Soyikura aaku garelu/Sabakshi soppu Vadas/Dill Vadas

Its winter and time for hot and crispy snacks. Soyikura or Sabakshi soppu as the leafy vegetable is called in telugu and kannada respectively is high in nutrients. It is called Dill in English and is commonly available is most of the stores world over. We love the Soyyi kura vadas, not just because they are crispy and yummy but also for the distinct aroma that fills the kitchen when they are made.

Preparation time: 15-25 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Dill (Soyyikura aaku/Sabakshi soppu) 2 bunches

Mint Leaves (Pudina) 4-5strands

Spring onions 1/4th bunch

Coriander 5 strands

Curry leaves 10

Green chillies 5-7

Ginger 1 tsp

Refined cooking oil 1cup

Black gram (Urad dal/minapappu/udin bele) 1cup(100 gms)

Bengal gram ( Senagabedalu/kadle bele) 1 cup(100 gms)

Green gram (Moong dal/pesara pappu/hesarbele) 1cup(100gms)

Grated coconut(Optional) 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak Black gram, Bengal gram and green gram for half an hour.

Finely chop the Dill leaves, mint leaves, coriander, curry leaves, spring onions and keep aside.

Grind in to a coarse paste the soaked dals,green chillies and a tsp of ginger.

In broad vessel, mix together the above ground paste with the finely chopped veggies. Add salt to taste, fresh and grated coconut(optional) and mix well to make a batter.

Take medium sized balls of the mix and pat slightly to make thick, medium sized, disc shaped cakes .Deep fry in pre-heated oil.

Soyyi kura aaku vadas are done. Soyyi kura aaku vadas taste awesome with tomato sauce or coconut chutney. A must have on a cold winter evening with hot chocolate to sip along.

Pineapple Kesaribath

This is our most favorite sweet and it the best thing we have ever had. Kesari bath is a typical Karnataka sweet and pineapple kesaribath is a variation of it. Every Kannada household is sure to make this sweet for every festival and every occasion at home.

Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Small pineapple 1

Semolina (Rava/Sooji) 1 cup

Sugar 1 ½ cup

Milk (paalu) ½ cup

Ghee 4-5tbsps

Cardomom powder(Elaichi powder) 1tsp

Pinch of turmeric

Saffron(Kesar strands) to garnish

Dry fruits of choice

Method:

Roast 1cup of semolina in a tsp of ghee. Keep aside to cool.

Cut pineapple into cubes. Now a days most supermarkets sell pineapple slices. 4 such slices will do for the recipe.

Boil 2 and a half cups of water in a vessel for 5 mins. When the water reaches boiling point add the pineapple cubes.Leave to boil for 5 more minutes. Add 1 and a half cup of sugar and leave to boil till sugar melts to make semi-liquefied syrup (the proportion of water and sugar is to 1 cup of semolina. Please adjust accordingly)

When the sugar is forming a syrup, add 2 tbsps ghee and mix. Add a tsp of cardamom powder and a pinch of turmeric and mix (yellow food color can also be used, but turmeric is natural and thus preferred.)

Add half a cup of milk, the roasted semolina and keep stirring till it thickens into a soft pudding/halwa consistency.

On another pan, heat 2 tsps ghee. Add cashewnuts, raisins and the dry fruits of choice like pistachio, almonds etc and roast till raisins are big and transparent while the cashews are light brown.

Season the kesaribath with the ghee-roasted dry fruits and garnish with saffron. Pineapple kesaribath is a great dessert and a delicacy for a festive evening. For us of course, it can be main course too. Pineapple kesaribath can be chilled and served or served hot. Any which way it tastes “heavenly”. We wish our blog visitors a sweet and Merry Christmas!

Palak Kofta

Winter is here and so is the best time to have greens. Amma always tells us that fresh and best greens are available in winter and it is the best time to prepare them as not only are they nutritious but also take lesser preparation time. Spinach koftas or palak kofta is an ideal recipe for a lazy winter sunday afternoon lunch when the mood is to have something crispy yet healthy.

The recipe and pictures are contributed by Nanditha Reddy. Thank you Nanditha.

Preparation time: 35-45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Medium sized Potatoes (aloo) 3

Tomatoes 4

Onion (ullipaya)3

Carrot 1

Bunches of Spinach (Palak/Palakura) 4

Green Chillies 4

A heaped tablespoon of corn flour 1tsp

Sandwich bread slices 2

Refined cooking oil 1cup

Cashewnuts 10

Chilli powder 1tsp

Ginger paste/ginger 1tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Koftas:

Boil, peel and mash the potatoes. Grate the carrot, finely chop the spinach and set aside.

To the mashed potatoes, add the grated carrot, 1 bunch spinach chopped, 2 bread slices,1 finely chopped green chilly, salt and a heaped tbsp of corn flour. Mix well and make average sized balls of the

mixture.

Deep fry the balls in pre heated oil to make koftas and set aside.

Spinach gravy:

Take 4 tsps oil in a kadai/pan(bandli/mookudu). Add finely chopped onions and green chillies and fry till golden brown.Add cashew nuts and fry for half a min.

Add a tsp of ginger paste or ginger flakes as available, 1 tsp red chilly powder, chopped spinach,tomatoes and salt to taste. Leave to cook for 4 mins.

Grind adding water if required ( the tomatoes and spinach already are rich in water content and we generally don’t need to add more water.) into a liquefied gravy.

Add the koftas just before serving. Crispy and yummy palak koftas are ready. Palak kofta is a good rice/Indian bread supplement. Garnish with fresh cream to add flavor.

Srilankan Arati Puvvu Curry

Arati puvvu is Banana flower in English. Bananas are an integral part of the South east asian traditions, more so in India. Right from the leaves of the banana plant to the trunk, the flower and the fruits, bananas have been an orthodox south Indian kitchen’s main ingredient. So much that in most of our homes, the backyard is filled with Banana plants.

Banana flower curry or arati puvvu kura that we are writing now was taught to us by Kamala aunty. Thank you aunty. This is the Sri lankan way of making banana flower curry. High in fibre and protein content, banana flower curry or arati puvvu kura is a healthy as well as a yummy recipe.

