Mushroom Spinach Rice - Instant Pot

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time         : 6 mins+Pressure release time - around 20 minutes.

Serves                      : 3-4

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice                 - 1 cup
• Button mushroom      - half a pound
• Spinach                         - 2 cups roughly chopped
• Onion                            - 1 small, finely chopped
• Tomato                         - 1 medium, roughly chopped
• Green chilli                  - 2-3, finely chopped
• Ginger                           - 1/2 inch, grated
• Garlic                            - 3 cloves, grated
• Turmeric powder       - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder       - 1/2 tsp(optional, skip or adjust as per your level)
• Cumin powder            - 1 tsp
• Garam masala             - 1/2 tsp
• Salt                                - to taste
• Ghee                              - 1 Tbsp
• Lime juice                    - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:

• Bay leaves                - 2
• Cinnamon stick       - 1 inch
• Green cardamom    - 3
• Black peppercorns  - 6-8
• Cloves                        - 4-5
• Red chilli                   - 2

Method:

1. Wash the rice and soak in water for 20 minutes.

2. Cut the mushrooms lengthwise, bigger ones into 3 pieces and smaller just halves. Wash properly. Add lime juice and a pinch of salt. Mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

3. Put the IP on Saute mode. Add ghee. When ghee turns hot add the whole spices mentioned under Tempering and saute until whole spices release aroma. 

4. Add chopped onion and green chilli. Saute until onion turns translucent. 

5. Add tomato, mushroom and spinach. Saute for few minutes until moisture released is evaporated.

6. Add rice. Sprinkle garam masala and salt. Mix well. Saute for a minute or so till rice gets coated well with masala. 

7. Add 1.25 cups of water. Give a good stir. Close the lid. Place vent to sealing. Pressure cook on manual for 6 minutes.

8. Cancel when pressure cooking is done. Unplug IP.

9. NPR 10 minutes. QPR. Open lid. 

10. Serve hot mushroom and spinach rice with raita of your choice.

Chicken Pulao

Preparation time : 1 hour

Cooking time         : 45 mins

Serves                      : 3

Ingredients:

• Chicken                        - 500 grams, cleaned and cut into small pieces
• Basmati rice                - 1 cup
• Onion                           - 1 large, sliced thin long
• Tomato                        - 1 large, chopped
• Green chili                  - 2 chopped
• Ginger                         - 1 inch, sliced thin long
• Garlic cloves               - 3 fat ones, sliced thin long
• Coriander powder     - ½ tsp
• Cumin powder           - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder      - ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder      - 1 tsp(adjust according to your level)
• Green Coriander       -  1/3 cup, chopped
• Oil                                - 2 Tbsp
• Ghee                            - 1 Tbsp
• Salt                               - to taste
• Garam masala           - 1/2 tsp

Temper:

• Bay leaf                       - 2
• Star anise                    - 2
• Cinnamon                   - 1 inch
• Green Cardamom     - 4-5
• Black pepper corns   - 8-10
• Cloves                          - 5-6
• Dried red chilli          - 2-3
• Mace                            - small piece

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with a pinch of salt, little turmeric powder and one tsp oil. Keep aside for an hour. 

2. Wash the rice till it runs clear of starch. keep aside until a bit dry. Add 1 tsp ghee and a pinch of salt and mix gently so that the rice is nicely coated with ghee.

3. Heat remaining oil and ghee in a thick bottomed pan. Temper with all the items mentioned under Temper.

4. When spices releases aroma add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds in medium heat.

5. Add chopped onionsj and green chilli and cook until onions turn translucent.

6. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder. Saute for 15-20 seconds.

7. Add the chicken pieces and saute for 5-6 minutes until chicken pieces are cooked and tender.
8. Add chopped tomatoes and green coriander. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy.

9. Add rice and mix well. Saute till rice is nicely coated with masala. It takes around 5-6 minutes of cooking.

10. Add 1.5 cups of water. Add salt and garam masala. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on medium low heat until rice is fully cooked and moisture is complete absorbed.

11. Serve hot chicken pulao with vegetable raita and green chutney. 

Tomato Rice

Preparation time :  10 mins

Cooking time         :  30 mins

Serves                         : 2

Ingredients:

• Cooked Basmati rice    - 4 cups
• Tomato                           - 3 medium, chopped
• Onion                              - 1 medium, chopped
• Green chilli                    - 3, chopped
• Grated ginger                - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves                   - 10/12
• Chana daal                     - 1 Tbsp
• Urad daal                       - 1 Tbsp
• Red chilli                        - 2
• Ground nut                    - 2 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds               - 1 tsp
• Hing                                - 1 pinch
• Turmeric powder          - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder         - 1/2 tsp
• Oil                                    - 2 tsp
• Salt                                  -  to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Temper with red chilli, mustard seeds. Add hing.

2. When mustard starts spluttering add grated ginger, curry leaves, chana daal, urad daal and ground nuts.

3. When daal turns little brownish add chopped onion and green chilli. Cook till onion turns translucent.

4. Add chopped tomato. Cook till tomato turns mushy and is cooked.

5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder. Mix well and saute till masala is cooked well.
6. Add cooked rice. Add salt. 

8. Mix well so that rice is evenly coated with masala. Cover and cook for few minutes.

9. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot with pickle.

