Peanut and Soy-Sesame Stir Fry Sauces

PEANUT STIR FRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

Rice Vinegar - 1/4 cup

Soy Sauce - 1/4 cup

Granulated Sugar - 2 tsps.

Peanut Butter - 4 tsps.

Water - 2 tbspns

Chili Garlic Paste - 2 tsps ( 2 cloves garlic and 1 medium sized chili crushed )

Method:

Combine everything together and microwave for 20-30 secs. Or heat the sauce in the pan for 3 minutes. Cool and store it in refrigerator.

SOY SESAME STIR FRY SAUCE

Ingredients:

Vegetable Broth - 1/2 cup

Soy Sauce - 1/2 cup

Rice Vinegar - 4 tsps

Sesame oil - 4 tsps

Hot Red Pepper Flakes - 2 tsps

Sugar - 2 tsps

Corn Starch - 1 tbspn dissolved in 4 tbspns of water

Method:

Combine everything together and heat it in a pan for 3-5 minutes until to get a saucy consistency.

Cool and store it in refrigerator.

BROWN RICE WITH STIR FRIED VEGGIES

Ingredients:

Brown Rice - 3 cups, cooked

Peanut Stir Fry Sauce - 4 tbspns

Soy Sesame Stir Fry Sauce - tbspns

Veggies - Sliced Onions, Sliced Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Baby Carrots, Green Beans approximately 3-4 cups

Oil - 1 tbspn

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in high heat.  Add all the veggies and sauté for 5 minutes. Add some salt and pepper. Now add all the sauces and stir fry all the veggies for 2-3 minutes. Then add the cooked brown rice and sauté for a minute. Transfer to a bowl and serve hot with red chili sauce!! 

Vermicelli Biriyani

Ingredients:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables -   1 cup, chopped (Carrot, Beans, Peas, Potato & Cauliflower)
Ginger Garlic Paste   - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 cup, sliced

Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Chili -   3-4 (slit lengthwise)
Curry Leaves -       few
Mint -  2 tbspns, chopped
Coriander Leaves - 2 tbspns, chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as per taste

To temper;
Oil - 1 tbspn
Bay Leaf  - 2 small
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Clove - 2 
Cardamom Powder  - a pinch

Method:

First roast the vermicelli with few drops of oil till golden brown.
In a vessel add 4-5 cups of water sprinkle some salt and add few drops of oil allow to boil. When the water starts boiling add the roasted vermicelli and cook for only 3 minutes. Drain the water and spread it in a plate to cool and keep aside. 

In a microwave safe bowl add the chopped vegetables, sprinkle little water and cook in microwave for 2 minutes and keep aside ( the vegetables should be cooked 3/4th to retain its crunchiness).
In a pan, heat oil and add clove and bay leaf and fry well. Then add onions and curry leaves sprinkle some salt and keep frying till transparent. Now add ginger-garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves and add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and coriander leaves and stir well.
When tomatoes get soft and mushy add a pinch of turmeric powder, cardamom powder and add the cooked vegetables.
Stir fry for 2 minutes and then add cooked vermicelli. Gently stir fry the vermicelli with vegetables for 1-2 minute and add some more chopped coriander leaves and close the pan with lid and simmer for 3-4 minutes. This helps the vermicelli to incorporate all flavors n taste.
Serve hot with Raita.

Inspired from here

Kaima Idli

Ingredients:

Idli - 4
Oil - for deep frying + 1 tbspn
Onion - 1 cup, cubed
Ginger Garlic Paste -   1/2 tsp
Tomato - 1 cup, cubed
Capsicum - 1/2 cup, cubed

Green Chili - 2, slit lengthwise

Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Leaves - 1 tbspn, chopped  

Salt to taste

Water - 1/4 cup              

Method:

Keep the idlies in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr.

Oven Method;

Pre heat the oven to 400 F. Cover a tray with an aluminium foil.

Cut the idlies into bite size cubes. Mix the ildies with a tbspn of oil. Place it in the tray and bake it in the oven at 350F for 20-30 minutes until the idlies turn golden brown, tossing the idlies for every 5 minutes.

Stove Top Method;

Heat the oil in a kadai for frying the idlies. Deep fry the idlies till golden brown.

Keep it aside.

Now take a pan and add a tbspn of oil. Add the onions and green chilies and sauté till the onions turn translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for a couple of minutes followed by capsicum. Now add tomatoes and sauté till it turns mushy. Now add the spices red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Saute till the oil oozes out. Add water and let it boil for a minute. Now add the baked/fried idlies and mix it well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot !!