Preparation time: 30-45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Small banana flower(Arati puvvu) 1
Whole green gram (Moong dal sabut/pesalu) 1 cup(200g)
Onion 1
Mustard seeds(aavalu) 1tsp
Cumin seeds(jeera/jeelakarra) 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Green chillies(optional) 2
Grated fresh coconut 1 cup
Refined cooking oil 4 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:
Generally in Andhra and Karnataka, we remove the outer layers of the banana flower that seem like its petals and cook the inner pollen kind of white substances. But for this curry we shall use the petals portion that is the red/maroon and purplish outer petals.

Wash the flower as a whole and finely chop like we chop cabbage. There is a hard inner crust that keeps coming in the way while chopping. As we are chopping, we keep removing the hard inner portion to get just the finely chopped petals. We can also keep the pollen kind of white substances aside to be used in our Andhra kind of curries.

Finely chop an onion (2 if the banana flower is medium sized or big).

Add a pinch of turmeric to the whole green gram and pressure cook upto 6 whistles.

In a kadai/pan(bandli/mookudu), add 4 tsp oil. Once hot add a tsp each of mustard and cumin seeds. Once they splutter add curry leaves and green chillies( the curry is essentially sweet and bland. But for those who prefer spicy food, finely chopped green chillies are optional).

Once the above tempering is done add the chopped onions and fry till golden brown. Add the finely chopped banana flower, a pinch of turmeric, salt to taste, cover and leave to cook on simmer for around 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle water if required. Once the flower feels soft and cooked, add the pressure cooked whole green gram and mix well. Since the gram is already cooked adjust the salt and switch the stove off.

Add 1 full cup of fresh and grated coconut to the curry just before serving and mix well.

Sri Lankan banana flower curry or aratipuvvu kura is ideally had with rice or the Malabar parathas. It also goes well with any of the Indian bread. It can also be served as a salad as it tastes awesome just like that. Another way is to serve is as prasadam during festivals like Varalakshmi vratham.Ganesh chaturthi, dussera when ladies are invited home for perantam or harshanekumkuma or Haldi kumkum(a la sundal or oosli).

Sri Lankan arati puvvu curry is a must try dish and one that we will keep on making again and again because it is simple and yet healthy.

Channa dal palak

Channa dal palak is yet another Punjabi recipe from Parul’s stable. Thank you Parul for the beautiful picture and tasty recipe. Rich in iron and protein, channa dal Palak is a very good recipe for kids who otherwise don’t like to have palak as it has channa that they will love to have. Palak is spinach in English and paalakura in telugu.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Spinach leaves (palak/paalakura) 1 cup(400 gms/2 bunches)
Chick peas (Kabuli channa/senagalu) 1 cup(200 gms)
Finely chopped medium sized onion 1
Big tomato 1
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil 4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop 400 gms SPINACH, grate a big tomato, slit the green chillies.

Wash the chana dal.

Pressure cook 1 cup of channa dal, chopped spinach, pinch of salt, chopped green chilli, and a pinch turmeric. After 4-5 whistles allow to cook on simmer for 10-15 mins.

Add oil in pan/kadai (bandli/mookudu).Add onions and ginger. Once the onions are golden brown, add tomatoes and leave to cook for 2-4 mins. Add pinch of red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric.

Add this mixture to the boiled vegetable and dal, leave on simmer for 5 mins.

Channa dal palak is ready to serve. Channa dal palak is a perfect combo with phulkas or any of the Indian bread. It also goes well with any of the flavored rice or just plain rice. Bite a green chilly in between for the extra spice.

Microwave Cabbage Capsicum rice

Cabbage Capsicum rice, with loads of greens is a nutritious yet simple recipe. Making cabbage capsicum rice using the microwave just makes it quicker than usual. Thank you Pallavi for this awesome recipe.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

Cooked rice 1 cup (250 g)
Cabbage 1 cup (200g)
Capsicum 2
Green peas (batani) 1 cup (50g)
Finely chopped onion 1
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1tsp
Refined cooking oil 2tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) 1tsp
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Freshly grated coconut/lemon juice to garnish
Fresh and chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Finely chop or grate a medium sized cabbage. Chop the capsicum and slit the green chillies.

In a microwave safe dish, Add 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp jeera, a tsp of ginger, finely chopped onions, slit green chillies, a pinch of turmeric and microwave on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Once the tempering is done, add the chopped cabbage, capsicum, green peas, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder and mix well. Add a tsp oil if required and microwave for 6 minutes. Check if done, or microwave for 2 more minutes.(Most of the time, the capsicum and green peas are cooked, while cabbage takes a while.)

Once done, add to pre-cooked rice and mix well. Adjust the salt and garnish with grated coconut and chopped coriander. Instead of coconut, sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander. (Do not use lemon and coconut at the same time.)

Either way, Cabbage capsicum rice tastes awesome. Cabbage capsicum rice can be a main course dish, as well as an evening quickie when guests are home and there is something substantial to be made. With all the veggies chopped, cabbage capsicum rice takes less than 10 minutes of preparation time and is also a healthy food at the same time. We however enjoyed cabbage capsicum rice with boondi raitha, and yes it did taste amazing.

Hommos

After almost a year and a half in this Arabic land, we decided to bring some simple Arabic cuisine on to the blog. Hommos is definitely the easiest to make and regularly available food anywhere in the Arab world. In fact, the khuboos (Arabic bread) and Hommos combo is the staple food here.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Chickpeas 1 cup (200 g)
Warm water
Olive oil 4 tsps
Tahini (sesame seed paste/nuvvulu paste) ½ cup
Lemon juice 2 tsps
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1 tsp
Lemon salt (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak 1 cup chick peas(kabuli chana) for 18 to 20 hours i.e overnight.

Boil the chick peas in warm water for almost an hour or more, that is until they turn tender and soft.

Leave to cool. Grind into a fine paste the boiled chick pea’s along with ½ a cup of tahini and salt to taste. Tahini is sesame seeds paste that is available in the supermarkets. (To prepare tahini at home, roast a cup of sesame seeds and grind with 1/4th cup of vegetable oil into a smooth paste. Store in a glass, air tight jar. We have however not tried preparing tahini at home.)

