Asparagus Peas Pulao

This is a quick and simple meal which is very flavourful. When had with a nice spicy gravy, it
becomes a rich meal. Here I have used a combination of asparagus, capsicum and green peas. You can
add just a single veggie and make quick asparagus pulao, capsicum pulao or peas pulao. I prefer
these veggies to stay crunchy in my pulav and hence i saute it seperately and add to the rice. You can
make the whole recipe even simpler by cooking the veggies along with the rice too.
Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Asparagus (cut into 1" sclices)/ Capsicum - 1 cup
Green Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tblsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tblsp
Water - 2 cups
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Bay leaf - 1
Salt - to taste
Method
1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for minimum 15 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds.
3. Saute the sliced onions till it becomes translucent.
4. Next add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell vanishes.
5. Add this to the soaked and drained rice along with bay leaf, coconut milk, water and required salt
and cook it.
6. Heat some oil in another pan, add the peas, asparagus and/or capsicum and saute for 2 minutes.
7. Once the rice is done, gently mix the asparagus and peas with it using a fork.
8. Garnish with cilantro and serve with some spicy gravy.

Tips
- You can saute the asparagus and peas along with the onions and cook it with the rice too. But the
veggies will get overcooked and loose its crunchiness.
- Adding coconut milk is to make the rice richer and more flavourful. It is optional and you can
substitute that with water too.

Carrot Rice

(Carrot Sadam, Gajar Baath)

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup (uncooked) or 2 cups cooked rice

Grated carrot - 1 cup (about 3 carrots)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Green chilly - 2 (slited)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Oil - 1 tblsp
Cilantro - for garnish

For tempering
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 strand
(You could also use channa dal and some cashew nuts for tempering)

For Masala
Corriander seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 3-4
Peanuts - 1 tblsp
Grated Coconut - 2 tsp

Method
1. Cook the rice seperately and keep it aside. Spread it on a tray to ensure that the grains dont stick to
each other.
2. Heat little oil (2 tsp) in a pan and splutter the ingredients under 'for tempering'.
3. Add the chopped onions and green chilly and fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add turmeric powder and the grated carrot and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Toss in the rice and required salt.

(If you are in a hurry you could stop with this but I like to go further and add some more
flavoring.)
6. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan and fry the ingredients under 'for masala' until it turns nice and
golden brown.
7. Coarsely grind it and toss this powder along with the rice. This adds nice flavour and crunch to the
rice.
8. Garnish with ribbons of carrot and finely chopped cilantro and serve with some raita.

Tips
- You could also squeeze the juice of half a lime and a pinch of garam masala while tossing the rice.

Cauliflower Pulao

(Cauliflower Rice, Gobhi Pulav)

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cauliflower - 1 (medium size cut into small florets)
Onion - 1/2 sliced
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 5 (finely chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 tblsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds (Shahi Jeera) - 1 tsp
Cilantro - handful (finely chopped)
Oil/Ghee/Butter - 1 tblsp

Method
1. Heat little oil/ghee/butter in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds.
2. Saute the onions till it turns golden brown followed by green chillies and ginger
garlic paste.
3. Add the cauliflower florets along with turmeric powder, garam masala, fennel
powder, pepper powder and required salt.
4. Add the soaked rice, 3 cups of water and required salt.
5. Cover and let it cook till the pulao is done. You can cook in a pressure cooker for 1
whistle or in a rice cooker too.
6. Finally add finely chopped cilantro and serve with onion raita or any other
vegetable raita.

Tips
- If you have left over cooked rice, follow the above recipe till step 3. After that add
just 2-3 tblsp of water and cook the cauliflower. The cauliflower should be
completely cooked but still retain its crunchiness. After that mix the cooked rice,
check for salt and garnish with finely chopped cilantro.
- You could also add toasted cashews for added richness.
- You could make the rice more rich by cooking the whole thing in coconut milk.

Variations
- You could also make potato pulao, beans pulao, peas pulao, carrot puloa, soya
pulao etc using the same recipe.

Chicken Biriyani

(Kozhi Biriyani, Chicken Pulao, Murgh Biriyani)

Biriyani is a dish made with rice, lots of spices and some meat/vegetables. It is a favorite and
famous dish among indians and even other parts of the world. The recipe given below is that of
chicken biriyani. Using the same recipe but changing the ingredients instaed of chicken , you can
make different biriyanis like turkey (van kozhi) biriyani, mutton biriyani, quail (kada) biriyani, duck
biriyani, mutton biriyani, pork biriyani, mushroom biriyani, soya biriyani, corn biriyani or
vegetable biriyani ( with mixed vegetables).

Ingredients-1

Basmati rice - 3 cups

Chicken- 1 lb (1/2 kg) (cut into small pieces)

Onion -1 large/2 small ( cut lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 ( finely chopped or crushed)
Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
Corrainder leaves - ¼ cup (finely chopped)
Mint leaves - ¼ cup (finely chopped)
Green chillies - 5 nos (finely chopped)
Oil -3 tblsp
Ghee - 3 tblsp
Yogurt -1/4 cup
Water Coconut milk mixture - 4.5 cups ( 1 cup coconut milk diluted with remaining water)

Salt - to taste
Chilly powder - 2 tsp ( or as needed)

Fennel Powder - 2 tblsp

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Ingredients-2 ( For Marination)

Salt - ¼ tsp
Lemon juice /Yogurt - 2 tblsp

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Corriander powder - 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - ½ tsp

Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp

Garam Masala

Bay leaf - 2
Cinnamon - 4

Star Anise - 2
Cloves -5
Cardamon -3

Preparation Steps
1. Wash and cut chicken into small pieces. Marinate using all ingredients from list-2 and let it rest in
the refrigerator for atleast half an hour .
2. Rinse 2 cups of Basmati rice, soak it for atleast 15 minutes, drain all water from it and keep aside.