Cabbage Chana Rice

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice - 2 cups, cooked

Cabbage - 1 cup, shredded

Onions - 1/4 cup, thinly sliced

Chana Dal - 1/4 cup, cooked

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Curry Leaves - a few

Whole Dry Red Chilies - 3, broken

Turmeric - a pinch

Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - as per taste

For Garnishing;

Cialntro/Coriander - 1 tbspn, chopped

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

Add the urad dal, asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chilies and cook for 1 minute till the urad dal turns pink. Add the onions and turmeric powder and cook for another minute.

Add the cabbage, chana dal, salt and 1 tablespoon water and cook over a low flame for 5 minutes or till the cabbage is tender.

Add the rice and lemon juice, mix well and cook covered for a few minutes.

Serve hot garnished with the chopped coriander.

Inspired from Tarla Dalal

Vegetable Dum Biriyani

Serves 2 - 3 

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups

Water - 4 cups

Cardamom - 1 whole

Cloves - 2

Star Anise - 1

Oil - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Saffron - a few strands soaked in warm milk

Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Put 4 cups of water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil add the whole masalas, oil and required salt. Make sure to add salt in this stage. There is no way to add salt if you forget to add. 

Stir well and cook on medium flame for 12 minutes. Always keep an eye on the rice. The rice should be cooked to 70%.

Switch off the stove and drain the excess water through the strainer. Run the rice through cold water so that the rice will not stick together. Keep it separate.

For the Vegetable Gravy;

Ingredients:

Vegetables - 2 cups, chopped into bite size pieces (Carrot, Potato, Cauliflower, Beans, Peas)

Green Chili - 2, slit lengthwise

Bay Leaf - 1

Jeera - 1 tsp

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsps

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Salt - as required

Curd - 1/4 cup

Mint - 1/4 cup + 2 tsps, finely chopped

Cilantro - 1/4 cup + 2 tsps, finely chopped

Water - 1 tbspn

Cashews - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 3 tsps

Onions - 1 large, sliced lengthwise

Butter - 2 tbspsns

Oil - 2 tsps

Method:

Fry the cashews in a tsp of ghee till golden brown. Keep it separate.

Now add the butter and fry the onions in low flame till the onions gets caramelized. Keep it separate.

In the same pan add ghee and oil. Add jeera and bay leaf. Saute for a minute and add the ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell of the paste goes off (approx 1 minute). Now add all the vegetables and green chilies except peas. Add a tablespoon of water, cover and cook until all the vegetables are tender but crispy( Make sure the vegetables are cooked 70%). Now add the peas, spice powders and salt. Saute for a minute and add 2 tsps of mint and cilantro. 

Cook for 2 minutes and add the curd. Switch off the stove. The vegetables should not be dry.

Keep the gravy separate.

How to put Dum;

Take a heavy bottomed pan. Grease the pan with ghee. Now add half of the vegetable gravy and spread it all over the pan. Now add half of the rice and half of the mint and cilantro leaves. Spread half of the fried cashews and fried onions. Repeat the same with the remaining gravy, rice, mint & cilantro, cashews and fried onions. Now pour the soaked saffron over the mixture. 

Method 1:

Cover the pan with a lid and place it over a iron skillet (i used dosa tava) and cook for 30 minutes in medium flame.

Method 2:

You can also steam the biriyani in the pressure cooker for 7 minutes without putting the cooker weight.

Method 3:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the biriyani in the oven proof bowl. Cover it with a aluminium foil and bake it for 25 minutes. Now remove the foil and bake it for 5 minutes.

Dum Biriyani is ready to serve with Raita ! 

Pav Bhaji

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Pav;

Pav Buns - 8

Butter* - 4 tbspns

Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 tsp(optional)

For the Bhaji;

Potatoes - 1 1/2 cups, boiled and mashed

Cauliflower - 1 cup, finely chopped

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Carrots - 1/2 cup, chopped

Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped

Capsicum - 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Tomatoes - 2 1/2 cups, chopped

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 1/2 tbspn

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Oil** - 1 tsp

To be ground into a Chili-Garlic Paste;

Dry Red Chilies(whole) - 3-4 soaked in warm water

Garlic - 4 cloves

For Serving;

Onion - 1 big, chopped

Lemon Wedges - 4

Corainder - 1 tbspn, chopped

*You can omit butter if you are diet conscious. 

**Replace butter if you are not diet conscious.

Method: 

For the Bhaji;

Boil the cauliflower, peas and carrots till they are soft. Drain out the excess water.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the prepared chilli-garlic paste and sauté till the onion softens.

Add the tomatoes and simmer till the oil separates.

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the boiled vegetables and potatoes and mash thoroughly using a potato masher, adding ½ cup of water if required.

For the Pav;

Slice each pav into 2 horizontally. Apply a little butter to each side and sprinkle with a little pav bhaji masala, if desired. Omit the butter if you are diet conscious.

Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

How to proceed

Serve the hot bhaji on 4 individual plates and top with the onion, coriander and lemon wedges.

Inspired from Tarla Dalal