To the ground chick pea paste add olive oil, 2 tsps lemon juice, a tsp of cumin powder(optional), salt if required to be adjusted and mix. Serve as is or garnish with chopped spring onions and serve.

Incase the hommos is to be stored for 2 days and more, add lemon salt or citric acid, mix well and keep in the refrigerator frozen.

Hommos is ideally had with khuboos, the Arabic bread. Hommos itself is also had as a salad. Hommos is anyway a part of every Arabian menu, a welcome relief for vegetarians. So, the next time you are touring an arab country, you know what to ask for!

Microwave Tomato Rice

We are in the process of shifting home between two countries and unable to update the blog on a regular basis. Its been close to a month in a serviced apartment without a stove. We have learnt to cook in the microwave and using an electronic rice cooker.

Tomato rice is a simple rice recipe that we experimented in the microwave and have been successful. Not much to chop, not much to clean afterwards, it is as simple as any of the ready-to-eat stuff and yet yummier than them.

Preparation time: 40 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Raw Rice (Biyyam/Akki/ Chawal) 2 cups (100 gm)
Chopped Tomatoes 2
Finely chopped onions 1
Green Chilly 1
Refined cooking oil 2 tsps
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Sambar powder 2 tsps
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Fresh and chopped coriander or Freshly grated coconut to garnish

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 10-15 mins.

In a microwave-safe bowl add 1.5 tsp oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilly, turmeric, onions and microwave on medium-high for 2.5 mins. Add the chopped tomatoes and microwave for 1.5 mins.

Add 2 tsps sambar powder, 1 tsp pepper powder, salt (a little less than usual), and mix once. Add the soaked rice and 3 cups of water and microwave for 20 mins. Check, add required water and microwave for another 5 mins if the rice feels hard.

Adjust the salt and mix well. Garnish with coriander/coconut as preferred.

Fresh, yummy tomato rice is done. Tomato rice tastes awesome as it is, but can also be had with any of the raithas or just plain curd.

Badam Burfi

Deepavali is the festival of lights. A festival, that fills light, inspiration, hope and joy in every household. Among the popular Deepavali festivities is distributing sweets to friends and family, thus sharing and spreading prosperity. Almond burfi or badam burfi is the perfect sweets for Deepavali. Simple to make, rich to present and sweet to savour, it completes the meaning of a celebration, a Deepavali.

Preparation time: 30-45 mins.


Ingredients:

Almonds (Badam) 200 gms
Sugar 100gms
Cardamom powder (Elaichi) 1tsp
Ghee 3tsp
Silver paper 1 sheet

Method:

Soak almonds for 4-5hours. Dry and peel them. Grind the almonds into a fine powder.Fry for 2 mins in a tsp of ghee.

In a kadai/pan(Bandli/mookudu), melt the sugar. Once the sugar melts, add the almond powder, a tsp of cardamom powder and ghee to make a thick paste of batter consistency.

Pour the mix into a flat vessel or plate and spread uniform and smooth. Cover with silver sheet. Cut into diamond shaped cakes.

Badam burfi or almond burfi is an amazing sweet that goes well in a lunch/dinner menu and can also be served along with evening snacks and tea. Of course it can also be had whenever the heart is happy as that’s a reason enough for celebration..

Wishing everyone a very Happy and sweet Deepavali that brings prosperity and success to all

Gatte ki Sabji

Rajasthani cuisine has a distinctive flavor, different form other Indian cuisines and that is what makes it so special. One of the well known Rajasthani sabjis is gatte ki sabji, a simple, delicious and filling preparation. We would like to thank Shraddha Siroya for the wonderful recipe and pictures.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 4



Ingredients:

For Gatta preparation:

Chickpeaflour/gramflour(Senagapindi/Kadlehittu/Besan) 2 ½ cups
Red chilly powder 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder (Pasupu/Haldi) ½ tsp
Asafoetida( Inguva/Hing) ¼ tsp
Refined cooking oil 3 tsp
Water ½ cup
Salt to taste

For seasoning the gattas:

Refined cooking oil 1 ½ tsp
Cumin seed(Jeelakarra/Jeera) 1 tsp
Asafoetida(Inguva/Hing) ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder (pasupu/Haldi) ½ tsp
Finely chopped green chillies 2
Finely chopped onion (optional) ½
Ginger paste (optional) 1 tsp
Curry leaves (optional) 3-4
Coriander power (Dhania powder) 1 tbsp
Mango powder ( Amchur) 2 tbsp
Garam masala ½ tbsp
Water ½ cup
Curd 1 cup

Fresh and finely chopped coriander to garnish


Method:

Gattas:

Mix all ingredients together and make dough. Add more water to make it softer and easier to beat the dough.

Take small amounts of dough (as much as equal to 2 rotis dough) and prepare thin pipe like rolls by hand (the thinner, the better but again not too thin).

Once the rolls are done, boil water in kadai/pan ( Bandli/mookudu). When water begins to boil, put the rolls into the water. Let them boil for 20 minutes.

Check if the gattas are cooked. Now, switch the stove off, remove from water and keep aside to cool. Cut the gattas into average sized round pieces.

Seasoning:

Heat the oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chillies and turmeric powder.

Add chopped onions, ginger paste and curry leaves if preferred and cook until onion turns golden. (This step is optional)

Add coriander powder, mango powder and garam masala and add water. Leave to cook for 2 minutes and add the gattas into it. Allow to cook for 5-10 minutes.

Serve it dry at this stage or add curds and cook for 5 more minutes to make a gravy curry. Garnish with fresh and chopped coriander.

Gatte ki sabji is done. When served dry, gatte ki sabji tastes heavenly with rotis and other Indian bread. When served with the gravy, it goes well with any of the Indian bread or rice.

