Sesame Rice / Ellu Sadam

Sesame Rice / Ellu Sadam

Sesame Rice is a perfect lunch box special. A simple variety rice which can be prepared for 'Purattasi Saturdays' as a neivedeyam to 'Perumal / Lord Balaji'.  We can even prepare this rice for Aadi 18 or Makara Shankaranthi.

Ingredients:
Black Sesame Seeds - 1.5 tablespoons
Cooked Rice - 1 cup
Urud dhal - 1 tsp
Channa dhal - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 1 tsp
Red chillies - 4-5 nos
Asafatedia - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Few curry leaves

Method:
# Dry roast sesame until it splutters well.

# Dry roast other ingredients such as urud dhal, channa dhal, red chillies, asafatedia and salt.
( dhal should change its colour)

# Once everything comes to room temperature, make a fine powder.

# Heat a pan add oil, mustard...let it splutter well then add urud dhal, peanuts, red chillies, curry leaves..once it gets roasted in oil add cooked rice, salt to taste and the sesame powder. ( 1.5 tablespoons of sesame powder). 

# Mix well with rice and serve with papad or raita.

* The sesame seeds powder can be stored in an airtight container for few days / months.
Pl. do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Gooseberry Rice / Nellikai Sadam / Amla Rice

Gooseberry Rice / Nellekai Sadam / Amla Rice

Gooseberry Rice / Nellekai Sadam is a tangy variety rice which can be prepared as a lunch box special. When kids don't eat neelekai or gooseberry which is rich in iron, we can prepare this recipe for lunch box.... which can be served with papads or any raita. A simple, easy and healthy variety rice.

Ingredients:
Grated gooseberry - 1/2 cup
Cooked Rice - 1 cup
Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tsp
Refined oil - 2 Tablespoon's
Mustard Seed - 1 tsp
Urud dall - 1/2 tsp
Green chillie - 1 or 2 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves few
Salt to taste

Method:
# Heat a pan add oil, add mustard seeds, urud dall peanuts...let mustard spluter well. Add grated ginger, green chillies, grated gooseberry or nellekai and mix well.

# Add turmeric powder, salt and mix well.... simmer the flame for 2 minutes. Let gooseberry cook well. Once everything comes together switch off the flame.

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# Add cooked rice and mix well.
Gooseberry Rice can be served with papads or any raita.
Please do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!

Palak Paneer Pulav

Palak Paneer Pulav / Spinach Cottage Cheese Rice

A wonderful Recipe for Lunch Box Special... A very healthy dish, with full of iron, and nutrients. The palak gravy which I am sharing, can be stored in refrigerator for 5- 10 days.
You can prepare many dishes using palak gravy:  such as Palak Paneer, Aloo Palak, Dal Palak, Palak Pooris, Dal kofta Palak etc. A Very easy recipe, not only lunch box, but can be served for kids as Green rice....

Ingredients:
Palak - 1 bunch
Rice - 1/2 cup
Panner - 100 grms
Onion - 1 medium size
Ginger - 1 inch chopped
Bay leaf -2 nos
Cardoman - 2-3
Cinnamon - 2 inch
Clove 2-3
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Oil - 2-3 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
# Boil water( 1/2 cup of rice - 1-2 cups of water) add bayleaf, cinnamon, clove , rice,  salt and 1 tsp of ghee / butter and cook it for 70 percent or half cooked rice we can call.

# Blanch palak in hot water, strain and make puree with ginger.

# Fry paneer till it changes it's colour.

# In a pan add 2-3 tsp of oil, add chopped onions, when it becomes transparent, add palak puree, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala mix well.
Until the raw smell of masala's completely goes.

# once rice is half cooked, strain it.

# Add half cooked rice with Palak gravy, fried paneer and close the pan for 2-3 min, in a slow flame.

Palak Paneer Pulav is ready to serve.
Serve with raita, or plain curd.

Pl. do try and provide your comments.
Thank you!