Egg Biriyani

Preparation time :  20 mins

Cooking time         :  30 mins

Serves                        : 3

Ingredients:

• Egg                                    - 4-6
• Basmati rice                    - 1 cup
• Onion                                - 2 medium, chopped lengthwise
• Green chilli                      - 4-5
• Tomato                             - 1 medium, chopped
• Cilantro                            - A fistful, roughly chopped
• Mint leaves                      - A fistful, roughly chopped
• Turmeric powder           - 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder           - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder                - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder          - 1 tsp
• Yogurt                               - 3 Tbsp
• Ginger paste                    - 1 tsp
• Garlic paste                     - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon stick              - 1 inch
• Green Cardamom          - 3
• Black Cardamom           - 1
• Black Pepper corns       - 8-10
• Cloves                              - 6
• Star Anise                       - 1
• Bay leaves                       - 2
• Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil+Ghee                         - 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
• Salt                                   - to taste

Method:

1. Wash rice thoroughly. Soak in water for 30 mins.
2. Hard boil the eggs. Peel and slit them lengthwise.
3. Smear eggs with little turmeric powder and salt and keep aside.
4. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan.
5. Add the eggs and fry them till golden brown. Remove from pan and keep aside.

6. In the remaining oil add half of the chopped onions. Add a pinch of salt. Fry onions till they turn brown. Remove from pan and keep aside.

7. Add the remaining oil and ghee in a deep pan/wok. When oil turns hot add all the whole spices(cardamom, cinnamon, start anise, pepper corns, cloves, bay leaves).

8. When whole spices start releasing aroma add chopped onions and saute till translucent.

9. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are cooked.

10. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Saute for a minute.

11. Lower the flame. Add yogurt and stir very well. Cook for a minute or so till masala starts releasing oil.

12. Add the fried eggs and mix well.

12. Add rice, fried onions, coriander and mint leaves. Mix well and cook for few minutes.

13. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Add salt and garam masala. Mix well. 
14. Add green chillies. Cover with a lid and allow the rice to cook completely. It takes around 20-25 mins for the rice to get cooked and all the water to get completely absorbed.

15. The delicious egg biriyani is ready to serve. Serve with raita of your choice.

Lauki pulao / Lau-er pulao

This is purely experimental. Wanted to try something new and this is what I came up with. 

Ingredients:

• Rice                              - 1 cup(Preferably Basmati)
• Lauki(bottle gourd)  - 1 medium sized(300-400 grams) 
• Moong daal badi       - 1/2 cup(also known as mangori, available in Indian stores)
• Curry leaves               - 8-10
• Green chilli                - 4(cut into halves, lengthwise)
• Red chilli                    - 2-3
• Ginger                         - 1 tsp(grated or thinly sliced)
• Jeera(Cumin)            - 1 tsp
• Rai(Black mustard)  - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder      - 1/2 tsp
• Oil                                - 1 Tbsp
• Salt                               - to taste
• Grated coconut          - for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash the rice. Soak in water for 30 mins.

2. Peel the lauki. Cut into small cubes of 1/2 inch.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Fry the badis till brownish in color. Remove from pan and place in kitchen towel.

3. Add the remaining oil in the pan. 
4. Temper with jeera and rai. When spluttering starts add red chilli, grated ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds.

5. Add lauki and saute for few minutes.

6. Add turmeric powder and saute for another minute.
7. Add rice. Mix well. Cook for another few minutes till the mix is no more watery(if at all).

8. Add the fried badis. Add salt. Mix well.

9. Add 2 cups of water. Give a gentle stir. Cover with a lid and cook till rice get fully cooked and water dries up.
10. Garnish with grated coconut. Serve hot with pickle and side of your choice.

Chicken Biriyani - The irresistible main course

Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 3/4 Kgs
•  Basmati rice – ½ kg
• Ginger Garlic paste – 2 tea spoons
• Chili Powder – 1 tea spoon
• Turmeric Powder – 1/3 tea spoon 
• Cumin powder – 1 tea spoon
• Onions – medium sized, 3 for paste, 3 sliced lengthwise
• Mint leaves – a small bunch
• Coriander leaves – a small bunch
• Green Cardamom – 7-8
• Black Cardamoms – 2
• Cloves – 12
• Cinnamon stick – 3-4 pieces of ½ inch size
• Black Peppercorns – 15-20
• Bay leaves – 3-4
• Kesar(Saffron) – a pinch
• Milk – ½ cup
• Boiled eggs – 2
• Yogurt – 1 Tbl spoon
• Salt – as per taste
• Oil - 2 Tbl spoon
• Butter – 3 tea spoons

      Preparation:

      Rice:

- Heat thrice the amount of water in a big vessel. 

- Add rice, 3-4 green cardamoms, 4-5 cloves, 1 cinnamon  stick, bay leaves, 7-8 black peppercorns in it.  

- Cook the rice till almost done(like 80% cooked). Drain water and keep the rice  aside. 

      Chicken:

      - Marinate the chicken by mixing it with yogurt, salt, chili powder, turmeric powder and keep aside for an hour.
- Heat oil in a vessel. Add the remaining spices (cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves).
- When fragrant add ginger garlic paste, onion paste, chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and       sauté until brown and oil separates from the spices.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook for 20 minutes till chicken is cooked.

      Biriyani: 

      - Deep fry the sliced onions until brown and keep aside.

      - Mix saffron in warm milk and keep aside for 15 minutes.

-     - In a thick bottomed vessel, add butter. Put a layer of rice. On top of that layer put a layer of chicken. Put coriander and mint leaves on it. Put fried onions. Sprinkle saffron milk and butter. Add another rice layer and again the same layer. And finally on top put the last layer of rice.

      - Cover the vessel and cook in low flame for 25-30 mins. 
         (Alternatively: Preheat oven at 350 degree C. Put the vessel in the oven and cook for 40-45 minutes.)
-     - Remove from stove(or oven) and let it cool.

      - Once cooked, put the remaining deep fried onions and sliced boiled eggs on top.

     The irresistible chicken biriyani is ready to serve. Serve with raita.