Brinjal fry/Vankaya vepudu

Brinjals are our most favourite veggies and we have seen amma make so many variety dishes with them. Brinjal fry or vankaya vepudu in telugu is one of these. It is a quick recipe and easy to make.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Serves 2



Ingredients:

Round medium sized Brinjals (Vankaya/baingan/badnekayi) ½ kg
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Chilli powder 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, wipe and chop the stems. Make a plus shaped cut on the bottom of the brinjals. Please look into the brinjal and throw off any spoilt ones. Keep the cut brinjals in water or they turn black.

Heat oil in a kadai/pan(bandli/mookudu). Once hot, wipe the brinjals to remove any moisture/water and fry in the oil till they turn dark purple. Please be careful to ensure that there is no water in the oil else it shall result in oil spluttering all over. Place the brinjals on tissues to remove any extra oil.

Add a tsp of chilli powder and salt to taste and mix well so that the brinjals, by now dry absorb the spice and taste. Garnish with curry leaves shallow fried in a tsp of oil.

Brinjal fry or vankaya vepudu is done. Brinjal fry goes well with plain rice and phulkas. It is advisable not to have them with pooris though as the brinjals are already fried.

Allam Pachadi/Ginger chutney

Like coconut chutney, ginger chutney is a regular snack supplement in Andhra homes. It is simple and at the same time good for digestion. Not too spicy, it is savored by the young and old.

Ingredients:

Ginger (allam/adrak) 250 g
Tamarind (Chintapandu/Imli) 1 blob (50 g)
Jaggery (Bellam/Gud) 50 g
Mustard seeds (aavalu) 2 tsps
Red Chillies 4
Chick peas (senaga pappu) 1 tsp
Black gram (Uddi Pappu) 2 tsps
Refined cooking oil 2 tsps
Salt to taste


Method:

Soak the blob of tamarind in half a cup of water for at least 15 mins.

Finely chop ginger (or peel and grate it as a quicker alternative).

Roast in a tsp of oil, a tsp each of mustard seeds, chick peas, black gram, 2 red chillies ,salt to taste and the finely chopped/grated ginger. Keep aside to cool. Once cool grind all together.

Squeeze the blob of soaked tamarind to juice it completely. Add the tamarind juice and soaked tamarind water to the above ground paste and grind again (after squeezing the tamarind is generally thrown).

Add jaggery in equal measure to the tamarind used and grind once again.

Season with a tempering of mustard seeds, black gram and red chillies in a tsp of oil.

Sweet and hot ginger chutney is ready. Ginger chutney goes well with dosas, idlis, and any of the south Indian snacks, not to mention with some plain dal and rice. The most famous combo is however pesarattu and ginger chutney.

Jusss Jordan!

Woke up at 6.30 early morning, freshened, packed and excited to get, set, go. Ramesh dropped us at the Kuwait airport from where we caught the Jazeera flight J416 to arrive at the capital city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – Amman. The flight landed at 1.20 and by 2 p.m., we had collected a rental car from the rental cars guy (a blue Mitsubishi Lancer) and headed straight to the Dead Sea (Al Bahar Al Marriyat).

We reached the Amman beach at 3, bought the tickets, had a shower and plunged into the sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, 446 m below sea level. 33% salt content makes the water feel sticky after we come out. The best part is the floating. No swimming and no moving the body, we just have to rest on our back and ho! We float like a cork in water. Its an amazing experience and equally exciting too. We were told that the other bank of the sea that is distantly visible is Israel.

After a proper shower and Pavan enjoying the swim in the fresh water pools, we started our drive to Petra. Must admit, it was a very very scary and nail biting one. Hilly terrain and no lights made it so. Except for our map and a few passersby who were thankfully amazingly sweet and a few road signs that beamed once in a while there was no way we could have found our way through those dark roads which seemed like they ended every now and then but yet remained endless. Pavan however, thoroughly enjoyed the ride and terms it “an enthralling adventure”.

After a seemingly tiring three hours we reached Petra, checked into our hotel, had some self made cucumber and cheese sandwiches exchanged some JD’s, called up our earnestly waiting moms informing them about the day and hit the bed.

Woke up to a cold water bath and a horribly horrible breakfast (the guy gaped at me when I said vegetarian) we set off on our expedition of Petra or Al Batra. Since it was at walking distance we got right there hired a guide and entered the main gate. Petra, meaning rock, in greek and latin is a city that existed around 2700 years ago. The marvel lies in the fact that the whole city has been carved on rock. Inhabited by a tribe called the Nabateans history has it that this hill licked city gained popularity for its deemed secret riches and treasures. The Nabatean tribe even before the birth of Christianity or Islam had migrated from the present day Saudi to settle down in Petra. They worshipped Lord Dussala and believed him to be their provider of riches, prosperity and joy. So for every ceremony from weddings to divorce and for every festival they sacrificed lambs to Lord Dussala (Its true and interesting, only women were allowed to seek divorce and for that they had to sacrifice 2 lambs to Lord Dussala). The entrance of the city of Petra is a passage of cave like hills called The Siq. Through the Siq there are water pipes carved through the rock to let water flow in a stream (mostly open). There is also a natural dam that is said to have saved the city from floods. Its interesting to note that the canal on the left is for agriculture and the one on the right is to carry drinking water. Another interesting fact to note is that the rocks are multi-colored and contain different minerals line sandstone, limestone, etc. Also, we find stone carved in the shapes of elephant and fish (because they were Lord Dussala’s favorite animals), camels and a Nabatean shepherd. The guide also informed us that history of Petra is thus – Kind Obada II married a Petran girl who described the beauty of Petra to him and thus he visited Petra and liked it and brought the Nabateans to live there. The Nabateans thereon built it to become a big establishment. The Romans later invaded Petra in 97 BC.

As we come to the end of the Siq we see a massive building carved in stone. In fact this is the picture of Petra found all over. The building is called Al Khazna or Treasury in Arabic. When the Romans invaded Petra they believed the Khazna held a lot of the Nabatean treasure and shot at the building mercilessly (The bullet holes are visible even today). They however realized that it had no riches but it was named thus because it was the main place of worship of Lord Dussala.

Speaking of the architecture, marvel is a small word, spectacular is smaller. Giant structures built or rather carved into the stone to make a building is indeed amazing to even grasp in.