3. Optionally, toast the rice with some ghee till a nice aroma comes. This will make the biriyani even
more flavourful and prevent the rice from sticking to each other. You can omit this step if you dont
have time.

Method
1. In a heavy deep vessel/ pressure cooker heat oil and ghee together. Once it gets heated up, add the
whole garam masala. You can grind the garam masala and add it if you do not like whole masala
coming in your mouth.
2. Slowly add onions along with chopped green chillies.
3. When onions turn slightly brown and crispy add ginger garlic paste, chopped corriander and mint
leaves.
4. Next add tomatoes and saute for a while till the oil seperates.
5. Now add marinated chicken along with turmeric powder, chilly powder, fennel powder, yogurt and
salt. Saute everything for 5-10 minutes until it thickens to a gravy consistency.
( If you are making biriyani with mutton or pork, you have to cook it completely before adding the
rice.)

After this step, you can proceed in any of the following ways :-

Using a pressure cooker

6. Add the coconut milk and water mixture to the gravy and bring it to a boil. Add the soaked rice,
check for salt and bring it to a boil again.

7. Cover the pressure cooker and put the whistle, reduce the flame to the simmer and let it cook for 20-
30 minutes. (You may not get any whistle as the flame is very low. Just switch off after 20-30 minutes
and the biriyani will be done. If you increase the flame, there are chances that the bottom might get
burned.)

Chicken/Turkey Fried Rice

Fried rice is a rice recipe that originated in china but its indo chinese version has become one
of the favorites all indians. Rice sauteed with veggies and soy sauce makes a wonderful delicacy. It
can be had just by itself without any sidedish. The following is the recipe for chicken fried rice. The
recipe can be modified to get turkey fried rice, mutton fried rice, pork fried rice, beef fried rice or
even shrimp fried rice using the appropiate meat. The meatless versions are egg fried rice and
vegetable fried rice. For egg fried rice, just skip the meat and increase the number of eggs by 6. For
vegetable fried rice, just skip the eggs and meat.

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Carrot - 1
Celery sticks - 2

(You can also use other vegetables like Capsicum, Cabbage, snap peas, green beans, corn, peas,
asparagus etc etc.)
Egg scrambled - 2

Ground Pepper- 2 tblsp

Soy sauce - as needed
Boneless skinless chicken- as needed (canned chicken breast can be used)
Salt - to taste
Chicken boulion cubes(optional)
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp
scallions(green onion) - 1 bunch

Tips

- You can also add other vegetables like red cabbage, white caggage, leeks, fennel, green peas, corn
etc. Just finely chop them like thin match sticks or grate them.

Method
1. Cook the rice seperately(1 cup rice : 1.5 cup water ratio)
2. Chop the carrot and celery sticks using blender or by hand .
3. If canned chicken is used drain the excess water and cook in the microwave for 2
minutes and shred it.If using the fresh chicken blanch it and shred it.
4. In a wok add little butter add ginger garlic paste and fry the shredded chicken
5. Remove the chicken from wok now add little more butter fry the chopped carrot with salt and
pepper.
6. After removing the carrot, fry the chopped celery with butter ,salt and pepper.
7. Similarly fry the green onions with little butter and keep aside.
8. Now in the same wok fry the rice ,little soy sauce and add the fried chicken, scrambled egg, carrot,
celery and green onions and fry all together(add salt and pepper as needed).
9. Do step 8 in small batches so that all the ingredients will blend together.

Tips

- You can add 1/4 tsp of ajinomoto with the fried rice for extra flavour.

Cooked Meat Biriyani (Chicken Biriyani)

Ingredients

Rice - 2 1/2 cups soaked in water for an hour

Onions - 4 medium (sliced lengthwise)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Green Corriander - chopped for garnishing
Birista (golden fried onion) - for garnishing
Salt - to taste
Oil - as needed

Marination

Chicken - 2 lbs
yogurt - 2 cups
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tblsp
Garam masala powder - 2 tblsp
Ginger-garlic paste - 3 tblsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Potato - 1 (cut into four pieces)
cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tblsp
Whole garam masala - 2 tblsp (a mix of bay leaf/ cinnamon/ black pepper/ green elaichi/ black elaichi)
Butter - 2 tblsp

2nd layer - cooked chicken

Method
1. Marinate all the above ingredients under 'Marination' for 3-4 hours and refrigerate.
2. Take oil in a vessel. Add onions and let it turn pink. Add tomatoes and fry until the oil separates.
3. Add the marinated chicken and cook well.
4. In the meantime, take a big vessel with water, add salt & 1 tblsp ghee. bring the water to a boil. 5.
Then add the soaked rice and let it cook. once cooked, drain all the water.
6. Now in a vessel or a container, arrange the biryani as shown in the picture with rice layer at the
bottom.
7. Put some birista (golden fried onions) over the rice layer, then add chicken and finally another rice
layer.

8. Top it up with birista and chopped green coriander leaves.

Vegetable Biriyani (Corn Biriyani)

Ingredients
Corn - 1 cup
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Onion -1 large ( cut lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 (finely chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 3 nos (chopped)
Oil -3 tblsp

Ghee - 3 tblsp
Coconut milk/Yogurt - 1 cup
Water -3 cups
Salt - to taste
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Corrainder leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

Mint leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

Whole Garam Masala

(Bay leaf - 1, Cinnamon Stick- 2, Cloves -5, Cardamon -3)

Method
1. Soak 2 cups of Basmati rice for atleast half an hour. Drain the water and keep aside.
2. In a heavy deep vessel heat oil and ghee together and fry bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardomon.
3. Add onions and saute till golden brown.
4. When onions turn slightly brown add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes. Saute till it becomes a paste.
5. Next add chopped green chilly, chopped corrainder and mint leaves.
6. Now add the corn kernels along with turmeric powder, chilly powder, yogurt/coconut milk and salt.
Saute everything until it thickens to a gravy consistency.
7. Add this gravy to the (soaked and drained) rice along with 3 cups of water and mix well. Check for
salt and cook it in a rice cooker.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Curd Rice

