VEGETABLE PULAO

Pulao is quite easy to make than a biryani and it tastes fabulous.

In this preparation you can add vegetables of your choice.I used beans, carrots and potato.

INGREDIENTS

Basmati rice------------------- 2cups (wash and soak in warm water for 15 minutes)

Water-------------------------- 3 1/2 cups

Ghee----------------------------2 tbsp (for frying bread)

Bread slices---------------------2,cut in to cubes (optional)

Olive oil------------------------1 tsp (you can also use ghee or any oil of your choice)

Onion---------------------------1/4 cup,sliced

Green chilly---------------------1 slit length wise

Ginger garlic paste--------------1 tbsp

Tomato--------------------------1 medium sized,cut in to pieces

Turmeric powder---------------1/4 tsp

Biryani/pulao masala powder--1 tbsp

Garam masala powder----------1/4 tsp (you can also use whole garam masalas instead)

Vegetables-----------------------1 cup, cut in to medium size pieces

Lemon/lime juice---------------1/2 tsp

Yogurt/curd----------------------1/4 cup(mix smoothly in a bowl and keep it aside)

Salt to taste

Cilantro/coriander leaves to garnish

METHOD

1. In a medium heat pan add ghee and fry/toast the bread chunks till crispy and light golden brown in color.Keep it aside.
2. In a well bottomed vessel add oil and saute onion till soft.
3. Then add green chilly and ginger garlic paste.Saute till the raw smell goes.
4. Next add tomatoes and saute till soft.
5. Then add turmeric powder,biryani/pulao masala powder and garam masala powder.
6. When the raw smell of masala goes add cut vegetables. (You can also shallow fry potato in a pan and then add it to the masala if you prefer and is not in a hurry. In that way potato will remain in its shape and taste better). 
7. Toss all the vegetables together with the masala and add needed salt to it.
8. Next add yogurt/curd to it.
9. Then add rice and add lemon/lime juice.
10. Add water and needed salt.Cover and cook in medium heat till water boils and then bring the flame to low and slow cook it.
11. Once fully done,transfer to a serving bowl and fluff gently with a fork.Add chopped cilantro/coriander leaves to it.You can also add mint leaves if needed.
12. Then add fried bread pieces to it.The crispy bread pieces will become soft with the heat and moisture of rice and kids sure will love to pick those. 
13. Garnish with tomato rose,cilantro leaves or any thing of your choice and enjoy.

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Step 3 and 4

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Step 11 and 12

CHICKEN PULAO

Last day I watched a video of Sanjeevkapoorkhazana and inspired by it I made this pulao.I altered a little and made this pulao.Since,I added biryani masala it tasted like biryani.So this can be called as a quick and easy chicken biryani too.


INGREDIENTS


For marination
Chicken------------------------0.45 lb
Yogurt/curd-------------------1/2 cup
Chicken masala powder---1 tsp
Turmeric powder------------1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder----------- 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder-----------1 tsp
Garam masala powder-----1/4 tsp
Lemon/lime juice-------------1 tbsp
Salt as needed.


For Biryani
Ghee-----------------------------1 tsp
Cinnamon----------------------1 cm piece
Cardamom---------------------2
Cloves---------------------------2
Bay leaf-------------------------1
Saunf----------------------------1/4 tsp
Onion----------------------------1/2 cup,sliced
Green chilly--------------------1,slit length wise
Ginger garlic paste----------1 1/2 tbsp
Tomato--------------------------1 medium sized,sliced and seed removed
Biryani masala powder-----1 tsp
Basamati rice------------------2 cups
Salt as needed


METHOD

1. Marinate chicken with the marinating ingredients for over night or minimum 15 minutes in refrigerator.
2. Wash and soak rice in warm water for 10 minutes.
3. In a medium heat pan add a tsp of ghee and add cinnamon,cardamom,cloves,bay leaf and saunf.Saute till a nice aroma comes.
4. Then add sliced onion and green chilly to it and saute till soft.
5. Next add ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes.
6. Then add sliced tomato and saute till the raw smell goes.
7. Next add biryani masala powder and saute till a nice aroma comes.
8. Then add marinated chicken to it.Add one cup water and cook covered.
9. Once the chicken is 3/4 th cooked add rice to it and cook it covered with needed salt and 2 cups water in it.
10. Cook in medium low flame.
11. Once rice is fully cooked,transfer the biryani to a serving bowl and slightly fluff with a fork and enjoy.

Options: Add chopped mint leaves and cilantro/coriander leaves to it.

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cook chicken 3/4th

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Rice Recipes

Hubby brought me home some rice pudding the other day, to help settle my flu-riddled stomach. It felt good going down, and was ever so tasty. Got me thinking how with all the rice I've stored, I have yet to find a really good and simple rice pudding recipe.

Then my mind wandered. It tends to do that these days.

Now, I'm working up as many VERY EASY recipes for rice as I can find. If you have a favorite recipe using rice and only a few other ingredients, and that's very easy to make, please post it here, or e-mail it to me at thorntonwilliamsfamily at yahoo dot com.