To the right as we move on we find a cave that served as a cafeteria for all the caravans of camels and horses that came to Petra to sell their goods. It is said that the Nabateans were fond of shoes from China and Silk from India and had good trade relations with India, China and Rome. They used to send around 3000 camels on the exports mission!

As we move further down, to the left we see houses of the rich people who were called Mango People by the Nabateans. Multi storied houses with steps to climb up and having God Dussala’s idol on the top, all still carved in a rock. Move on to see the houses of the poor which are of course aplenty. By the way, the houses were also their tombs. The dead were buried in their own bedrooms. While through the houses of the poor, the guide told us about a few poor guys who promised to marry 10 wives if they got rich and eventually kept their promise on becoming rich. (Hope husbands don’t get ideas!) Also, Petra housed 150,000 people. Further down, passing through the then agricultural lands, we reach the Roman amphitheatre constructed in the Roman era (obviously to have their mark like they do whenever they invade). To the right we again get to see building carved into rocks high above on the hills that were the courts. Beneath the courts are caves that served as prisons. Further down, as we reach the Roman street, we see the remains of a temple, a few shops and the palace of a girl. The girl here requested the guy to build a huge palace for her but unfortunately a stone from the building fell on the guy and they were unmarried. With this the city of Petra is done. Our guide bid a goodbye to us and we were on our trek back. Now we realized that we had to walk the whole 4 kms stretch back and the climb was indeed terrifying at 12 in the noon. Half way through, we were done with 4 water bottles each and exhausted. We caught a carriage and reached the main entrance, got back to the hotel, had a few more of the cheese sandwiches and set off to Amman. This time round, we were careful to take the only national highway of Jordan, the King’s highway. Thankfully, it’s a straight, smooth and a single road to Amman.

Reached Amman, searched, researched, searched and researched to finally at Hotel Liwan where we were already booked in. Checked in, had some Khubboos, Hummos and Falafel and slept, completely tired.

Woke up early to a very cosy warm water bath and some decent breakfast, at least compared to the previous day’s one. We were all set to move on when we decided to withdraw cash to be on the safe side. And what did we realize?? LOST THE ATM CARD!!! Surprised, shocked, confused, we frisked the suitcase, my purse, the car and the room all in vain. Luckily my mobile was active and on roaming. So we called up Ramesh and briefed him the situation, and the credit in my mobile was done!! We tried using the hotel phone to call Kuwait and block the card but it is so weird that calls don’t go to Kuwait from Jordan! I just tried dad’s number in India and his phone rang! Phew!! Explained to dad and he in turn called up Kuwait and we finally had some credit in my phone, block the card and thank god as everything was safe. In this melee, we troubled Ramesh, Dad, Mom, Neehari and even Bhargav. Thank you to each of them.

After settling down, we continued our site seeing expedition, this time towards Jerash. Jerash is in North Jordan and said to have been a Roman settlement. We got to see some age old Roman horse carriage races which were real fun and picturesque before the hippodrome. We trekked a little further to catch a glimpse of the Roman architecture in their long columns, an ovally placed line of pillars, the Roman amphitheatre that is said to seat around 3000 people at a time. Indeed a massive and magnificent one that is still used today.

It was already 12 and we were tired so we headed non-stop to the baptism site which is to the other corner of Amman around 30 km from Amman. There was a shuttle that drove us into the military area. The area is cordoned off as it is the border between Jordan and Israel. We were in a group of around 10 people and we walked in from the place where the shuttle had dropped us. Our guide told us that we were 28 kms from Jerusalem. We saw a small stream which is the river Jordan. Walked further down to see the church and the place where Jesus was baptized. It was amazing to see that but sadly now no water flows there. The guide led us into the church to show us the remains of 3 different churches that existed there in three different eras. The church and site were excavated in 1996 before which there was regular war between Jordan and Israel and the place we walked was said to have been filled with landmines! God! We were also told that the other side of the river Jordan is the West Bank, the area which is an internationally sensitive issue. The guide led us to the church of John the Baptist and to River Jordan to touch the water. It seems kids are baptized even today at this church and River Jordan. We saw a few old ladies filling water into the bottles to baptize their grand children and decided to carry some for Chelly Jr.

And now an interesting part, on the opposite bank we could actually see Israel. There were flags and an Israeli establishment. Of course we were accompanied by Jordanian army men. The funny part was I guess I was the only one carrying a mobile and I got SMSs from a Palestine network called Jawal welcoming me to Palestine and wishing me a pleasant stay and one from Zain Kuwait. I have saved these messages to show them to Varun and of course Neehari and Nanna!

We then walked back or shall I say crawled back as we had nil energy left and were beaten by the blazing sun. The shuttle dropped us back at the starting point from where we enquired to know Mt. Nebo was closed and so was Madaba. So we directly drove to the hot springs at Ma’in. Another wonderful drive. The waterfalls were wonderful but too hot, so we decided not to take a plunge. The steam moistened my camera lens and I had to clean it to save my cam. We had some chips and coke, enjoyed the calm surroundings. The only sound we could hear was the gushing of the water fall.

By now we were completely exhausted and our legs had given us a hand. So we drove back to Amman catching a few scenic glimpses of the Dead Sea en route and reached our hotel by 6.45 p.m. At 8.30 when Amman broke the Ramadan fast we again managed to grab some Khubboos, Hummos rolls, falafel and laban to sleep like logs.

Woke up late next morning, had breakfast, returned the car took a taxi to the airport and returned through the Jazeera J417 to Kuwait by 4.00 in the evening.

Had an extremely wonderful and memorable trip. Would like to thank Pavan most of all. Pavan and me would like to thank Hushi, Pramod, Sanjay and Sridhar for all the help in planning the trip and Abhishek and Shraddha for the veggie food tips.

Another of those superb journeys that we shall always reminisce! Awaiting the next one… ;)

Besan kadhi

Besan ki kadhi is a North Indian recipe that is so common that it is made atleast once a week at home. Thank you Kamala aunty for this recipe. Cool to the stomach and crisp and soft to the toungue, besan ki kadhi has a completely different blend of tastes and appeal.
 

