Jeera Rice in Pressure Cooker | Cooking for Two | Lunch Box Series : LBS#70

After the simple Pudina Peas Pulao for lunch, I made this Jeera Rice, different from the regular Jeera Rice. I was again cooking for just two of us and as always I was running out of ideas. Never realized one person not at home, makes so much difference in what you cook. Anyway having had the need I had to think of something simple, yet tasty. Doesn't this be the requirement all the time?

So this Jeera Rice is little more spicy and I used more than the regular spices. Infact I used the Biryani Masala I had made sometime back. For a combination for this rice, I made the Methi Aloo Tamatar, the spicy gravy went quite well with the Jeera Rice.

The school closed for the boys after their exams got over. Unfortunately Konda's exams are yet to start. You can imagine how tough it will be when someone is enjoying their vacation while one has to study for the exams. Konda was cribbing about it, but managed to get over it and is studying for her exams. Whereas Peddu and Chinnu keep running around because it's their vacation. They even decided they will stay at their grandparents place. I told them they can stay through the day, but should be back home for sleeping. They tried convincing me, but then I knew Amma wouldn't be able to manage them.

They are ready with their toys from the moment they wake up and sleep with their cars. I don't know how, but boys love cars and bikes! I am just hoping they will entertain themselves for some more days, before their school reopens for the next academic year.

Now for the simple recipe.

 

Jeera Rice

Ingredients Needed:

Rice - 1 cup
Oil - 3 tsp
Onions - 2 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Green chilies - 2 medium
Roasted Cumin powder / Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Biryani powder - 1/2 tsp
Water - 2 cups

Whole Spices

Bay leaf - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 2"
Cloves - 3
Cardamon - 2
Dagad Phool / Kallupachi / Black Stone Flower - 2

How to make the Jeera Pulao

Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil, add the whole spices, saute for couple of minutes. Then add onion julienne. Saute them till it turns colour.

Then add ginger garlic paste, green chilies. saute well. Now add the drained rice. Saute well.

Next add the salt, cumin powder, biryani powder, combine everything well. After couple of mins, add water, cover with lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles or till done.

Once the pressure falls, fluff with fork.

Serve with Methi aloo Tamatar.

Paneer Peas Masala | Mutter Paneer ~ Side Dish for Chapati

When you hit on a combination that works out wonders, I am sure we end up using that combination in as many variations as we can come up with! That's true with Peas and Paneer. You can never go wrong with combining these two together for a gourmet gravy and be sure to win over your guests. 

Couple of decades back, when one wanted to host a party, they made sure there planned a proper vegetarian and a non vegetarian dishes, keeping in mind the crowd pleasers. If I remember right, it used to be Channa Masala with Pooris. Be it lunch or dinner, these two found it's way. However ever since Paneer took the crowd by storm, there is nothing but paneer in any party you attend or host yourself. One can't go wrong in selecting Paneer. 

At one point, I almost wondered if all the dishes ended up being made with paneer. So much so that I decided I had to plan a menu with this star. Anyway coming back to our recent parties, that I have ended up clicking pictures and sharing the menus, I noticed we were back to the spot of making sure we had the Paneer for the vegetarians. And let me confess all of them were hit. 

So even though I have three or is it four, versions of Paneer with Peas or other ingredients, it was so well received.

The other versions be it Mutter Paneer Masala, Matter Paneer or Mater Paneer Masala, each has been a different yet appealing in it's own standards!

Ingredients Needed:

Paneer - 250 gms
Peas - 1 cup
Onions - 2 medium
Tomato puree - 2 cups
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Cashew paste from 10 whole ones
Malai - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder -1 tsp
Roasted Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Curds/Yogurt - 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Butter - 1 tsp

How to make the gravy

Have Homemade Paneer ready. Since this is homemade you don't need to saute in butter. If store bought, cube and saute in butter.

Soak cashews in hot water and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Blanch the fresh peas and keep it ready.

Heat a non stick pan with oil, saute the onions till they turn colour, then add ginger garlic paste.

Next add the tomato puree, fresh peas, cook for few mins in sim. then add cashew paste, blended malai, and all the spices. Simmer till the gravy gets well cooked. This takes about 10 mins.

Then add the beaten curds and mix well. Add a cup of water and bring to boil. Add the paneer at this time and simmer for 5 - 7 mins.

Finally add the butter and remove, you can garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with Naans or chapatis.

This was one of the main dish served for the vegetarians in a party and surely disappeared before I could take a proper picture!

