Nasi Goreng - Indonesian Fried Rice

I love my new camera!! The best feature is its low light performance. I cook mostly in the evening or at night and could never take a decent picture (I don't have a lightbox) and my previous camera never did justice to the food. That problem is solved now!! Ofcourse the best pictures are still captured in natural light, but when there's none, a good great camera definitely helps. These pictures were taken on a cloudy, gloomy day when there was no sun  in sight and they are not bad at all. I thank Manoj every day for the best gift ever :)!!
I have been a little busy recently, have so many posts in my drafts and I had another one ready when I realised that the deadline for Taste and Create is this weekend. I was paired with Corina from Searching for Spice. There were a couple of sweet dishes I had decided to try but in the end I chose this yummy rice dish (been having too much dessert lately!!). The only change I made was to add some leftover rotisserie chicken. A wonderful one pot meal, with all my favorite things in it!!

Nasi Goreng

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup basmati rice
3 shallots, finely chopped
1" piece of ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 small chilies, finely chopped
1 tbs chili sauce (I used siracha)
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 red pepper, cut onto small strips
15 green beans, chopped into 1" pieces
1 chicken breast, cooked and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup small cooked shrimp
2 tbs oil
salt to taste
spring onion greens for garnish

Method:
Cook the rice. When still warm, separate the grains with a fork and keep aside to cool completely.
Heat a little oil in a wok. Beat the eggs lightly and add to the pan. Sprinkle some salt. Flip after a couple of mins and cook till done. Remove and keep aside. When cool cut into strips.
Heat the remaining oil in the same wok. When smoking hot, add the shallots, ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute and then add the vegetables and little salt. Fry for about 2 mins and then add the shrimp and chicken and fry for another minute. Add the sauces and mix well. Add the rice and fry till well combined and heated through.
Serve hot topped with green onions and omelette strips.

Taste n Create : Shrimp Fried Rice

For the past few days I have been browsing through Nicole's blog, For the Love of Food. Nicole has a beautiful blog with stunning pictures and a diverse collection of recipes. I was so glad to be partnered with her. Loved reading about her family and her travels. There were so many dishes to choose from, but after all the sweets and other heavy stuff I've been having for the last couple of weeks, I really wanted to make something simple. The shrimp fried rice looked delicious and was a perfect choice for lunch today.

I just had mine and the rice was so flavorful and steaming hot, it was just the perfect meal.

Check out the recipe here.

Have a great weekend guys!

Chicken Biryani

My weekend starts today...I'm off to LA for a few days. Can't explain how excited I am, this is a much awaited trip. Will be back on Tuesday, so I'm gonna be on  a break from blogging until then. Though I would be carrying my laptop, I'm not sure I'd be able to check regularly. So wishing all of you'll a happy weekend in advance. 

As a parting shot, thought I'd serve some chicken biryani, a dish I wouldn't mind having for breakfast:)....

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients:

500gms chicken, (preferably leg pieces)

1/4cup yogurt

2tbs ginger garlic paste

1tbs lemon juice

1/2tsp turmeric powder

salt to taste

1 tsp ghee/ oil

1 cup basmati rice

10 peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick

5 cloves

4 cardamoms

1 star anise

2 bay leaves

2 cups water

1tbs oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3-4 green chillies, finely chopped

1/3 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tbs coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

salt to taste

Method:

Wash the chicken well. Make a marinade by mixing yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, turmeric powder and some salt. Mix in the chicken, cover and marinate for a couple of hours.

Wash and drain the rice. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan and add peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cardamoms and bay leaves and fry for a few seconds. 

Add the rice and fry  for about a minute till glossy and all the water has evaporated. Soak the rice along with the spices in 2 cups water for 30mins.

In the meantime, heat 1tbs oil in a pan and fry the onions and green chillies on medium heat till brown. Add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Fry for 1min.

Add the chicken with the marinade. Mix well and cook on medium heat till the chicken is almost done and there is no gravy left. The dish must be almost dry.

Add the rice and water and salt to taste. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 15mins. 

Turn off the heat and keep aside covered for another 15mins (do not uncover the pan in between cooking or when resting).

Fluff up the rice and serve hot with a raita of your choice.

P.S. Please do not forget to send in your entries for the cashew and chocolate event. Eagerly looking forward to your contribution. See you guys next week.

Mixed Vegetable Khichdi

We usually go shopping for groceries on Saturday morning, so Friday meals are dependent on whatever is left over. I usually have a little bit of different vegetables and I try to use them all up. Today I decided to make mung dal khichdi adding all the vegetables.

Khichdi is a mushy mixture of rice and lentils cooked with mild spices. Very popular in North India, it is a nutritious and wholesome meal by itself. Addition of vegetables gives the khichdi great flavour and of course makes it more healthy.

Sending this to 'Lentils Mela' hosted by Ashwini.

I always pressure cook my khichdi, however if cooking in an open pan, use about 4 - 5 cups water. After bringing to a boil, cover and cook on a low flame till done. 

Ingredients:

2 tbs oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

4 cloves

5-7 peppercorns

1 medium onion, chopped

5 green chillies or to taste, slit 

1 sprig curry leaves

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

500gms mixed vegetables (carrot, peas, green beans, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage - any vegetables you like)

3/4 cup rice

1/2 cup mung dal (split mung beans)

3 cups water

salt to taste

Method:

Wash the rice and dal and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pressure pan and add the cumin seeds, cloves and peppercorns. When they splutter add the onions, green chillies and curry leaves and fry till golden.

Add the tomatoes, ginger, coriander, cumin and turmeric powder and fry for 2 mins.

Add the vegetables, rice and dal and mix well. Add water and salt. 