(Yogurt Rice, Thayir Sadam, Dahi Butti, Thayiru Choru, Mosaranna)

Ingredients
Rice - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Cold Milk - 1.5 cups
Curd - 1.5 cup
Cream - 2 tblsp
Salt - as needed
Cilantro - handful (finely chopped)

For Tempering
Oil - 1 tblsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 2
Green Chilly - 1
Ginger - 1/2 "piece (minced)
Curry Leaves - 1 spring

Method
1. Cook the rice with 3 cups of water and some salt. We need overcooked rice which
gets easily mashed up.
Tip :- If you have leftover rice, just reheat it with some additional water.
2. Once the rice is cooked, mix and mash up part of the rice.
3. Add the milk and keep mixing till all the milk gets absorbed by the rice.
4. Once you add the cold milk, the rice will cool down. If it is still hot, wait for it to
become luke warm before you add the curd. This will prevent the curd from curdling.
5. Add the cream and yogurt and mix well.
6. Heat oil for tempering in a small pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
7. Add the channa dal and urad dal and wait for it to turn reddish brown.
8. Now add the dry red chillies, curry leaves, finely chopped green chillies and finely
chopped ginger. Fry for a minute. (You can add some raisins and cashews too.)
9. Add this to the curd rice. Also add the finely chooped corriander leaves and mix
together.
10. Curd rice is ready to be served. You can also garnish it with more chopped
cilantro or grated carrots or fresh fruits like pineapple, pomegranate, grapes, apples
etc.

Serving Suggestions

- Most curd rice lovers like to enjoy it all by itself without any side.

- In South India, Thayir Sadam is typically served with spicy pickle.

- Some people like to have curd rice with some spicy gravies like chicken curry,
sambhar etc.
Variation

- The Maharashtrian variation of Curd Rice (also called Dahi Bhutti) is mildly
sweetened with 1 spoon of sugar.

Tips

- If you do not like tiny pieces of ginger and green chilly coming in your mouth,
just make a paste of it before adding to the curd rice.

Curry Leaf Rice

(Karuveppilai Sadam, Karivepaku Annam, Karuvapila Choru)

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Salt - as needed
Turmeric Powder - a pinch

To Roast and Powder

Curry Leaves - about 1 cup packed
Urad Dal - 2 tblsp

Channa Dal - 1 tblsp

Garlic - 1 clove
Dry Red Chillies - 5
Peppercorns - 5
Coconut - 2 tblsp

For seasoning
Asaefoetida - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame Oil - 2 tblsp

Method
1. Cook the rice with required salt and a pinch of turmeric powder and keep aside.

2. Dry roast the dals, garlic, peppercorns, dry red chillies and coconut till it turns golden brown. Roast
it in low flame to prevent it from getting burnt.

3. Add the curry leaves and toss everything on low flame till the leaves turn crisp. The whole roasting
process should take about 12 minutes. Switch off and cool everything.
4. Grind everything to a coarse powder and keep aside.

5. Heat oil in a wok and do the tempering with mustards seeds and asafoetida.
6. Add the cooked rice and the ground curry leaf powder. Switch off.
7. Toss till everything comes together. Check for seasonings and add salt if needed.
8. Serve with raita, papad and/or some fry.

Tips

- You can make the Curry Leaf Powder in bulk and store it. This way you can make curry leaf rice
instantly with left over rice. If you intend to store the powder, do not add coconut. Here's the recipe for
Curry Leaf Powder.

Egg Pulav

(Egg Pulao, Ande Ka Pulao, Muttai Sadam)

Ingredients
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Eggs - 2 or 3
Ghee/ Butter/ Oil - 2 tblsp
Cilantro – for garnish
Onion - 1/4 (Sliced)
Green Chillies - 5 (Slitted)
Tomato -1 small size (chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste - (1 1/2 spoon)
Whole garam masala - (1 bay leaf, 3 cloves, 2 inch cinnamon, 1 star anise)
Salt - to taste
Water - 3 cups

Method
1. Heat the ghee in a pan and splutter the whole garam masala.
2. Saute the onions with ginger garlic paste, tomato, green chilli’s and salt.
3. Break the eggs and sauté it along with the above mixture.
4. Scramble the eggs until it is cooked and now add the water.
5. Once the water begins to boil add the soaked rice and let it cook on low flame. You can also cook
the rice with water, the above sauteed mixture and required salt in a rice cooker.
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with any curry. It is a very easy to make and its done in minutes.

Tips
- Soak the Rice when you put the kadai on the stove for sautéing your ingredients. So that Rice will
not break while cooking .

Egg Biriyani

(Ande Ki Biriyani, Mutta Biriyani, Egg Dum Biriyani)

Ingredients
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Eggs - 4 + 3
(4 Hard Boiled eggs + 3 eggs scrambled)
Saffron - a pinch (soaked in 2 tblsp of milk)
Whole Garam Masala - (2" cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, 3 cardomom, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 star anise, 1 bay
leaf)
Shahi Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tblsp
Salt - as needed
Water - about 10 cups
Mint Leaves - handful

For Masala
Onion - 2 medium (chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tblsp
Cilantro (Corriander Leaves) - handful (finely chopped)
Mint Leaves - handful (chopped)
Green Chillies - 3 or 4 (chopped/slit)
Yogurt - 4 tblsp
Lemon Juice - 2 tblsp
Ghee and/or Oil - 2 tblsp
Biriyani Masala - 1.5 tblsp
(You can also substitute with 1 tsp chili powder, 4-5 peppercorns, 1 tsp corriander powder, 1 tsp
cumin powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder)
Salt - as needed

