LEMON RICE

Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 10 mins    |  Serves: 1

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice	1 Cup
Lemon Juice	2 tbsp
Peanuts (Soaked in water for 15 mins)	Fistful
Green Chillies (Sliced lengthwise)	2 Nos.
Turmeric Powder	1 tsp
Salt	To taste
Split Urad Dal (Optional)	1 tsp

To temper:

Oil	1 & ½ tbsp
Mustard Seeds	1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies	2 Nos.
Curry Leaves	1 Sprig

Method:

1. Take a kadai/wok and add the ingredients mentioned in the to temper list in the order provided.
2. Add the green chillies, urad dal, peanuts and turmeric powder to the tempering and stir fry it for some time.
3. Add the cooked rice, lemon juice and salt to the mixture and mix it well.
4. Your lemon rice is ready!!! 

Notes:

• Left over rice can be used for this preparation. 
• If you are cooking the rice freshly, then allow it to cool before adding to the mixture otherwise, it would break. 

Avial Rice

Rice cooked in coconut milk and layered with mouth-watering avial, the South Indian vegetable delicacy. This unusual dish is sure to fetch you compliments from your guests.

Prep Time: 20 mins    |  Cook time: 15 mins    |  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the rice:

Long Grained Basmati Rice	1 & 1/2 Cups
Coconut Milk	2 Cups
Cloves (Laung/Lavang)	2 Nos.
Cardamoms (Elaichi)	2 Nos.
Oil	2 tbsp
Salt	To Taste

For the avial:

Drumsticks (Saijan ki phalli / Saragavo)	1/2 Cup (cut into 25 mm (1"))
French Beans (Strings removed)	1/2 Cup
Cauliflower Florets	1/2 Cup
Peeled Raw Bananas (cut into pieces)	1/2 Cup
Brinjal (Baingan / Eggplant)	1/2 Cup (Cubed)
Curd (Dahi)	3/4 Cup (whisked)
Oil	2 Tbsp
Salt	To Taste

To be ground to a smooth paste:

Freshly Grated Coconut	3/4 Cup
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp
Green Chillies (Chopped)	4 Nos.
Turmeric Powder (Haldi)	1/2 tsp
Tamarind (Imli) pulp	1/2 tsp
Water	1/4 Cup

Other ingredients:

Oil	2 tbsp (For Greasing)
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp

Method:

For the rice:

1. Heat the oil in a pan add the cloves and cardamoms.
2. Add the rice and fry till all the grains are well coated with oil.
3. Add the salt and coconut milk. Cover and cook over a slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes till rice is cooked. Ensure that each grain of rice is separate. Keep aside.

For the avial:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the drumsticks with ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook till they are half done.
2. Add the remaining vegetables and salt and mix well. Cover and cook till the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the prepared paste and ¼ cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and then add the curds. Cook till the mixture becomes almost dry. Keep aside.

How to proceed:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a huge vessel make a layer by spreading 1/3 of the rice.
2. On it spread ½ the avial and 1/3 of rice.
3. Layer again with ½ of the avial and remaining 1/3 rice.
4. Cover a lid and seal the edges with a dough.
5. Cook on a slow flame for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot. 

Achari Paneer Pulao

Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 40 mins    |  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the Rice:

Basmati Rice	1 & 1/2 Cups
Saffron strands (Kesar)	2 pinches
Milk	1 tsp
Caraway Seeds (Shahi Jeera)	1/2 tsp
Cinnamon (Dalchini) stick	25 mm (1")
Cloves (Laung / Lavang)	2 Nos.
Cardamom (Elaichi)	2 Nos.
Oil	3 tbsp
Salt	To taste

For the Achari Marinade:

Paneer (Cottage Cheese)	2 Cups (cut into 25mm (1") cubes)
Thick Curd (Dahi)	3/4 Cup
Green Chilli Pickle	1 tbsp
Fennel Seeds (Saunf)	1 tsp
Mustard Seeds (Rai/Sarson)	1/2 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds	1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp
Turmeric Powder (Haldi)	1/2 tsp
Mustard Oil	1 tbsp
Salt	To taste

Method:

For the Achari Paneer:

1. Blend the curds and green chilli pickle together to a smooth paste.
2. Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, mustard oil and salt and blend again so the spices are coarsely crushed.
3. Add the paneer and marinate for 20 minutes. Arrange on skewers.
4. Cook on a barbeque for a few minutes. When the edges turn golden brown, remove from the skewer and keep aside. Alternatively you could use the grill option of the over or just use a tava (griddle).

