Recipe #3 - Chinese fried rice in 15 minutes

Thanks to Abirami Bharath, it took multiple attempts to get this recipe right.
I used to get my veggies soggy before I could add rice. So I ll write the recipe and follow with common mistakes and tips

Fried Rice

1. In 3 tbsp oil, fry 1 slit green chillies, slivered garlic pieces, spring onions and fry well..

2. Add carrots, peas, broccoli, musrooms, soy sauce, chillie sauce, 1 tsp ajinomotto, salt.

3. After having fried the above well, add cabbage and capsicum and fry for 3 more mins. Remember we don't want it fully cooked. 50% cooked is good enough.

4. Now add rice which is only 70% cooked and mix well. Long grain rices work the best. I use Basmati rice.


Common mistakes

- Control sauce portions or they can your fried rice soggy.
- We want the veggies to be semi-cooked. That gives a crunchy texture.

Recipe #2 - Pirattal - A chettinadu flavor

I am an ardent fan of chettinad food, it's spicy, it's extremely different from our mundane sambars and finally it employs all the veggies just like many popular cuisines.

I didn't know that cuisine has so much to offer even for a vegetarian like me.

I follow Mallika Badrinath for chettinadu dishes. Her north indian recipe books lack the aunthetic taste. but for south indian vegearian dishes I love hers the best

Here goes the recipe for Pirattal

Boil 3 carrots, 2 potaotes and 1 small cauliflower, 1/4 cup peas.
For me california style of mexican style veggies packet helps best. Instant and equally nutritious and less pricy. I am for frozen veggies anyday.

Heat oil and add mustard, aniseed, curry leaves, 2 tbsp onion.
Once onions are brown, add 2 tbsp tomatoes and fry till all this is pulpy.

Grind grated fresh coconut 2 tbsp, 7 red chillies, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp aniseed, 1 tbsp gram and 1 tsp poppy seeds. Add to onion and tomatoes.

Fry till you get a good aroma and then add steamed veggies and salt. When all of it is a thick paste, switch off. Add to rice and ghee and eat.

Dellllliiiiiicious !!!!!!!!!!!! My new year weight loss resolutions up in the air ! B went fida too !

ps- it came out dry , so you can consider adding little water while frying

Recipe #1 - If Coriandar and Peas is all you have

Recipe #1

Nita Sharma has been one my favorite chefs fow an year now. Her recipes are simple, ingredients are easy to find and my book called ' 10 minutes cooking' is a hit in my house.

Grind together 2 cups chopped cilantro, 4 flakes garlic, 1 in Ginger, 2 Green Chillies, juice of one lemon, 1 tomato and salt.

Saute jeera, hing and kalonji ( onion seeds) and add 2 cups shelled peas. fry well for 5 mins and add dhaniya paste.

Pressure cook if possible or leave on gas for 15 mins. Add tomato finally. Serve hot..

This goes well with chappathis and cream. Achar would complete the combination.

For those who, like me enjoy the smell of fresh cilantro ( coriandar), green chillies this is a great side dish to chappthis.

I used the left over with rice the next day.