Preparation Steps
1. Hard boil 4 eggs, peel it and cut it into half lengthwise.
2. Sprinkle a pinch of biriyani masala, little salt and little corn flour on the eggs and shallow fry. Keep
it aside.
3. Scramble the remaining 3 eggs with little salt and black pepper powder and keep aside.
4. Cook the rice in plenty of water (about 10 cups) along with 1 tblsp oil, shahi jeera, whole garam
masala, salt and some mint leaves. (You can add a pinch of turmeric powder too if you want a bright
yellow colour).
5. When the rice is 3/4 th cooked, drain the water and spread it on a tray to cool.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Method
For making masala
1. Heat ghee and oil in a pan and add the onions and green chillies. Saute till the onions turns brown.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the chopped mint leaves and cilantro.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook till it gets mashed up.
4. Add the yogurt, biriyani masala and salt. Cook this till you get a nice masala and the oil seperates
from the masala.
5. Add lemon juice to the masala just before switching off.

Layering the Biriyani

The dum process can be done in a conventional oven or stove top. Take a tray or a big heavy
bottomed vessel and do the layering as follows.
1. Grease the bottom of the vessel/tray with some ghee or oil.
2. Spread half of the cooked rice at the bottom. This will be the first layer.
3. Pour the egg masala over the rice as the 2nd layer.
4. Put the scrambled layer over the masala followed by the remaining rice.
5. Top this with the saffron flavoured milk, some ghee, some fried onions, finely chooped cilantro and
mint leaves.
6. Arrange the hard boiled eggs on the top.
7. Cover with an aluminium foil and seal all sides so that the steam wont be able to escape.
8. Leave it in a 350 degree oven for half an hour. By this time the aroma of the biriyani will fill the
house.

(If you are doing the dum on stove top, reduce the flame to the lowest setting and cook for about 20
mintes.)
9. Gently fluff up and mix the rice before serving. This way the masala and scrambled egg will be
evenly distributed in the rice.

Serving suggestion
- Serve this biriyani with some raita and any non veg sidedish.
- This tastes delicious with some pickle and potato chips too.
Serves : 4-5

Fish Biriyani

(Meen Biriyani, Machli Baath, Fish Pulao)

Ingredients
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Fish fillets - 4
Onion - 1
Green Chillies - 2 (minced)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tblsp
Tomato - 2 ( crushed)
Coriander leaves(Cilantro) - handful
Mint leaves - handful
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon stick - 2 pieces
Cardamom - 2 pods
Bay leaf - 1
Star anise - 1
Cashew nuts/ Almonds - 10

For fish
Oil - 3-4 tblsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Egg - 1

Method
1. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Fry the rice in 1 tblsp of ghee and keep aside.(optional)
2. Cut the fish fillets into small pieces.
3. Take a small bowl, beat the egg in it and mix the spices under 'For fish' with it(chilly powder,
pepper powder, salt and turmeric powder).
4. Coat the fish pieces with the above mixture and shallow fry it. Keep it aside.
5. Heat ghee in a deep pan and add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, star anise and cloves.
6. Add onions and fry till it becomes golden brown. Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and green
chillies and fry for 2-3 mins, until the raw smell disappears.
7. Add the tomato puree along with the chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric
powder and curd and fry till a nice spicy paste is formed.
8. Add part of the chopped coriander leaves saving a part for garnishing. Add chopped mint leaves and
fry for another minute.
9. Add the nuts to this mixture.
10. Put the above mixture with the rice into a rice cooker with 3 cups water and let it cook.
11. Once the biriyani is done add the fried fish pieces to it. Gently toss everything without breaking
the rice and keep covered for 10 minutes. Do this when the biriyani is still very very hot so that the
flavour of the fish will get blended with the rice.
12. Garnish with cilantro and few fried fish pieces on top and serve with raita.

Variations

- Try using dried fish and make Karuvadu Biriyani (Dry Fish Biriyani).
Tips
- The juice of a lemon can be mixed at the end to give additional flavour.

- If you like bits of fish pieces all over the biriyani. scramble the fried fish pieces and mix it with the
cooked rice.

Hyderabadi Biriyani

- recipe by Radhika submitted on 01-14-2011

(Dum Biriyani, Hyderabadi Murg Pakki Biriyani)

Ingredients

To make rice
Basmati Rice - 3 cups
Onion - 1 big
Green Chilly - 6
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed
Fennel Powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut Milk - 1 cup
Water - 3 cups
Ghee - 2 tblsp

To make Gravy
Chicken - 2 lbs (cut into pieces)
Onion - 2 (chopped)
Tomato - 3 (chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tblsp
Green Chilly - 10 (slit)
Mint Leves - 1 cup (chopped)
Cilantro - 1 cup (chopped)
Curd - 4 tblsp
Fennel Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tblsp
Chilly Powder - 2 tblsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tblsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Whole Garam Masala - 1 Bay Leaf, 2 Cinnamon Sticks, 5 Cloves, 3 Cardomom
Salt - as needed
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Fried Onions (Birista) - 1 cup
Roasted Cashews - 10 pieces or as needed
Lemon Juice - 2 tblsp
Orange food colour/ Saffron - a pinch

Method
To Prepare Rice
1. Soak the rice in water for about half an hour.
2. Heat little ghee in a frying pan, add the onions and green chilllies and fry till it turns brown in
colour.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
4. Add fennel powder and the drained rice. Fry the rice for few minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk, water and required salt and let it cook till the rice is 3/4th cooked.
To make gravy
1. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the whole garam masala.
2. Add the onions, green chillies and mint leaves and saute.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the mixture is golden brown.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are smashed up.
5. Add all the dry spice powders, salt and curd. Cook the mixture.
6. Add the chicken pieces and saute nicely.