Cover the pan and pressure cook for 2 whistles and then on low heat for 15mins. 

Open the cooker only after the pressure has released completely. Serve hot.

Khichdi is usually served with kadhi, a yogurt based curry. I had no time to prepare it today, but will post it another day.

I want to thank Ashwini of Ashwini's Spicy Cuisine for sharing these cute awards with me. 

       

              

Akal Of Akal's Saappadu has shared the Friends award with me. Thanks Akal. Glad to be your friend.

This award comes with the below clause that is not very easy to meet.

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement (? big word, lol). Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I would like to share it with 8 dear friends who have always encouraged me and request them to forward the chain.

Yasmeen

Manju

Lubna

Smitha

Suparna

Sowmya

Sanghi

Ashwini

Shrimp/ Prawn Biryani

Yet another one of my quick-fix meals. Though I call it a biryani (coz I'm always thinking of eating some), this recipe involves none of the hassles of actually making one. It is really simple and yet delicious...

Ingredients:

1/2lb raw shrimp

1tbs lemon juice

2tbs oil

2-3cardamoms

4cloves

8-10 peppercorns

1small stick cinnamon

1star anise

1bay leaf

1medium onion, finely chopped

1medium tomato,finely chopped

2tbs ginger-garlic paste

5 green chillies or to taste, finely chopped

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2tsp garam masala powder

1/2tsp pepper powder

1cup rice

2cups water

salt to taste

coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

Clean the shrimp and marinate adding the lemon juice and some salt. Keep aside.

Heat 2tbs oil in a pan and add the cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, star anise and bay leaf and fry for 30secs till fragrant.

Add the onion and green chillies and fry till brown. Add tomato and ginger-garlic paste and cook till the oil separates.

Add the turmeric, garam masala and pepper powders and fry for another minute.

Add the shrimp and mix well to coat. Mix in the rice, salt and water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 15mins. 

Switch off the flame, but do not open the lid. Let it sit covered for another 10mins.

Fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with a raita.

Minced Chicken Pulao

Ingredients:

2tbs oil

1/2tsp cumin seeds

2 green cardamoms

3 cloves

8-10 peppercorns

1 small onion

3-4green chillies or to taste

1tbs ginger-garlic paste

250gms minced chicken

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2tsp coriander powder

3/4tsp cumin powder

1/2tsp garam masala

1cup basmati rice

2cups water

salt to taste

coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

Wash the rice and keep aside to drain.

Heat oil in a thick-bottom pan on medium heat and add the cumin seeds. When done spluttering add the cardamoms, cloves and peppercorns and fry for 30secs.

Then add the onions and green chillies and saute till the onions turn golden brown. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.
Turn the heat to high and add the chicken. Fry stirring continuously to break any lumps. 

Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and garam masala and cook till all the water has evaporated and the chicken has browned. 
Add the rice and mix gently. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15mins. 

Remove from heat but keep covered for another 10mins.

Fluff up the rice, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with mint raita.

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Sending this to "Harvest Festival of Rice" event by Sudeshna.

Vegetable Pulao

Ingredients:

1tbs ghee/oil

1tsp cumin seeds

1 small onion, finely chopped

3-4 green chillies, finely chopped

2 cardamoms

4 cloves

10 peppercorns

1 small stick cinnamon

1 bay leaf

1tbs ginger garlic paste

1/2tsp turmeric powder

1/2tsp coriander powder

1/4tsp garam masala

1 sprig curry leaves

1 medium carrot, chopped

10 french beans, chopped

1/2cup peas

1cup basmati rice, washed and drained

2cups water

salt to taste

Method:

Heat ghee/oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. 

When brown add the onions, green chillies, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and bay leaf and saute onions are golden. 

Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears.

Add the turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder and curry leaves and fry for 1 min.

Add the vegetables and fry for 2-3mins.

Stir in the rice till well coated with all the masalas.

Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15mins. Remove from flame but keep covered for 10mins more.

Serve with a raita of your choice.

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I'm sending this to Harvest-Festival of Rice event by Sudeshna

and to 

"FIC:YELLOW" event by Sunshinemom.

Chicken Fried Rice

One thing I miss a lot being in the US is Indian-Chinese Food. I have tried many restaurants out here, but the food is totally different from what we get in India. So now, whenever I'm tempted to eat fried rice or noodles I just cook it at home. 

Most chinese dishes usually involve a lot of prep-work but are very easy to cook. The stir frying has to done on a very high flame, so it is important to have all the ingredients at hand. But once we are done with all the chopping, the dish gets ready in minutes and served hot, there is nothing more satisfying...

                               

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

2 cups water/ chicken broth

1 tsp oil

1 small capsicum, finely chopped

1 small carrot, finely chopped

1 cup chicken, boiled and shredded

1 egg, beaten

2 green chillies, finely chopped

4 spring onions, separate the white and green and chop finely

1/2tsp pepper powder

a pinch sugar

salt to taste

2 tbs oil

Method:

Here is how I like to cook rice for this dish, so that each grain is separate. It is best to do this some time in advance and cool the rice...

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a wide vessel (I use a non-stick kadhai). Add the rice and oil, stir lightly once. Cover and cook on low heat for 15mins. Take off heat, do not lift the lid, keep aside for 10 mins, then fluff up the rice using a fork and cool completely before using in the dish.

Heat 2tbs oil in a wok or a wide kadhai till smoking. Add the egg, and scramble quickly. Add the green chillies, spring onions and vegetables and stir for 1 min. Add the chicken and stir for another min. Add the cooled rice and toss well together. When the rice is heated through, add the seasonings and mix well for a min. Check the salt and remove from heat. Top with spring onion greens and serve hot.