Preparation time: 30-45 mins
 

Serves: 2

Ingredients:
 

Gram flour (Besan/ senaga pindi) 1 cup(8 full spoons)
Well beaten curds 1cup
Finely chopped onions 1
Green chillies 2
Chopped coriander 1 tsp
Chopped curry leaves 5-8
Red Chilli powder 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 4 tsps
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds/powder 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Fresh and finely chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Beat thick curds along with a cup of water to dilute it and keep aside.

Make the pakora batter mixing 6 spoons of gram flour, onions, a tsp of coriander, a tsp of curry leaves, red chilli powder, pinch of turmeric, 2 tsps cumin seeds, salt to taste and water.

In a kadai, heat oil enough to fry pakodas. Make average sized balls of the batter and deep fry in the heated oil to make pakodas. Please cook on simmer to get crisp and golden brown pakoras.

Add 2 spoons of gram flour and beat the curds well.

In another kadai/pan, add a tsp of oil. Once hot, add a tsp of mustard seeds and as they splutter, add cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, pinch of turmeric, salt to taste, curd mix, pinch of fenugreek powder (if powder is unavailable, add fenugreek seeds after adding the cumin seeds as above). Leave to cook for 5 mins.
 

As the kadhi thickens, add the fried pakoras and garnish with coriander.

Cool and crunchy, Besan kadhi is ready. Besan kadhi goes well with roti and rice. Besan kadhi is soothing to the stomach and goes well when the menu is otherwise spicy.

Beerakaya pulgura

Beerakaya or Ridge gourd is a very commonly used vegetable in India. As amma calls it, it is a “good veggie” as it is low in fat and cholesterol, absorbs less oil, is high in fibre content and also a major source of iron. Pulgura is sweetened chutney that is made of beerakaya. It is another Andhra and Karnataka recipe.

Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Medium sized ridge gourd (Turi/beerakaya/heerekay) 1
Medium sized Onion 1
Green chillies 2
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeela karra) 1tsp
Jaggery (Gud/bellam/bella) 1/4th cup
Tamarind (chintapandu) 1 blob
Refined cooking oil 5 tsps
Red chillies 2
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Black gram (urad dal/uddi pappu) 1 tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Finely chopped coriander 1 tsp
Pinch of Asafoetida(Hing/inguva) (Optional)
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, peel and cut the ridge gourd into average sized cubes. Cut the onion into 4 halves.

In a pan/kadai (bandli/mookudu), heat few drops of oil and add the ridge gourd. Slightly sauté until it is soft and not brown and keep aside. This may take around 2-3 mins on simmer.

In the same kadai, shallow fry in few more drops of oil, the onions. Onions too are to turn soft but not brown. Green chillies can either be roasted as above or used directly.

Now grind into a fine paste: the ridge gourd, onions, green chillies, a tsp of cumin seeds, salt to taste, a blob of tamarind and jaggery equal to the quantity of tamarind used. Add a little water as it is easier to grind jaggery when water is added.

In the same kadai, add 2 tsps of oil. Once hot add mustard seeds and once they splutter, add the red chillies, black gram, curry leaves and coriander. Asafoetida can also be used, however we do not use asafoetida as the onion provides the required flavor.

To the seasoning add the finely ground paste and mix well. Leave to cook for 2 mins on simmer.

Beerakaya pulgura is done. Beerakaya pulgura can go well with any rotis, chapatti or pooris. However, the common way is to mix rice, a tsp of oil and beerakaya pulgura and just gulp it in.

Baby Corn capsicum

Baby corn and capsicum are vegetables that always go together and compliment each other very well. Baby corn capsicum is a gravy curry having a creamy touch. Whenever amma buys baby corns and capsicum, the cashews at home are over. Yes, we are the reason as we for sure make this curry with loads of gravy.

preparation time: 40-45 min

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Baby corns 5
Large Capsicum (shimla mirchi) 1
Spring onions 2
Refined cooking oil 4tsp
Cumin seeds (jeelakarra/jeera) 1 tsp
Bay leaf 1
Milk ½ cup
Cashews (kaju) 1 cup (50-100gms)
Green chilli 1
Clove (lavangam/laung) 2
Cinnamon stick (dal chin chakka/dal chini) 1
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Fresh and chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

Slice the baby corn into round circles and cut the capsicum into eatable average sized cubes. Chop the spring onions, separating the green leafy portion and the white onion portion.

Grind a fine paste of cashews, green chilli, clove, cinnamon stick, half a cup of milk and a pinch of salt. Water also can be used but milk gives a rich taste and makes a smooth paste, so we prefer using milk.

In a pan/kadai(bandli/mookudu) add 4 tsp oil. Once hot add a tsp of cumin seeds and the bay leaf. As the cumin seed splutter, add the white portion of the spring onion and shallow fry for a minute.

Add the sliced baby corns and a pinch of turmeric and mix well. Leave for 6-8 mins to cook on simmer.

Once the baby corns are soft, add the above ground cashew paste and little water to allow the paste to cook and form gravy.

Leave for 5 minutes. Add red chilli powder, garam masala and salt to taste (keeping in mind, the salt already added to the paste) and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the capsicum cubes and green portion of the spring onion and cover the kadai/pan with a lid for 5 minutes. This is a healthy way to cook as the capsicum and springs get cooked on steam and there is less use of oil.

Baby corn capsicum is done. Garnish with fresh and chopped coriander to serve.

As a gravy curry, it tastes great with any of the Indian bread or flavoured rice. We had it with peas pulao and it is the right combo we felt as the rice was light and the curry was filling.

Vanchina Chaaru, Kura

Thank you to all our blog viewers and hope you continue to encourage the blog and us in the same way. Yes, we write our 50th recipe and are glad to share our celebration with each and every one of you.

As the 50th post, we decided to bring to you a completely traditional Karnataka and Rayalaseema recipe, or rather recipe(s) of Vanchina chaaru and kura. Called Baggisida saaru mattu palya in kannada, this is a dual recipe of a rasam and curry, complementing each other while cooking and supplementing each other when had. Vanchina or baggisida in telugu and kannada respectively mean drained or strained. So ideally the name translates to strained rasam and curry.