7. Cover, cook for 10 minutes and switch off. The chicken gravy is ready.

To prepare dhum
Method 1 (On Stovetop)
1. Take a heavy bottomed vessel and add about 2 inches of the prepared gravy.
2. Add half of the cooked rice as the next layer.
3. Next layer with the remaining gravy and put the remaining cooked rice as the last layer.
4. Top this with chopped cilantro, fried onions and roasted cashews.
5. Mix the orange food colour/saffron with the lemon juice and sprinkle on top.
6. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
7. Keep a tawa on the stovetop and put this vessel on top of it.
8. Keep the flame on a very low setting and cook for about half an hour.

Method 2 (In the oven)

1. Take a baking dish or aluminium tray and add the chicken gravy as the first layer.
2. Add the half cooked rice as the second layer and top it with chopped cilatro, fried onions and
roasted cashews.
3. Mix the orange food colour/saffron with the lemon juice and sprinkle on top.
4. Cover the dish/tray with aluminium foil and cook it in a 350 degree oven for half an hour.

- Do not mix it. While serving dig deep with the serving spoon to get all the layers.
- Serve with raita, boiled egg, mirchi ka salan or ennai kathrikai.

Jeera Rice

(Cumin Rice, Zeera Pulao, Jeeraga Sadam)

Jeera rice (Jeera Pulav) is a rice dish with the wonderful flavour of cumin seeds. I love to make
this dish for parties because it goes along with any kind of sidedish. It is a simple and elegant dish.

Ingrediants
Basmathi rice - 2 cups
Ghee/ Butter/ Oil - 2 tblsp
Cilantro - handful
Onion - 1/4 (chopped)
Green Chillies - 2 (minced)
Cumin seeds (Jeera) - 1 tblsp
Whole garam masala - (1 bayleaf, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon, 1 star anise)
Salt - to taste
Water - 3 cups
Method
1. Wash and soak the rice for atleast half an hour.
2. Heat the ghee in a pan and splutter the whole garam masala and cumin seeds.
3. Saute the onions (optional). Onions might change the colour of the rice.
4. Add the above tempering along with green chillies, part of the cilantro, drained
rice, water and required salt and cook in a rice cooker.
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with any curry. It is a very versatile diah and goes
along with any sidedish.
Tips
- If you use whole garam masala instead of garam masala powder and skip the onions,
the rice will remain nice white in colour.

Kashmiri Pulav

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Chopped mixed fruits (canned or fresh or dried) - 1 cup (like apples, raisins, apricots, peaches,
pineapple, kiwi, dried cranberries, candied cherries etc)
Mixed nuts - 1/2 cup ( Almonds, pecan, walnut, cashews etc.)

Saffron strands - 1/4 tsp (for garnish) + 1/4 tsp (for cooking with rice)

Whole Garam Masala - 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardomon, 3 cloves

Cream - 2 tblsp
Milk - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 tblsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ghee/ Butter - 2 tblsp
Rose water - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed

For garnish you can use

Edible Rose Petals
Fresh fruits (chopped)
Fried Onions
Cilantro

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice for atleast 10 minutes. Drain it and keep aside.
2. Heat Ghee/ butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds and whole garam masala (cinnamon, bay leaf,
cardamon, cloves).
3. Add the sugar to this and fry for a minute followed by the nuts.
4. Add the cream, milk, saffron and water to this and bring it to a boil.
5. In the mean time, fry the rice in little ghee/butter. This step is important as it makes the rice nutty
and keeps each grain seperate after it gets cooked.
6. Add this fried rice to the boiling milk water mixture along with required salt.
7. After it comes to a boil, reduce the flame to low, cover with a tight lid and let it cook for 20-25
minutes.
(If using a pressure cooker, just 1 whistle would do)
8. Transfer the rice gently to a large mixing bowl.
9. Add the fruits, remaining saffron strands and rose water to it. Gently mix with a fork.
10. Cover with a aluminium foil or a tight lid and let it rest for 5-10 to let all the flavors to blend.
11. Garnish with edible rose petals, more fruits, nuts, cilantro, fried onions and serve hot with raita.

Khuska Biriyani

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups (soaked for atleast 10 minutes and drained)

Onions - 2 (chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Green Chillies - 5-6 (chopped)
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tblsp
Coconut Milk diluted with water - 1.5 cups
Chicken Stock - 1.5 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Mint Leaves (Pudhina) - handful
Cilantro (Corriander Leaves) - handful
Whole Garam Masala - (2 Bay Leaf, 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 Cardamom, 1 Star Anise)
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp (crushed)
Saffron Strands - 2 pinches (you could also use kesari powder or orange food colour instead)
Butter/Ghee/Oil - 2-3 tblsp
Salt - as needed

Method

1. Heat the oil/butter/ghee in a pan and add the whole garam masala to it.
2. Splutter the cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
3. Saute the onions and green chillies for 10 minutes followed by ginger garlic paste for another 1
minute.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, finely chopped cilantro and mint leaves and cook for few minutes.
5. Add the yogurt, coconut milk, chicken stock and salt and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the soaked rice and bring it to a boil once again.
7. Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook till the rice is completely done.(app. 25 minutes)
8. Soak the saffron strands in 1 tblsp of milk and drizzle it over the cooked rice.
9. Fluff up the rice with a fork, garnish with cilantro, fried onions or chopped nuts.
10.Serve with some spicy curry and raita. This dish infact goes well with any kind of sidedish.
Tips

- You could also transfer the ingredients to a pressure cooker(2 whistles) or rice cooker and cook it.

