Pudina Pulao - Mint Fried Rice

Mint is such a versatile herb, it's a great one to grow at home to use regularly. Whether it's in drinks or cooking, the lovely fresh aroma of mint is hard to beat!

An easy and delicious one pot dish that's popular at our place is Pudina Pulao/Mint Fried Rice. There are many variations of recipes but this one is always quick and easy whilst packed with flavour.

Here it is, my version of PUDINA PULAO: 

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked Basmati Rice, 1 carrot diced, handful of chopped beans, peas, 1 cup chopped mint leaves, 1 tsp black pepper powder, salt. For tempering, 1 spoon ghee, 1 spoon oil, 1 cinnamon stick, cashews, cumin seeds, 1 spoon crushed garlic, 1 onion sliced, few chillies as per desired spice level. 

Make: 

1. In a wide thick based pan, saute all the tempering ingredients in ghee & oil. 

2. Once the onions are translucent, add in all the vegetables  salt and pepper powder. Cook for a few minutes then add chopped mint leaves. Mix, cover and cook a few more minutes. 

3. Add in cooked rice and mix well. Turn off flame and rest for 5 minutes before serving piping hot with Raita. Enjoy delicious aromatic Pudina Pulao!

Methi Pulao - Fenugreek Fried Rice

Fenugreek or Methi leaves are healthy herbs loaded with vitamins and minerals including Vit C and Iron. The upside is, it tastes fantastic too with its unique flavour and aroma.

It's this beautiful flavour and aroma that makes Methi Pulao a delicious treat, that's so easy to create too!

Here it is, my version of METHI PULAO:

Ingredients: 1 bunch of Fenugreek leaves washed and chopped finely, handful green peas, 1 onion chopped, some cashews (can be omitted), a few chillies as per taste, 1 tsp urid daal, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp garam masala, small cinnamon stick, 1 cup cooked and cooled rice, salt to taste, a bit of oil and ghee.

Make: 

1. Cook the rice and let it cool so that it is fluffy and not sticky.

2. In a pan, saute in a little oil and ghee, the urid daal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cashews, chillies and garlic. Add onion, cinnamon stick and turmeric powder. 

3. Next add in the chopped Fenugreek leaves and peas. Add salt and garam masala, mix well and cover. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes and lower the flame.

4. Add in the cooled rice and toss gently to combine well. Take care not to mix heavily. Turn off flame, cover and rest for a few minutes before serving hot with Raita.

Paneer Fried Rice

When you're craving your favourite restaurant dishes and can't go out to get them, isn't it just perfect to find an easy quick recipe for it!? That is exactly the reason I made this little dish while being pleasantly surprised how easy it was to replicate that magic restaurant flavour.

Lot of different recipes out there, I read up a few different one, used my own tastes and made this PANEER FRIED RICE which was a hit!

Here it is:

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked fragrant rice (preferably long grain basmati or similar, do not over cook), 1 cup of chopped carrot, beans/peas, 1/2 cup paneer chopped into small cubes, 1 tablespoon black pepper powder, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1 small onion finely chopped, salt to taste.

Make: In a non stick pan, saute chopped onion and garlic paste in some oil. Add chopped veggies and fry for a few minutes then add the chopped paneer. Fry till paneer cubes are golden brown (do not overcook to avoid rubbery paneer). Add the cooked rice, pepper powder, soy sauce and salt to taste. Lightly toss together and serve. Enjoy!

Vegetable Pulao

Rice main dishes are one of most popular in South India. There's a sense of comfort associated with varieties of rice creations and there's no denying that when it comes to rice, the possibilities are almost endless! 

One of the most well known is the humble Vegetable Pulao - there's nothing much fancy about it but certainly is most loved by rice lovers all over the Indian subcontinent. Packed with goodness from fresh vegetables and the comfort of spices and rice, it's a beautiful combination.

Here's my quick and easy version of the famous Vegetable Pulao.

 Ingredients: 1 cup cooked basmati rice, 1 cup chopped vegetables (such as carrots, beans, peas), 1 onion sliced thin, handful of curry leaves. For masala - 4 or 5 cloves, 1 small piece of cinnamon stick, 4 or 5 peppercorns, 1 or 2 fresh chillies, 1 spoon chopped ginger, half a bunch of fresh coriander, a few fresh mint leaves, 1 spoon of coconut. For tempering - 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds.

Make: In a wide base non stick pan, temper the cumin seeds and mustard seeds in the olive oil. Once it starts to splatter, add in the sliced onions and curry leaves. Saute then add all the chopped vegetables and let it cook in the open pan. Meanwhile prepare the fresh masala by adding all of the above masala ingredients into a mixer and grind to a paste using as much water as required. Add the masala paste into the pan with cooking vegetables and mix well. Add the cooked rice, salt to taste, mix well and simmer with the lid closed for about 5 minutes. 

Serve hot with raita or yogurt. Enjoy!