Ghee Rice/Neyychour

Ghee rice is a rich aromatic rice which is a very common recipe in malabar area of kerela. Its usually served with spicy veg/ non veg gravy.Traditionally the rice is cooked in a wide open vessel by adding hot water to it. here I  have opted the easier method by doing the process in a pressure cooker.So here is the recipe for this delicious rice:

Basmathi rice-1 cup
Water-2 cups
Ghee(clarified butter)-5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Cardamom seeds-from 2
Cinnamon stick-1 one inch sticks
Cloves-3
Onion-1 medium
Curry Leaves-few(optional)
Raisins- 1tbsp
Cashews-1 tbsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash rice and soak in water for min 30 mins.Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat about 5 tbsp ghee in pressure cooker and fry the cashews and raisins.Drain and keep aside.Then throw the spices in to it.Fry for a minute,and then add the rice and fry it for 3 to 4 mins.Add salt and mix well.
3. Add the water and close the cooker lid without putting weight and cook  on high flame. when heavy pressure starts to come, reduce the flame to low and put the weight and cook for 2 to 3 mins. See that it doesn't whistle.switch off the stove before that. once the pressure goes open the cooker and shift the food to a wide vessel,to avoid sticking/ forming lumps.
4. Heat ghee in a wok and fry the onions and curry leaves in it till golden brown color.Add this along with a tbsp of fried ghee, raisins and cashews to the rice.
5. Serve warm with a side dish of your choice(something spicy), papad and raitha.

Grapes strawberry Jam

My first attempt at making jams.....a great success...I never thought that its so easy...It turned out very good...and my kid loved it...

Red grapes-2 cup
Strawberries-10 no(hulled)
Lime juice- 1 nd 1/2 tsp
Sugar-10tbsp

1. Grind the grapes and strawberries to puree without water.If you want keep 2 to 3 strawberries without grinding, cut them to bit sized pieces and keep aside.
2. Add this puree,sugar,strawberry pieces(if using) and lime juice and cook over medium heat until it boils and becomes thick in consistency.Stop cooking when it becomes lmedium thick as jam thickens slightly when cooled.

** Adjust sugar if needed.
.I feel like blogger problems are not yet resolved...My followers list is still missing :(.

Bitter Gourd Chutney

A recipe for all bitter gourd lovers...This doesn't mean that the recipe is very bitter...no its not so...This chutney is a bit bitter and tastes good.

Bitter gourd-1/2 of a big one.
Coconut-1/2 cup
Onion-1/4 piece
Tamarind- small pea shaped ball.
Salt to taste
Chilly powder-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves- 4 leaves.

Method Of Preparation:
1. Cut the bitter gourd and onion to small pieces.
2. Heat a wok and fry the ingredients without oil till coconut turns light brown.Do this on low flame, else you will burn it.
3. Once done, cool it and grind it coarsely using very little water.

** This chutney is slightly  bitter and very slightly sweet...

Spinach Stir Fry

Spinach-1 bunch(cut roughly)
Green chilli-1 no(minced)
Garlic-4 cloves(minced)
Mustard-1 tsp
Grated Coconut-1/4 cup
Shallots-3 no(cut to small pieces)
Coconut Oil-2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard and fry the onion and garlic till the raw smell goes.
2. Add the spinach and salt and cook till done.Keep the pan closed using a lid.Mean while crush green chilli and coconut in a plate and keep aside.
3. Once spinach is cooked keep the lid open so that if excess water is there it can dry.Then add the coconut mixture, mix well and turn off the heat.
4. Serve as a side to rice.

2nd Method:
Spinach- 1 bunch(cut roughly)
Garlic-2 cloves(minced)
Green Chilli-1 no(slit)
Salt to taste
Coconut Oil-2 tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. In a wok add spinach,garlic,salt and cook with the lid closed till spinach is done. Then dry any water in it and drizzle coconut oil over it. Mix well. Turn Off the heat. Serve with rice.

Banana Shake

I had one banana which was too ripe to eat...so tried this recipe....

Banana-1 no
Chilled Milk-3/4 cup(increase or decrease according to the thickness required)
Boost-1 tbsp
Sugar-1 tsp(add more if needed)

Method of Preparation:
Cut the banana roughly and blend it along with milk, boost and sugar to form a medium thick yummy shake...

Onion Rice

My kid got 4 shots yesterday afternoon...vaccines...and he is  having the normal fussiness and fever....and wants me around him...So decided to do something really quick for lunch and here is a very simple and quick recipe...

Rice-1 cup
Salt to taste
Onion-1 medium(cut to small pieces)
Mustard-1 tsp
Urad dal/bengal gram-2 tsp
Dry red chilly/Curd chilli-3 no
Curry leaves-1 stalk
Coconut Oil-2  tbsp

Method Of Preparation:

1. Cook the rice with required salt.The cooked rice should not be sticky/over cooked.
2. Heat oil in wok,splutter mustard,add urad dal,chilli and fry till golden brown,add curry leaves and onion.Fry onion till light brown. Add the cooked rice to this and mix well.Take from heat.
3. Serve with spicy side dish , raitha ,chutney.

Semiya/vermicelli payasam

Finally I am able to see my dashboard from last two days....wanted to post something then itself but was tied up with work as my son turned 1 on june 8th and my age too got increased on 10th :)....
Hope everyone of you are fine and enjoying every moment of your life...Missed you all badly during these days...and I am pretty sure that I wont be able to peep into all of your tempting recipes...yup will surely try..:)
So here is the recipe for payasam....

Milk-6 cups
Vermicelli-1/2 cup
Sugar-3/4 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Cashews- few
Raisins- few

Method Of Preparation:
1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins and keep aside. Fry the vermicelli in the remaining ghee on medium flame till it becomes light brown.Keep on stirring else it will become dark.Once light brown take from heat and keep aside.
If using roasted vermicelli you can skip this process of frying vermicelli.
2. Boil the milk in a big vessel and once boiled reduce the heat and add the vermicelli.Keep stirring while you add it and cook it on medium heat till it gets half cooked.Stir in between.
3. Then add sugar,stir and continue cooking till vermicelli becomes soft and looks cooked, and by now the payasam would be creamy and slightly thick.During this process stir occasionally.Once it starts to look thick and cooked add the cardamom powder, mix well and turn of the heat.
4. Add the fried cashews and raisins and mix.
5. Serve warm or chilled.

Notes:
1. If using roasted vermicelli, after frying the cashews and raisins keep aside about 1/2 tsp of ghee along with it and mix it at the end to the payasam. Done just to get the flavor of ghee as we are not frying the vermicelli in ghee earlier.
2. While making the payasam if it looks too thick add more milk and heat it. Do not overcook vermicelli.
3. Payasam tend to thicken as it cools, in that case add hot milk to it. Do add sugar to milk while heating, if required.