Lemon Rice

(Elumichai Sadam, Lime Rice, Nimbehannu Chitraanna)

Ingredients
Rice - 1 cup
Lemon - 1 no
Dry red chilli -2
Mustard - ¼ tsp
Split black gram - ¼ tsp
Bengal gram - ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
carrot - for garnish

Method
1. Wash and cook rice. Even left over rice can be used.
2. Grate the zest of a lemon and keep aside. Now, cut the lemon and squeeze the juice discarding the
seeds and keep it aside too.
3. Now in the a pan heat a tbsp of oil, pop some mustard seeds, bengal gram, split black gram, dry red
chilly and curry leaves. (You can also add some peanuts.)
4. Add the turmeric powder, lemon zest and asafoetida and switch off. You can also add 1 tblsp of
grated coconut for some added flavour.
5. Finally add the lemon juice and salt. Too the rice with this till everything is well mixed.
6. Garnish with grated carrot and cilantro. Serve with spicy egg curry, potato curry or thuvayal.

Mango Rice

(Mangai Sadam, Kairi Bath, Pacha Manga Choru, Maavinakayi Chitraanna, Manga Ogare)

Ingredients
Basmati rice - 1 cup (cooked)
Mango - 1 cup (Grated)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Ginger - small amount (chopped)
Red chillies - 2
Green Chillies - 2
Curry leaves
Cilantro
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - tblsp

Method
1.Heat oil in a pan, pop mustard seeds, Urad dal and Channa dal.
2.Add Chopped ginger, Red chillies , Green chillies, Curry leaves and Turmeric powder.
3.Add Grated Mango, Salt and saute well till mango is tender.
4.Add Cooked rice and mix well.
5.Garnish with Cilantro.

Variations

- Add some grated coconut along with mango and you have another variety rice called coconut-
mango rice (Thenga - Manga sadam).
Methi Pulao

(Fenugreek Leaves Pulav, Vendaya Keerai Sadam)

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Fenugreek Leaves (Methi) - 1 bunch (You can also use dried kasoori methi instead)
Green Chillies - 3 (finely chopped)
Yogurt - 2 tblsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin/ Fennel Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tblsp
Salt - as needed
Water - 3.5 cups

Method
1. Soak the rice for 15 minutes, drain it and keep it aside.
2. Seperate the fenugreek leaves and wash it nicely.
3. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds.
4. Add the green chillies, turmeric powder, corriander powder and cumin powder. Saute for a minute.
5. Add the fenugreek leaves (methi) and saute for a minute.
6. Add the rice and fry it along with everything for one minute.
7. Add the yogurt, exact amount of water and required salt. Mix everything together.
8. Cook till the rice is completely done. You can cook it in a rice cooker, pressure cooker or stove top.
9. Serve with raita, potato chips and pickle.

Mushroom Soya Biriyani

(Mushroom Pulao, Soya Rice, Mushroom Biriyani)
Ingredients

Mushroom - 1 lb /1/2 kg ( cut into small pieces)

Soya Chunks - 1 cup

Basmati rice - 2 cups

Onion -1 large ( cut lengthwise)
Tomato - 2 ( finely chopped or crushed)
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Corrainder leaves - ¼ cup (finely chopped)
Mint leaves - ¼ cup (finely chopped)
Green chillies - 3 nos (finely chopped)
Oil - 3 tblsp

Ghee - 3 tblsp
Coconut milk -½ cup
Water -3 cups
Yogurt - 2 tblsp
Salt - to taste
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Corrainder-Cumin powder - 2 tsp

Fennel Powder - ½ tsp

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Whole Garam Masala - (Bay leaf - 1, Cinnamon - 2, Cloves - 5, Cardamon - 3)

Method
1. Clean the mushroom with a wet kitchen towel to remove the dirt. Do not wash
with water. Cut it lengthwise to retain the mushroom shape.
2. Soak 2 cups of Basmati rice and the soya chunks seperately.
3. In a heavy deep vessel heat oil and ghee together and fry the whole garam masala
(bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardomon).
4. Add onions and saute till golden brown. Slowly add chopped green chilly, chopped
corrainder and mint leaves while suateing the onions.
5. When onions turn slightly brown and crispy add ginger garlic paste and tomatoes
and sauté till it becomes a paste.
6. Now add mushroom slices. Squeeze the water from the soya chunks and add it.
7. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, corriander-cumin powder, fennel
powder, yogurt, coconut milk and salt. Saute everything until it thickens to a gravy
consistency.
8. Drain all water from the rice and put it in a rice cooker. Add the gravy to the rice
along with water and mix well. Check for salt and switch on the rice cooker.
9. After the biriyani is done, gently fluff it up with a fork and garnish with corriander
leaves. Serve hot with raita and some sidedish.

Variations
- You can use one of the ingredients and make mushroom biriyani or soya biriyani
alone.

Okra Rice

(Okra Biriyani, Ladies Finger Pulao, Vendakkai Sadam, Bhindi Pulav, Vendakkay Choru)

Ingredients

Tomato - 1.5
Okra - 1 lb
Onion - 1 (medium)
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tblsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Cilantro - for garnishing
Method
1. Cook the rice with 3.5 cups of water and required salt. Keep it aside.
2. Cut the okra into small pieces and pan fry it with little salt and turmeric powder till it is completely
fried.
3. Heat oil in another pan and saute the onions till it turns golden brown.
4. Fry the ginger garlic paste for a minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and fry till all the liquid from the tomato has evaporated..
6. Add the turmeric powder, chilly powder, corriander powder, garam masala powder and little salt.
7. Cook till oil oozes out of the mixture.
8. Toss this mixture with the cooked rice. The rice should be thoroughly coated with the masala
mixture.
9. Finally mix in the fried okra. The okra should be evenly distributed throughout the rice.
10. Garnish with cilantro and serve with raita.

Tips

- You can also make the masala mixture and cook the rice along with the masala mixture. Finally
toss the fried okra.