Other Paneer Recipes

Chettinad Chicken Kulambu in Pressure Cooker ~ Tamil Nadu Special Chicken Curry

Ok for once it turned out that I was unable to click more pictures in the recent dinner party. I just managed to click most of the dishes together, while rest was being prepared. This time for a change in the menu, Amma wanted to try something else, different from our usual menus. She always says she would want to have her best dish included, even if the new dish that she tries flops, which of course has never happened. Anyway it's always better to be prepared right.

So we have this Chettinad Chicken curry that Amma makes, she wanted to vary the ingredients and made a new combination. This was again liked much, so needless to say I am here to record that on dot! You must make it and enjoy as I have heard very good feedback on the Kulambu. She also wanted to make the roast, which was again a derivative of another dish. All in all this menu was assembled mostly with a thought that we create a new list with what we have already! Kids loved the Paneer Butter Masala. Did I tell you that the current Paneer Butter Masala has gone through lot of modification from what it's on the blog? Well I hope someday I get around sharing the recipe as well. Until then you get to just hear me talk about it all the time.

With today being Women's Day, I went out with my colleagues for an outing, leaving the guys very jealous, they were hoping they would get to go out and enjoy on Men's day. The feminist in me shouted out "as if they don't have a men's day daily!"..:) On the other hand, knowing that the men in my life don't always expect me to hen around them, I can say they can have a special day, else no chance!

Chettinadu Chicken Kolambu Recipe

Chicken - 1/2 kg
Onions - 1 medium
Tomatoes puree - 1 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili powder - 3/4  tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves handful

Masala to be ground

Coconut - 1/2 of a whole medium size
Poppy Seeds / Gasa Gasa - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsps
Whole peppercorns - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili whole - 2
Cashew Nuts - 5 -6 whole
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2"
Cardamon - 2 nos

How to make the chicken kolambu

Dry roast the spices for the masala and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Then in a pressure pan, heat oil, saute the onions till they turn nice brown colour. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute well.

Next goes the chicken and you cook on high flame for the chicken to get nicely roasted, making sure the raw smell leaves.

Then add the tomato puree, red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder and simmer for 5 - 7 mins.

You can add the ground masala and continue cooking for another 5 mins.

When you feel the chicken is nicely coated with the masala, add a cup of water and cover with lid. Cook for 1 or 2 whistle depending on the chicken getting cooked.

Once the pressure falls off, add coriander leaves and cook on simmer again for couple of minutes.

Notes:

Since the chicken gets nicely roasted through the process, you can simply put for one whistle. Else you can check and cook for another whistle. Since you are serving as side dish for parotta, make sure pieces don't get smashed.

Party Menu 4 | Menu Planning | Indian Party Menus | Dinner Party

After what seem to be the most dullest moment here, I finally manage to get some something done. Though days pass away as quickly the come in, I am shocked we are already into March! Where did February go and I never came over here so much as I might have wanted.

We had a small dinner party over the weekend. And I as I said we tend to repeat certain dishes as they get more likes and we also try couple of new dishes. Overall it's a case of making sure you don't end up with all new dishes and nothing anybody likes. There is of course, no question on not liking it. All of Amma's recipes are always a hit. 

The starters were sort of changed, we always make sure have a paneer side dish for the vegetarians. So this time it turned out to be our favorite low calorie Paneer Butter Masala. The recipe that we currently make is so much different from the original recipe that I have shared. Nevertheless, you can still make that if you want.

This simple Vegetable Salad with just salt and pepper, at times I sprinkle Chaat Masala, is always the most sought out in any party. 

Party Menu 4

Venue : Home
Number : 8

Our Dinner Party Menu was:

Drinks
Mango Fruit Juice (Store bought)

Salad

Spicy Channa Sundal, Iyar Style
Onion, Cucumber, Carrot Salad

Veg Starters:

Pepper Fried Masala Cashew
Masala Vada

Non Veg Starters:

Chicken Nuggets (Store bought)
Chicken Pepper Fry

Main Dishes

Chettinad Chicken Kulambu, Tamil Nadu Style
Paneer Butter Masala
Parotta
Pepper Cumin Rasam,
Plain Rice
Curd Rice

Dessert

Vanilla and Butterscotch Ice creams

Both the Chicken Dishes were new and will be sharing shortly.

Pepper Salted Cashews

Fried Cashews have to be part of all parties for Daddy. So for a change we made it with Pepper

Pepper Fried Masala Cashew

Cashews Whole - 1/2 Kg
Pepper powder - 1 - tsp
Salt to taste
Oil to deep Fry

Heat the Oil and when it hot enough fry the cashews till they start turning colour.

Drain them on to a kitchen towel. Sprinkle pepper powder and salt. Cover and shake them well to make sure all the cashews get coated with the masala well.

Allow to cool and then store in air tight container