The rasam and curry can be made using any of the following:

French beans

Horse gram (kulathi/ulavalu/huruli)

Flat beans (toovar lilva/anapaginjalu/ avrekaayi) .

These are found in Karnataka especially during the winter season.

Amaranth(thota kura/dantu kura/Dantina soppu). Dantina soppu/leaves are abundantly available only in Karnataka and the areas bordering Karnataka in AP and Tamilnadu. Thota kura is generally available in AP and is a variety of dantina soppu itself.

We have used dantina soppu to make the curry and rasam as this is the most popularly used vegetable for this recipe. The other veggies mentioned above can also be tried though and will taste equally awesome.

Preparation time: 20-25 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For Curry/kura/palya:

French beans/Horse gram/Flat beans/Amaranth 1 cup

Split Pigeon peas (toor dal/kandipappu/Thogari bele) 1 cup (100 gms)

Finely chopped onion (ullipaya) 1

Mustard seeds 1tsp

Cumin seeds 1tsp

Black gram (urad dal/uddin bele) 1 tsp

Red chilles 2-4

Fresh and chopped coriander 1 bunch

Curry leaves 4-5

Refined cooking oil 2 tsps

Pinch of Turmeric

Salt to taste

Fresh and grated coconut to garnish.

For Rasam/Vanchina chaaru/Baggisida saaru:

Cumin seeds(jeera/jeela karra/jeerige) 1/2 tsp

Grated fresh coconut(pachi kobbari/hasi kobbri) 1 tsp

Coriander seeds(dhaniyalu/ kottambri beeja) ½ tsp

Chopped small Onion (ullipaya)1

Green chilli 1

Pinch of Tamarind ( chintapandu/hunasehannu)

Pinch of Asafoetida

Ghee 2 tsps

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Red chillies 2

Curry leaves 4-5

Salt to taste

When thota kura is used, a blob of jaggery can be used. If other veggies including dantina soppu are used, there is no need to use jaggery.

Method:

Pressure cook pigeon peas and the Amaranth leaves together upto 3 whistles. While keeping in the cooker, ensure there is enough water to strain out later.

Once done, Strain the water and keep aside the dry mixture and water as separated.

Curry:

In a pan/kadai(bandli/mookudu), heat 2 tsps of oil. Add mustard seeds and once they splutter add black gram, cumin seeds, red chilli, curry leaves, coriander, pinch of turmeric and the chopped onion and sauté.

Add the pressure cooked dal-vegetable mix (dry now as all the water is already strained) and mix well.

Add salt to taste , mix and leave for 2mins. Switch the stove off and garnish with freshly grated coconut.

Curry/kura/palya is done.

Rasam:

Grind into a fine paste: Cumin seeds, grated fresh coconut, coriander seeds, chopped small onion, green chilli, pinch of tamarind, pinch of asafoetida (hing/inguva)

Now in a vessel take the strained water kept aside previously, add salt to taste and the above ground paste and allow to boil up to 2-3 times. (Incase thota kura is used, please add a blob of jaggery (bellam/bella) also.)

In a pan/kadai add 2 tsp ghee. Once hot add mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.

Season the rasam with this tempering.

Vanchina chaaru or baggisida saaru or the strained rasam is done.

Highly nutritious and one of the best options for the diet conscious , vanchina chaaru kura should be mixed with rice and had ideally. We can also have the rasam as soup and the curry with rotis. However the best way to have vanchina chaaru kura is to mix the rasam, curry, rice and a tsp of ghee and crunch papads along.

Boondi ladoo

Boondi laddoo is the most common sweet and yet complicated to make. Sravana masam is here and so is the season of vrathams. Boondi laddoo is one of the sweets generally made as a part of the festivities.

Preparation time: 35-45 mins

Ingredients:

Chick pea flour

(Besan/senagapindi) 1 cup

Sugar 1 cup

Cardamom powder 1tsp

Raisins 5-6

A ladle with holes/ stainer.

Refined cooking oil 1 cup

Method:

To make boondi, mix the chick peas flour with water to make a dough of dosa dough consistency.

Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Hold the ladle/stainer over the pan. Drop the dough over the ladle so that it shall fall through the ladles in the form of small drops. Remove the boondi immediately.

Instead of the above method, boondi readily available in the market can also be used.

In another vessel, make semi-liquid syrup of sugar by heating water and adding the cup of sugar to it. Add a tsp of cardamom powder and a few raisins.

Add the boondi to the sugar syrup and mix well. Leave to cool and make balls of the mixture.

Boondi laddoo is done. Sweet and munchy, boondi laddoo is an all time favorite of any and everyone.

Paneer Takkali

Happy birthday amma. We love you.

Paneer curry is a gravy recipe. Spicy and saucy, it is best when in a mood to indulge and the tummy wants to feel more than full.

Preparation time: 20 – 25 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes 1 cup (10-12)
Finely chopped onion 1
Tomatoes 2
Milk ¼ cup
Corn flour 2-4tsps
Cloves(laung/lavangam) 2
Refined cooking oil 4 tsps
Cumin seeds(jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 2tsps
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:

Paneer is a kind of Indian cheese used in starters, snacks and main course recipes available in most supermarkets. It is a good source of proteins too. Cut into average sized eatable cubes.

Grind together to make a fine paste the tomatoes, corn flour, milk and cloves.

In a pan/kadai(bandli/mookudu), heat oil. Add a tsp of cumin seeds and chopped onion and sauté until they are transparent.

Add the paneer cubes and sauté for 2 mins. Add a pinch of turmeric and sauté.

Add the ground tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cook for 5-7 mins. Incase there is a need, add required measure of water and leave to cook.

Once the gravy is well cooked, add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste and mix well. Leave for 2 mins to cook and switch the stove off.

Paneer curry is done. Paneer curry tastes great with any flavored rice. Needless to say, it tastes awesome with phulkas or hot parathas.

Masala Vadas

The Rains have arrived (at least in Mumbai and the South of India) and it is the time when the tongue, more so the heart yearns for something hot, crispy and yummy. Masala vadas are one of such spicy snacks.