Peas Rice

Ingredients
Basmati rice – 2 cups
Green peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 big/ 2 small (cut lengthwise)
Ginger- Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chilli -3 (finely chopped)
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon stick - 2
Cardamon - 2
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
Water - 2 cups
Coconut milk (diluted with water) – 1.5 cups
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tblsp
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Fried curry leaves – 8-10 (for ganish)
Corriander leaves( Cilantro) – for garnish

Method
1. Soak the basmati rice in water for 10 minutes and drain the water completely. Heat 1 tblsp of ghee
in a pan and fry the rice till it releases a nice aroma. Remove and keep aside.
3. Now heat oil and the remaining ghee in the pan and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and
cumin seeds.
4. Add the green chillies, onions and ginger-garlic paste and fry everything for 5 minutes until
the everything becomes tender.
5. Now add this mixture along with salt, green peas, fried rice, coconut milk and water in a rice
cooker.
6. Once the rice is done, garnish with cilantro. Serve with spicy chicken curry.

Potato Pulav
Ingredients

Rice-2 cups(160 ml electric rice cooker cup)

onion-1 1/2
potato (red potato look good) - 5 nos(small size chopped in small pieces)
ginger-1.5" piece (grated)
cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
cumin pwdr - 2 tsp
garam masala -2 tsp
green chillies - 3 (you could also use Jalapeno peppers)
lemon juice - juice from 1 & 1/2 lemons
Cilantro - handful
Curry leaves - 2-3 strands

Method
1. Cook the rice seperately and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in a wide vessel and splutter some cumin seeds.
3. Saute the onions, green chillies & ginger.
4. Add finely chopped cilantro & curry leaves.
5. Add chopped potato, mix it, cover and cook.
6. After the potato is well cooked, mix the cooked rice.
7. Add salt and lemon juice.
8. Atlast add finely chopped cilantro & green chilly.

Tips

- Instead of cooked rice, you could add thick poha (aval) and make aval upma (batata powa) and
serve with mint chutney for a quick breakfast, brunch or dinner.

- You could also add some peanuts for some added crunch.

Sambhar Rice
- submitted by Dahlia on 10-28-2007
(Sambhar Sadam, Instant Bisi Bila Bath, Kadamba Sadam, Kootanchoru)
Ingredients
Rice - 2 cup
Split red gram (tur)dal - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water- 5 cups
Tamarind - lemon sized
Small onions - 6nos
Tomato - 1 big
Green chillies - 2 nos ( finely chopped )
Potato - 1/4 cup ( cut into cubes)
Eggplant - 1 big/ 3 small( cut into cubes)
French beans - 1/4 cup (cut into small pieces)
Drumstick - 1 (cut into small pieces)
Sambar powder- 3 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
ghee - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- 10
Coriander leaves(Cilantro) - for garnish (finely chopped)
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - To taste

Method
1. Cook rice and split red gram in 5 cups of water.
2. Heat oil in a wide skillet.Now add mustard seed.
3. Once it pops add fenugreek seend, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves. Fry for a minute.
4. Saute the onions. Cook tomato, green chillies, potatoes, brinjal, french beans,drumstick in 3/4 cup
of water.
5. Add the cooked veggies, sambar powder and tamarind water (tamarind soaked in water ) to the rice
and cook on medium heat for seven minutes.
6. Add ghee and stir well and remove from heat.
7. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.

Tips
- The veggies can be cooked along with rice and split red gram.
- The final rice should be little soggy.
- Any choice veggies can be added.

Shrimp Biriyani (Prawn Biriyani)

Ingredients
Shrimps(Prawns) - 1 lb
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Onion - 1(thinly sliced)
Green Chilly - 2 (minced)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 2 ( crished/finely diced)
Lemon - 1
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves - handful (optional)
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Salt - to taste
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1 piece
Cardamom - 2 pods
Bay leaf - 1
Star anise - 1
Ghee - 2 tblsp
Oil - 2 tblsp

Method
1.Devein and clean the shrimps and rinse with water thoroughly.
2.Add 1 tsp of chilly powder, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, 1 tbsp of
ginger-garlic paste, curd and salt.Toss everything together and keep it aside.
3.Heat ghee and oil in a deep pan and add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, star anise and cloves.
4.Add onions and fry till it becomes golden brown. Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and green
chilly and fry for 2-3 mins, until the raw smell disappears.
5.Add the tomatoes along with the rest of the chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder
and fry till a nice spicy paste is formed.
6.Add part of the chopped coriander leaves saving a part for garnishing. Add chopped mint leaves and
fry for another minute.
7.Add the shrimp mixture to this paste and fry for 2 minutes. Overcooking the shrimp will make it
rubbery.
8.Put this mixture into a rice cooker along with rice and 3 cups water.Pour the juice of a whole lemon
on top.
9.Once the biriyani is done, put it into an oven safe tray. Heat it for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree
oven to remove the excess liquid.(optional)
10.Grnish with cilantro and fried shrimp and serve with some raita.

Tomato Rice

(Takkali Sadam, Tomato Bath, Tamatar Pulao, Tomato Biriyani, Chitraanna)

Ingredients
Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 1 (chopped) + 2 (pureed)
Green Chillies - 2 (chopped)
Red Chilly Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - a pinch
Cilantro - for garnish
Salt - as needed

For Tempering
Oil/Ghee - 2 tblsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fennel/Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp (optional)
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Cashews - 1 tblsp
Curry Leaves - 1 spring

Method
1. You can cook the rice or use leftover rice to make tomato rice.
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
3. Add channa dal, urad dal and fennel seeds and fry till it turns reddish brown in colour.
4. Add cashews, green chillies and curry leaves.
5. Add the onions and fry till it turns translucent.
6. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
7. Next add the pureed tomatoes and cook till the raw smell vanishes.

