India (9.10.18)
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Recipes contributed by Gauri Shevatekar.
Hearty, flavorful, and relatively simple to make, these dishes can be used for everyday meals or you can make enough for a big party. They are also quite flexible and can be adjusted according to preference. Delicious comfort food! Click here to download these recipes. Want to try more Indian recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2010. Click here for the archive from our program in 2012. Click here for the archive from our program in 2013. Click here for the archive from our program in 2015. Click here for the archive from our program in 2019. Click here for the archive from our program in Feb 2023. Click here for the archive from our program in Oct 2023. |
Jeera Rice
From https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/jeera-rice-recipe/
In addition to the spices below, you can add vegetables to taste, like peas, carrots, etc.
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice or any rice (aged)
2 Tbsp ghee or oil
1 bay leaf (tej patta)
6 cloves
2 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
4 green cardamom pods (elaichi)
1 strand mace or javitri (opt)
3 tsp Jeera or cumin (adjust if desired)
2 to 3 green chilies, slit & deseeded, & thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (opt)
3 ½ cups water (adjust if needed)
Salt as needed
Method:
Alternate Method
In this method, the spices are sautéed separately, then gently mixed into cooked rice.
In addition to the spices below, you can add vegetables to taste, like peas, carrots, etc.
Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice or any rice (aged)
2 Tbsp ghee or oil
1 bay leaf (tej patta)
6 cloves
2 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
4 green cardamom pods (elaichi)
1 strand mace or javitri (opt)
3 tsp Jeera or cumin (adjust if desired)
2 to 3 green chilies, slit & deseeded, & thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (opt)
3 ½ cups water (adjust if needed)
Salt as needed
Method:
- Wash rice until the water runs clear. Then soak in a lot of water for at least 20 – 30 mins. Drain completely in a colander.
- Heat ghee or oil in a pressure cooker or pot.
- Sauté bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and mace until they begin to sizzle. Add jeera (cumin) and fry on a low flame until a nice aroma comes out. Add green chili.
- Optional: add onions and fry until golden.
- Transfer the drained rice to the pot and roast for 2 to 3 minutes, to bring out the aroma of the rice.
- Add 3 ½ cups water and salt. Stir well and taste the water. It should be slightly salty.
- Bring water to a boil on a high flame.
- Using a pot: Cook on medium heat until the water is absorbed. While the rice is still soggy, cover and cook until done.
- Using a pressure cooker: Cover the pressure cooker with a lid. Cook on high heat for 1 whistle.
- When done, fluff up the rice with a fork. Serve with any curry.
Alternate Method
In this method, the spices are sautéed separately, then gently mixed into cooked rice.
- Cook rice and set aside to cool.
- Add 1 Tbsp butter to a hot pan.
- Add star anise, mace, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf, and green chili. Sauté for 1 to 2 min.
- Lower the heat and add jeera (cumin). Sauté until it begins to release a nice aroma, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add 1 Tbsp more butter, along with finely chopped coriander leaves. If your rice isn’t salty enough, you can add a bit more to the spice mixture.
- Make sure the rice has cooled completely, and add the sautéed spices. Mix gently.
Rajma
From http://showmethecurry.com/daalsbeans/kidney-beans-curry-rajma.html
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
Kidney Beans – 1 cup
Water – 4 cups
Salt – to taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Green Chili – to taste (optional)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Onions – 2 medium, finely chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp, minced
Garlic – 1 tsp, minced
Tomatoes – 2 cups, pureed
Salt – to taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Chaat Masala – 1 tsp (opt., for tangier flavor)
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Cilantro – for garnishing, finely chopped
Method:
Tips:
Some key points to making it a successful Rajma experience:
-soak rajma (kidney beans) overnight
-every pressure cooker is different, so know your cooker. If the beans did not cook well, put the lid back on and cook them some more.
-believe it or not, altitude makes a difference in cooking time.
-if you wat a smooth curry/gravy, just blend the onions and tomatoes very well (we love texture in the food so…)
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
Kidney Beans – 1 cup
Water – 4 cups
Salt – to taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Green Chili – to taste (optional)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Onions – 2 medium, finely chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp, minced
Garlic – 1 tsp, minced
Tomatoes – 2 cups, pureed
Salt – to taste
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Chaat Masala – 1 tsp (opt., for tangier flavor)
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Cilantro – for garnishing, finely chopped
Method:
- Wash and soak the kidney beans in 4 cups of water overnight.
- Put the beans in a pressure cooker, along with the water that you soaked them in.
- Turn the flame on high and add in turmeric powder, some salt, and green chili.
- Cooking time in the pressure cooker – 3 whistles, lower flame and cook for another 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium size pan on medium heat, add in the oil and allow it to heat up.
- Add the onions and a little salt, and cook till the moisture evaporates from the onions. Stir frequently.
- Add the ginger and garlic, mix well, and cook till the onions start to brown.
- Add the tomato puree. Mix again.
- Cook till the oil starts to separate. Keep an eye on it and keep stirring frequently.
- Add in coriander powder, chaat masala & garam masala.
- Add in a little water (about 1/4 cup) to help mix in the dry spices and to prevent it from burning, and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Open the pressure cooker once the pressure has gone down, and make sure the rajma (kidney beans) are well cooked. They should have opened up a bit.
- Add the rajma to the masala. Mix well and allow it to come to a boil again.
- Add in some of the fresh cilantro leaves and keep some for garnishing.
- Serve over hot rice on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Tips:
Some key points to making it a successful Rajma experience:
-soak rajma (kidney beans) overnight
-every pressure cooker is different, so know your cooker. If the beans did not cook well, put the lid back on and cook them some more.
-believe it or not, altitude makes a difference in cooking time.
-if you wat a smooth curry/gravy, just blend the onions and tomatoes very well (we love texture in the food so…)