts till they become golden colour. Add it to the cooked Pongal.

Serve hot with Sambar

Sarkarai Pongal - A sweet recipe for any festival

This is one recipe which is made very often at home especially on fridays of the Tamil month of Thai and Aadi. This is also one Pongal that is made during the festival of Pongal.

Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/2 cups
Milk - 4 cups
Cardamom - 2 pieces (grind it to fine powder)
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 pieces
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Raisins - 12 pieces

Method:
In a dry pan fry the rice and moong dal separately till a nice aroma is emitted. Pressure cook the rice and dal together with 2 cups of milk and 5 cups of water. Cook for almost 5 whistles. Mash it thoroughly when the rice is warm. Heat the remaining 2 cups of milk in a solid bottom vessel or pan and add the mashed rice to it and mix thoroughly. Slice the jaggery and add it to the rice and milk and mix thoroughly. Add cardamom powder and mix again.

Fry cashew nuts and raisins in ghee and add it to the cooked Sarkarai Pongal.

Curd Rice - A must in every South Indian meal

 Many might think that making curd rice is very easy. But if not done correctly, even the curd rice could turn out bad. The rice that is cooked for the curd rice should be soft and should be mashed thoroughly. The curd used for curd rice should be unsour. 

Many variations can also be added to the plain curd rice to make it more attractive.

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups

Fresh unsour curd - 1 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Asafodeita - a pinch

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Green Chillies - 2 nos

Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Method:

Cook the rice with 6 cups of water and 1 cup of milk in pressure cooker. Atleast 5 whistles be allowed. When it is time to open, remove the rice and transfer it to a shallow bowl. Mash well with the back of a scoop laddle thoroughly. When warm add salt and the remaining 1 cup of milk and mix again. Add the curd and mix well. 

In a tadka laddle, add ghee and mustard seeds, when it splutters add the hing, green chillies. Chop the curry leaves to fine pieces and sprinkle on curd rice. Pour the tadka on top of the curry leaves. Mix well so all mixes thoroughly. Finely chop coriander leaves and decorate the curd leaves.

Instant Tamarind Rice

Tamarind Rice have different varieties. The traditional Tamarind Rice can be made either as instant rice or using Pulikaichal. 

Ingredients to make Instant Tamarind Rice: 
Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Gingely Oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Bengal Gram Dal - 2 tbsp
Ground nuts - 2 to 3 tbsp
Cashewnuts - 10 to 12 nos
Curry Leaves - 1/4 cup
Red chillies - 2 to 4 nos
Tamarind Paste - 6 tbsp
Multi purpose Powder - 3 to 4 tbsp
Powdered Salt - To taste

Method to make Instant Tamarind Rice:
Add 1 tbsp of gingely oil in a pan and when hot add the mustard seeds. When it splutters add it to the rice spread on a flat bowl. Mix well without damaging the rice. Add oil again in pan and fry the Bengal Gram, Ground nuts, cashew nuts, Red chillies and curry leaves to it. After sauteing it for a few minutes add the tamarind paste and bring it to a boil. Add Multipurpose powder and mix well. Add it to the rice and  add salt to it. Mix well without damaging the rice. Instant Tamarind rice is ready.