Curd rice(Thayir sadam)

Well this one is my all time favorite . In fact during my college days it was my staple breakfast!I can live on curd rice to survive.The tempering on it renders it a unique and awesome taste.There are many variations of curd rice. The one I am posting now is very easy as well as a tasty one. The addition of ajwain makes it healthy too .Leftover rice can be transformed in to a heavenly meal and it is ideal as a lunchbox recipe.

Preparation time- 10 mins

Serves - 2

Ingredients:

Cooked rice- made from 1 cup rice

Cooking oil-1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 10 nos approximately

Ajwain or omam - 1/2 tsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Milk- 1 cup

Thick curd- 1/2 cup

Salt- to taste

Procedure:

1.In a Kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds and ajwain.

2. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and sauté it till they become crisp.

3. Switch off the flame and add this tadka to the cooked rice. Add salt and hing also to the rice and mix well.

4.The curry leaves should breakdown into bits when you mix it with rice.

5.Add milk and curd to the rice and mix well. Serve it with any pickle or vathakhuzhambu of your choice.

Tips:

*Cook the rice till they are really soft and could be mashed.

* Before adding milk or curd mix the rice with tadka as the flavours infuse better.

* You can also add green chillies and  ginger in tadka.

*Pomogranete and grated carrot can be used for garnishing.

Bisibelebath( Karnataka version sambar rice)

When it comes bisibelebath I always start drooling! It takes me back to my childhood days when my mom makes it for me. It used to be the ultimate bisibelebath! My mom makes the best. She actually prepares the sambar separately so that the bisibelebath doesn't go dry after it cools down and the separate sambar can be added to the rice and dal mixture before serving to make it the right consistency. Even during my pregnancy I craved for bisibelebath.

 I am basically from Coimbatore and ask anyone there about the restaurant Annapoorna , they will know it. They are famous for their bisibelebath every Sunday and there used to be a huge queue every Sunday just for this particular item which is served with vadams and a big helping of ghee on top.

The recipe I am posting here is basically my mom's with light modifications made by me. Thanks to my friend vidya from bangalore whose authentic bisibelebath inspired me to tailor my recipe. Bisibelebath  with vadams and curd rice makes a wonderful and delicious meal.Whatever be it, the final outcome is awesome!!!

Preparation time - 20 minutes

Cooking time - 30 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Rice -1 cup(I use the one which comes with electric rice cooker)

Toor dal- 1 cup

Small onions- 10 to 12 nos

Tomato- 1 medium size

Peas,diced carrots,drumstick pieces- 100 gms

Tamarind- small lemon size

Curry leaves- a small bunch

Hing- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder-1 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds- 1/2 tsp

Salt- to taste

Jaggery - 1 tsp

Cooking Oil- 2 tbsp

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves- to garnish

 To dry roast and grind :

Channa dal- 2 tbsp

Red chillies-10 ( adjust according to your need)

Corriandar seeds- 1 1/2 tbsp

Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon stick-1/2 inch

Cardamom- 1 no

Cloves - 1 no

Copra/dessicated coconut - 50 gm

Khus khus or poppy seeds- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few 

Dry roast (except copra) and grind everything to a fine paste.

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook rice and toor dal in 4 cups water for 5 whistles and simmer for 10 mins.

2.In a Kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves.

3.After the mustard seeds pop, add small onions and sauté for a minute followed by peas, carrot and drumstick.

4.Add 1 cup of water and add turmeric powder, hing and salt.

5.Let the vegetables get cooked to 3/4th, now add tamarind juice and let it boil for 10 mins in medium flame.

6.Now add the ground paste and jaggery and let it continue on flame for another 5 minutes.

7.Add the mashed rice and dal mixture to this sambar. Make sure there are no lumps and also keep a little portion of this sambar separately so that it can be added to the bisibelebath before serving.It ensures that  the bisibelebath doesn't thickens.

8.Garnish it with coriander leaves and ghee.Serve hot with vadams or papad or chips or potato roast or boondi raita.

Tips:

* You can add roasted cashews for garnishing.

*If still your bisibelebath thickens after it cools down add hot water and adjust salt accordingly.Never add cold water as it brings down the taste and flavors.

*Rice and dal must be cooked till they can be mashed together to give a smooth texture.Nobody prefers a bisibelebath where one can count the grains in it. 

Vegetable Kuzhakattai(dumplings)

Ingredients

For outer covering:
Raw rice-200gms Coconut oil -1tsp salt -a pinch

For stuffing: Oil-1 tbsp Moong Dal Sprouts- 50 gms Carrot(small) thinly sliced -1 Cabbage(grated)-50 gms Capsicum(thinly sliced)-25 gms Big onion(medium size)sliced-1 Corriander leaves-small bunch Mint leaves-small bunch Oats-2tbsp Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp oil-1 tbsp tumeric powder-1 tsp salt-as per requirement chilli powder- 1 tsp Garam masala-1 tsp Sugar- 1 tsp Lemon juice-1 tsp

Procedure: (For the outer wrapping) # soak the rice for 2 hrs and grind to make a smooth paste. # In a kadai, add a cup of water, salt and 1 tsp oil and allow it to boil. # Add the ground rice and mix thoroughly until it gets into a smooth paste.In a kadai, add 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tsp sugar, heat till it turns light brown. # Add Onions and ginger garlic paste and sauté till the onions are soft. # Add all the vegetables, sprouts and oats and mix well. # Add turmeric powder and salt and sauté on low flame till the vegetables becomes soft. # Add chilli powder and garam masala and saute for a minute. # Switch off the flame .Add chopped corriander, mint leaves and lemon juice and mix well. #. Wrap the prepared mixture with the rice dough to form spherical dumplings. # Steam the dumplings for ten mins and serve hot with tomato sauce and green chutney.