8. Add the chopped tomato, salt, garam masala and chilly powder. Cook for a couple of minutes.
9. Now toss the cooked rice with this masala. Check for salt and other seasonings and adjust according
to your taste.
10. Finally sprinkle with some chopped cilantro and switch off.
Serving Suggestions
- Tomato Rice tastes excellent with some potato chips and raita.
- It can also be served with some chicken sidedishes for some party.
- It is a very good dish for lunch box, for train travel and for picnics.

Vangi Bath

(Brinjal Rice, Eggplant Rice, Kathrikkai Sadam)

Vangi Bath (eggplant rice/ kathrikai sadam) is a typical Karnataka dish made with brinjals
and a nice blend of spices. The dish is simple to be made for a lunchbox and elegant enough to be
made for a party too. Here comes the recipe.

Ingredients I

Rice (I prefer basmati rice) - 2 cups

Brinjal - 2 big eggplants/ 4 medium/ 6 small (cut into big chunks)
Onion (optional) - 1 big (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 / Sour Curd - 1/4 cup
Green Chillies - 2
Whole garam masala - 1 tblsp (1 stick cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 star anise, 2 cardomon,1

bay leaf)
Oil (preferably sesame oil)/ Ghee - 2 tblsp
Ground nuts (optional) - 1 tbsp (roasted)
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves(Cilantro) - 2 tblsp(finely chopped)
Asaefoetida - a pinch

Ingredients II

Corriander Seeds - 1 tblsp.

Chana dal - 1 tblsp
Urad dal - 1 tblsp
Kus kus - ½ tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tblsp
Peppercons - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Copra or coconut(grated) - 2 tblsp

Method

1. Heat little oil in a pan and roast all the spices under 'ingredients II' till they turn golden brown.
2. Let it cool down and then grind it into a coarse powder (vangibath powder) and keep aside.
3. Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes, cook it seperately with required salt and keep aside.
4. Heat oil/ghee in a deep pan, add the whole garam masala and groundnuts. Saute the onions and
green chillies till it turns golden brown.
5. Next add the tomatoes/ sour cud and saute it.
6. Add the eggplant pieces, turmeric, asaefoetida and little salt to it.
7. Add the vangibath masala powder to this, cover and let it cook till the eggplant (brinjal) is cooked
nicely.
8. Add the cooked rice to this and mix well so that the rice is nicely coated with the masala.

(Alternatively, if you do not have cooked rice, add this masala along with rice and cook it.)
9. Garnish the vangi bath with finely chopped cilantro. Serve with papad and raita.

Tips
- A tblsp of lemon juice can be added at the end for additional flavour.
- You can cook the rice with coconut milk to make it extra rich.
- You can make the vangibath powder in bulk and store it for several days.

Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 3-4
Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup (can use vegetables like potatoes, green beans, carrot, cauliflower, green
peas, baby corn etc)
Mint leaves - handful
Cilantro - handful
Biriyani Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp (add only if you like the biriyani extra spicy)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tblsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Salt - as needed
Oil/ Ghee - 2 tblsp
Coconut milk diluted with water - 3 cups (You can also use only water)

Method
1. Heat the oil/ghee in a pan and add the bay leaf. Saute the onions till it turns golden brown.
2. Add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies and fry till the raw smell vanishes.
3. Next fry the finely chopped mint and cilantro leaves.
4. Add the garam masala powder, turmeric powder, fennwl powder and pepper powder.
5. Add all the vegetables and fry for a minute. Next add the rice and fry for a minute too.
6. Transfer everything to a rice cooker. Add the coconutmilk - water mixture, lemon juice and required
salt.
7. Cook till the rice is done. Garnish with some more cilantro and/or roasted cashews.
8. Serve with some curry and raita.

Tips

- You can make the biriyani with one vegetable alone like beans biriyani, potato biriyani, baby
corn biriyani, carrot biriyani, cauliflower biriyani, peas biriyani, okra biriyani etc. These one veggie
biriyani can be made on any day for lunch box depending on the vegetable you have on hand.

- To add okras to the biriyani, fry the okras (ladies finger) seperately and mix it with the cooked
biriyani.
Zafrani Pulav

(Saffron Rice, Zafrani Pulao, Kungumapoo Sadam)

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cup

Saffron - 1 tsp
Nuts (Cashews, Almonds, Pistachios, Walnuts etc) - 1 cup
Dried Fruits (Black Raisins, Golden Raisins, cranberries, pineapple, papaya etc) - 1 cup
Fresh fruits (Pomogranate, Grapes, Apple ) - 1 cup
Whole Garam Masala - (1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cardomon, 3 cloves)
Black Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Fried Onions - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cilantro - handful
Mint - handful
Sugar - 1 tblsp
Corriander- Cumin Powder - 1 tblsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Oil - 2 tblsp
Ghee - 1 tblsp

Preparation Steps
1. Wash and soak the rice for atleast 10 minutes.
2. Slice the onion lengthwise and fry it.
3. Soak the saffron strands in the milk.

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala.
2. Add the nuts and dried fruits and saute for a minute on very low flame to prevent them from getting
burnt.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste, sugar and corriander-cumin powder.
4. (After this you can cook in a rice cooker or stove top.) Add the above mixture to the rice along with
required water, fried onions, half of the saffron- milk mixture and finely chopped corriander and mint
leaves.
5. Let it cook till the rice is done. At this stage add the remaining saffron-milk mixture on top of the
rice.
6. Add the fresh fruits and mix gently with a fork without breaking the rice.
7. Add few drops of ghee on top.
8. Garnish with additional nuts, fruits, cilantro and fresh saffron strands.

Tips
- You can remove the whole garam masala before serving.
- You can also add fresh vegetables like carrots, sweet peas, sweet corn etc.