Preparation time: 40-45 mins





Ingredients:

Bengal gram (Senagabedalu/chana dal) 1cup
Green gram (Pesara pappu/moong dal) 1/4th cup
Finely chopped Onion (ullipaya) 1
Chopped Mint leaves (pudina) 10-12(2 strands)
Chopped Coriander (Kotmeera/Dhania) 2 strands
Curry leaves(karvepak) 5-6
Finel chopped ginger(allam) 2 tsp
Green chillies 2-4
Cinnamon stick(Dalchinchakka/Dalchini) 1
Cloves(lavangam/laung) 2
Salt to taste
Refined cooking oil 1 cup

Method:

Wash and soak for half an hour the chick peas and green gram.

Grind in to a coarse paste chickpeas, green gram, cinnamon, clove, green chillies and salt to taste.

To this add finely chopped onions, mint leaves, coriander, curry leaves, ginger and mix well to make the masala vada mix.

Take medium sized balls of the mix and pat slightly to make thick, medium sized, disc shaped cakes.

Deep fry the above in pre heated oil. (Generally, the vadas are first semi fried in pre heated oil and fried completely again just before serving to make cooking and serving easier and retain the crispiness).

Hot and crisp Masala vadas or masala garelu as they are referred to in telugu are done. They can be complimented with any of the chutneys like mint chutney, mango chutney, tomato chutney, ginger chutney, coconut chutney or tomato sauce and chilli sauce. Not to forget a hot cup of well brewed coffee or tea to sip along, making the rain the most enjoyable experience.

Kothimeera Vankaya/Coriander Stuffed Brinjal

This is typically an Andhra recipe. Of course Amma makes the tastiest kotmeera vankaya. This is our first recipe with the small round brinjals. Can’t say more, as kotmeera vankaya speaks for itself.

Serves 2

Preparation time 20-30 mins

Ingredients:

Small round brinjals (gundu vankaya/badnekay/chote baingan) 5-6
Fresh Corainder (kotmeera/dhania) 1 bunch(10 strands)
Green chillies 2
Refined cooking oil 4-6tsp
Cumin seeds(jeera) 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Pinch of tamarind (chintapandu)
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the brinjals. Chop the stems. Make a plus shaped cut on the bottom of the brinjals. Please look into the brinjal and throw off any spoilt ones. Keep the cut brinjals in water or they turn black.

Grind into a fine paste washed and chopped coriander, 2 greenchillies, a tsp of cumin seeds, a pinch of tamarind and a pinch of salt. Keep aside.

There are three ways in which kotmeera vankaya is made. Depending on the preferences, either method can be used.

Method 1:

In a pan/kadai(bandli/mookudu), add 5 tsps of oil. Add a tsp of mustard seeds and the wiped brinjals (as water in oil will mean oil splutters all over).Add a pinch of salt (keeping in mind the salt already added to the coriander mix).

Keep tossing and allow the brinjals to cook till they change color and turn soft. This may take around 7-10 mins on simmer.

Add the Coriander paste and mix well. Leave for 5 mins to cook on simmer.

Method 2:

Shallow fry the brinjals in oil and keep aside.

In a pan/kadai(bandli/mookudu) add 2 tsps oil and the mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter.

Add the fried brinjals and the coriander paste and allow to cook for 5 mins on simmer.

Method 3:

Stuff the coriander paste into the brinjals. Keep aside.

Either use method 1 or method 2 to cook. Add the remaining paste and allow to cook for 5 mins. Kotmeera vankaya is done.

Kotmeera vankaya made in any of the three ways above will taste the same and thus awesome.

Kotmeera vankaya is a semi gravy green dish and can go well with any of the Indian bread of flavoured rice. The Andhra way of having it is however mixing the curry with plain hot rice and a tsp of ghee. We cherish even having just kotmeera vankaya.

Mughalai Green peas pulao

On a personal note, we wish Amma and Nana a very happy Wedding anniversary.. :)

Simple and light to the stomach, the method in which Mughalai peas pulao is made makes it healthy too. Mughalai Peas pulao is a flavored rice item includable in the main course, especially when the guest list is huge as it takes less effort and time but tastes awesome.

Preparation time: 40-45 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Raw rice (Basmati or any long variety rice) 2 cups/400 gms
Green peas (Batani) 1 cup/100 gms
Chopped/slit Green chillies 2-4
Bay leaf 2
Cloves (lavangam/laung) 2
Cardamom (yallakai/elaichi) 2
Cinamon Stick (dalchinchaka/dalchini) 1
Cumin seeds 1tsp
Ghee 2 tsp
Milk (paalu) 1 cup
Fresh and chopped coriander 2-4 tsps
Salt to taste

Cashews/babycorn/red pepper/yellow pepper to garnish


Method:

Fresh green peas any day will taste fantastic. Now a days the frozen green peas available in the supermarkets is easier to use and time-saving. Either can be used.

Wash and soak the Basmati rice or any long rice for 20 mins.

In a cooker/vessel, for the soaked rice, add 2 green chillies, cloves, cardomom, Cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf. Add 1 cup of milk and the remaining water (generally we use one and a half cups of water for cooking one cup of basmati rice into pulao. Accordingly for 2 cups of rice, it should be 3 cups of water. Since 1 cup of milk is added, the remaining that is 2 cups of water in this case. Accordingly water shall be added depending on the portion of rice being cooked.). Add a pinch of salt and close the lid. Pressure cook up to 2 whistles.

In a separate vessel/kadai/pan ( bandli/mookudu), add 2 tsps of ghee. To this add 2 green chillies (only if spicy rice is preferred), 1 bay leaf and 2 tsps of cumin seeds. As the cumin seeds splutter, add a cup of green peas and salt to taste (keeping in mind the salt already added to the rice) and allow to cook. This may take around 5 mins on simmer.

Switch the stove off and add the cooked rice mix. Add fresh and chopped coriander and mix once. Mughalai green peas pulao is ready. Garnish with ghee roasted cashews or long slit babycorns/red pepper or yellow pepper.

Mughalai green peas pulao is a main course dish and can be supplemented by any of the gravy curries, raithas or just plain thick curds and green salad.