For the Rice:

1. Boil the rice in a vesselful of salted water till done. Each grain of rice should be separate. Drain and cool.
2. Warm the saffron in a small vessel, add the milk and rub until the saffron dissolves. Add it to the rice. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the caraway seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms and fry until they begin to crackle.
4. Add the rice, achari paneer and salt and toss gently for a few minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Tomato Ricebath

One of the rice dishes which is not too time consuming... fast and tasty !! This was a recipe which i tried myself for the first time when i was on marathon of cooking in the initial period of my marriage. 

Prep Time: 15 mins    |  Cook time: 30 mins    |  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Rice	2 Cups
Tomato (Medium Sized)	8 Nos.
Onions (Medium Sized)	4 Nos (Cut into long thin pieces)
Green Peas	1 Cup
Green Chillies	2 - 3 Nos.
Ginger	1 Inch
Mustard Seeds	1 tbsp
Curry Leaves	1 Sprig
Red Chilly Powder	2 - 3 tbsp
Oil	2 - 3 tbsp
Salt	To taste
Coriander Leaves	1/4 Cup

Method:

1. Pressure cook rice and allow to cool.
2. Grind into smooth paste - tomato, green chillies and ginger and keep aside.
3. Boil the green peas and keep aside.
4. Add oil to the pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. add curry leaves, onion and salt and close the pan lid. 
5. Once the onion is golden brown and soft, add the smooth paste, boiled green peas , chilli powder and little salt and allow to boil into thick paste.
6. Mix rice to the paste.
7. Decorate with coriander leaves.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice	1 & 1/2 Cup
Carrot (Medium Sized)	3 Nos.
Capsicum (Big)	1 No.
Cabbage (Medium Sized)	1/2 No.
Potato (diced)	1/2 Cup
Onion (Big)	2 Nos.
Beans	10 Nos.
Green Peas	1/4 cup
Green Chilies	2 Nos.
Cinnamon	A small piece
Cloves	3 - 4 Nos.
Cardamom	2 - 3 Nos.
Bay leaves	A few
Salt	To taste
Ghee	2 tbsp
Oil	1 tbsp
Grated coconut	2 Cups
Cashewnuts	A few
Chopped coriander leaves	A few

Method:

1. Chop the carrot, beans lengthwise into 1 inch pieces.
2. Wash and soak the rice in water for 1/2 an hour.
3. Drain the water and keep the rice aside.
4. Heat a little ghee in a pan and fry the rice till all the moisture evaporates. Keep it aside.
5. Grind the grated coconut with water and extract the milk from it and make it to 2 cups.
6. Powder the cinnamon, cloves & cardamom and keep it aside.
7. Heat a little oil & ghee, fry the bay leaves and then the powdered spices.
8. To this add green chillies and fry for few seconds and then add the chopped onions and continue frying till it becomes golden brown.
9. Now add shredded cabbage and continue frying for another minute.
10. To this add the remaining vegetables and fry over high flame till the vegetables become tender.
11. Pour the coconut extract along with salt and mix well.
12. When the above starts boiling add the fried rice and mix well.
13. Pressure cook the above (Using a rice cooker is better) for 1 whistle.
14. Remove from stove and garnish with fried cashewnuts & chopped coriander leaves.
15. Serve hot with onion raita or chips.

Ghee Rice (Ghia Anna)

Ingredients:

Rice (Chaula)	2 Cups
Split Bengal Gram/ Chana Dal (Chana dali/ Buta Dali)	2 tbsp
Ghee (Desi Ghia)	2 tbsp
Curry Leaves (Bhrusunga Patra)	1 sprig
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)	1 tsp
Dry Red Chillies	2 Nos.
Lemon Juice	2 tbsp
Salt	To taste

Method:

1. Soak chana dal in water for one hour. Boil it along with rice in a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water and salt. You may also boil it in a colander, but in that case add salt after boiling excess water (peja).
2. Then heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds, chillies and curry leaves. Put this seasoning on the cooked rice and mix thoroughly. 
3. Add lime juice and mix again. 
4. Serve with dalma or any vegetable curry. ‘Ghia Anna’ is quite popular in Puri district.