Daily Archives: September 3, 2014

Green peas pulao

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Preparation time : 15 minutes

Cooking time : 25 to 30 minutes

Serving : 3 members

Description

Peas pulao . A pulao that is so easy to make and is highly tasty with delicate flavours . Made with few simple ingredients transforming into a well executed main course . Love the greens peas popping up between the white long grained rice . It’s a treat to the eyes . Green peas is one among my favourite vegetables along with potatoes and cabbage . But my hubby hates potatoes and green peas . So very rarely do I get to eat my favourite veggies . To add to this he hates pulaos being a true blue South Indian , so very loyal to his boiled white rice . Me being experimental when it comes to food , find it difficult managing with fussy hubby most of the time . Ending up cooking two ways incorporating my hubbys interpretation to satisfy his and kids taste buds . This has served to be a bonus to me as it has helped me to learn cooking both ways with a deep understanding of flavours as well as techniques and presentation , time management in cooking too many dishes in a short span of time and multi tasking in the kitchen . So no complaints as this has raised the food bar at home .

Ingredients

Ingredients
Quantity
Green Peas1 1/2 cups ,( boiled )
Basmati Rice1 1/2 cup , ( washed and soaked in water for 1/2 an hour )
Onion (sliced)1
Green chillies2 slit
Mint leaves1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds1 teaspoon
Cloves2
Garlic flakes (crushed)3
piece of Ginger1 inch piece crushed
Cardamoms3
Cinnamon1 inch piece
Ghee 2 tablespoons
Coriander Leaves (chopped)2 teaspoons
Cashew nuts (chopped1 tablespoon,
Salt to taste

Method

  1. Take a non-stick pan with ghee and heat it.
  2. Add ginger-garlic crushed and stir.When it turns brownish, add onions, cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon and cumin seeds.Fry the mixture till the onions turn translucent.Mix well adding cashew nuts and washed soaked rice . Cook on medium flame till the rice get to a pink colour for about 3 minutes . Add 3 cups of hot water and salt , mix well.top with green peas , green chillies , mint and coriander leaves . Cook till most of the liquid  is absorbed.Lower the flame as much as possible, cover the pan and cook till the rice is almost done.Cook for some more time till the rice is done.
  3. Serve hot with vegetarian or non vegetarian gravy of your choice .

 

Kashayam for digestion

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Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 to 25 minutes

Serving : 2 members

Description

Kashayam is a term used to represent a drink made with spices that have medicinal qualities in them to heal cold , digestion , body pain so on and so forth in south India . Especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala . They are excellent digestive aids and often the best expectorants. The word kashayam takes me back to my childhood days when my grandmother sabiya perima ( moms mom ) insisted we drank those home-brewed kashayam at least once a week , mainly being the jeeraga kashayam which was the one and only kashayam we were given mostly . At hubby’s place they have so many different kashayams for every possible thing . You name it and they have a kashayam for it . These home remedies are a treasure trove that I have learnt from my mother – in – law and she learnt from hers . I confidently hope to pass it on to my daughter , daughter – in – law and each one of you . Sundays were always a body cleansing day , from cutting your nails to oiling your hair and having a bath with a final kashayam drank after bath. All those years later, I religiously followed the same thing for my two children. Frankly, they hate it, but drink it only because they trust me enough not to poison them :-)) . Well now for you peeps , sure after lining your tummy’s with all the possible sweets for Diwali . This kashayam will sure cleanse and relive your system . Give it a try and watch what wonders this does to you !!!

Ingredients

Ingredients
Quantity
Cumin Seeds3 tablespoons
Black Pepper Corns2 tablespoons
Dry Ginger powder2 tablespoons
Liquorice / costus root1 inch piece ( sarana veru in Tamil , mulethi in Hindi , adimathuram in Malayalam )
Garlic4 flakes crushed
Water2 glasses
Palm jaggery1 cup

Method

  1. Dry roast cumin seeds and peppercorns separately for a 1-1½ minutes on a low flame till the heady aroma of roasted spices fills your home! Make sure that you don’t over do it and burn the spices.
  2. Spread the roasted spices on a wide plate and let them cool down completely to room temperature.
  3. Take water in a sauce pan , add roasted cumin seeds , pepper corns , dry ginger powder , liquorice crushed , garlic and palm jaggery and bring it to boil.
  4. Once the water comes to boil, mix well . Lower the flame and let the water reduce to one glass of liquid .
  5. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes . Switch off the flame and let it rest for 1 minute for the flavours to infuse.
  6. Strain the Kashaya through fine sieve and drink it while hot. Enjoy this cup of goodness at any time of the day .

Note

  1. Make sure to dry roast cumin seeds and black pepper corns in low flame separately until a good aroma arises . Be sure not to burn the spices as it results in a bitter kashayam instead .
  2. This kashayam works best with palm jaggery / karupatti .
  3. The kashayam is authentically done in a man chatti / clay pot .
  4. Do not drink water immediately after you have had your kashayam as it tends to up set your tummy .