Lemon Rice

Perhaps it is one of the most easiest recipe.
Whenever i make lemon rice i get reminded of my picnic days in my childhood.

back in India, we always used to take this or Puliyodarai with any thuvaiyal prepared by my grand mom.

Ingredients

Rice - 1 cup

Lemon- 2 (deseeded n juiced)

Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal- 1/4 tsp

Red chillies - 1 or 2
Curry leaves - a bunch

Asafoetida- 2 pinch

Groundnuts- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1 tspn

Salt

Oil- 1/2 tbsp

Method

• Cook the rice n keep it aside.
• In a pan add oil and when it is hot drop mustard seeds,urad dal n channa dal
• allow it to splutter and then add the curry leaves , red chillies n asafoetida
• then add the groundnuts and saute for a min.(i have avoided using groundnuts but it is gives more taste)
• when their flavours has got a chance to intermingle add the lemon juice and turmeric powder, wait for 2 mins and then take it off the flame
• add the needed salt and mix it with the rice.
• simple isnt it?
• enjoy with potato chips or any thuvaiyal

Tomato Briyani

Ingredients

Basmati rice- 1 1/2 cups (300 gms)
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 4 nos(big)
Ginger garlic paste - 3 tspns
Clove - 2 to 3 nos
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch
Briyani leaf - 1 no
sompf - 4 to 5 nos
nutmeg powder- 1 tspn
Briyani masala - 3 tspns
Turmeric powder - 1 tspn
Oil - 2 tbspn
salt - acc to taste

Method

• Soak the rice for 30 mins to 1 hr
  
• heat oil in a thick bottomed pan
• add the cloves, cinnamon n sompf
• wait for few seconds then add briyani leaf n onions cut lengthwise
  
• fry till the onions begin to turn brown
  
• then add the ginger garlic paste n fry for few mins
• add nutmeg powder n saute for few seconds
• add the diced tomatoes n then add salt turmeric pwdr n briyani masala
• wait until the tomatoes are almost cooked
• drain the water from the rice and add it and saute it for few seconds
• add 3 cups of water and mix properly
• close the pan with the lid firmly and keep on low flame
• after 20 to 25 mins the rice is almost ready
• turn of the fire and let it be in standing time for some time say 5 mins
• tomato briyani is ready
  
• garnish with coriander and enjoy with raita

Sambar

Well i started my cooking with my husband's help.
It was my husband who taught me to make sambar and yes it is really yummy
Naveen i hope it is helpful for you. Try it , it is a Bachelor's recipe( ha ha ha ).

Ingredients

Onions - 1 big size or Small onions - 10 nos
Tomato - 2 big ones
Toor dal - 150 gms
Vegetables - Carrot/Chow Chow/Raddish/Drumstick/Beans/Capsicum
Curry leaves - a bunch
Coriander - a bunch(chopped)
Mustard - 1 tspn
Urad dal - 1 tspn
Fenugreek - 1/2 tspn
Asafoetida - 1/2 tspn
Tamarind - size of the lemon
Turmeric Powder - 1 tspn
Sambar Powder - 2 tbspn


Method

• Soak the dal for abt 30 mins and pressure cook it with turmeric powder(also can be done without soaking)
• Boil the tamarind with water for 2 mins n set aside
  
• In a kadai add oil and then add mustard , urad and fenugreek and allow it to splutter
• Then add curry leaves and asafoetida and saute it for few secnds
• Then add Onions slit length wise and saute it till little brown
• Then add the cubed vegetables and saute it for 3 to 4 mins
• Saute it with the cut tomatoes
  
• Add the tamarind juice and the cooked dal
• Then add salt and sambar powder
• wait till it boils well
• Garnish with coriander
• Serve with steamed rice
  

Chicken Fry

Well i have experimented on tandoori chicken without using a tandoor.
sounds strange but as i am away from india i dont have the tandoor.
yeah but the chicken can be grilled in the oven also but i use a simple frying pan n cook it on the gas.

Ingredients

Chicken - 300 gms

For marination

• Ginger paste- 1 tspn
• Garlic paste- 1 tspn
• Vinegar - 1 tbspn
• Lime juice - 1 tbspn
• Curd - 2 tbspn
• Chicken masala - 2 tspn
• Red color powder - a pinch ( optional)
• salt - acc to taste.

Chicken masala

The chicken masala which i usually use is "sakthi chilli chicken "
U can get the chicken masala from the Indian store .

Marination

• wash the chicken and make small incisions on it (with fork or knife) n set it aside
• in a bowl add ginger garlic paste and all the above mentioned ingredients for marination
  
• stir it properly so that the masala gets dissolved
• then add the chicken pieces n mix it well
• now this has to kept it in the refrigerator for to 1 to 2 hrs for proper marination
• sometimes i keep it overnight( depends upon the availability of time)

Method

• Heat about 1 tbspn of oil in the frying pan
• when its hot add the marinated chicken pieces
  
• make sure the falme is low
• occasionally brush it with oil n make sure to turn it
  
• keep cooking for abt 10 to 12 mins
• here we go tasty chicken is ready

Enjoy it as a starter or with chappathi or naan

Potato Fry

Ingredients

Potato - 1 medium size
mustard seeds - 1/2 tspn
urad dal - 1/2 tspn
Oil- 1 tbspn
Chilli powder - 1 tspn
Coriander powder- 1 tspn
Salt - acc to taste


Method


Slice the potato to oval shape n keep it aside
Pour oil in a frying pan
and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds n urad dal.
wait for few seconds and when the mustard seeds splutter
add the sliced potatoes n let it fry for some time say 5 mins, then add chilli powder , coriander powder n needed salt... the saute it for 5 to 6 mins. there you go simple potato fry is ready
relish it with sambar rice or chappathi