Rajani Rayudu's Beetroot Pulav

Rajani Rayudu's Beetroot Pulav

I like to serve this for parties or just as one pot meals with some raita or as a picnic food. Even beetroot haters would love to have this. promise!

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 large (skin removed, chopped into cubes)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp

Green chillies - 4 no. (slit lengthways)

Mint leaves - handful (or can use dried mint leaves then use 1 tsp)

Onion - 1/2 no. (sliced and cut in middle once)

Whole tomato - 2 small (chopped)

Whole garam masala - {Whole cloves - 8 no., Bay leaves - 5 no., Cinnamon stick - 2 inch}

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Home-made Garam masala powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp (use only my masala, if you are adding yours then try adding half and half)

Yoghurt - 3 gartelu (small kura garte)

Basmati Rice - 4 rice cups 

Water - {6 rice cups + Salt - 2 tsp}

Butter - 30 g + Oil - 1 tbsp

Proceed:

1) Heat a 5 litre pressure cooker pan, with butter + oil, once heated on medium heat, add whole garam masala. Once fried add green chillies fry them. Add mint leaves and onion, fry until light golden color.

2) Reduce heat to low and add gg paste and beetroot pieces and fry for 5 mins along with turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala powder.

3) Add tomato pieces and cook until mushy.

4) Once mushed up keep the dish away from flame and add yoghurt and stir. Keep this on medium flame now and cook until moisture has been evaporated,  keep stirring in between.

(meanwhile measure water and add salt to it, mix well and keep aside)

5) Add washed and drained rice and stir until there is no water left, to that add measured liquid mix well once. close lid and cook for 1 whistle and switch off.

6) Once pressure is down, after 30 mins standby time, stir rice with fork and serve.

 Serve with Cucumber Raita. Equally goes well with mild curries such as Badami Chicken.

Note:

Home-made Garam Masala Powder: (this recipe is from my friend Venkat, and became my family favorite. Thanks!!)

2 and 1/2 tbsp Whole Cloves, 1 and 1/2 tbsp Cardamom, 1 tbsp cinnamon stick - 

Grind everything in coffee grinder without roasting the spices. Keep it in airtight container.

Tip:

For extra, spread some butter on both sides of bread toast this on skillet and cut into bite size pieces add this on top while serving.

Translation:

Kura garte = spatula for serving curries.

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu

Rajani Rayudu's Dal Paratha

Rajani Rayudu's Dal Paratha

 Yum Yum!! made with left over Tomato dal. Kids will love it or for get-together too. Easy peasy in making.........try it out and let me know. thanks!

Ingredients:

Chapati flour - 3 rice cups
Left over Tomato Dal - 1 and 1/2 rice cups
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Water - to mix the dough (I added almost 1 rice cup, but depends on flour, so use accordingly)

Proceed:

First mix four ingredients in a wide bowl. To this add water bit by bit, just the way as chapati dough consistency. Roll into golf ball size. keep cover and rest in fridge for 15 mins.

Heat tawa, mean while roll each ball in to thin round with the flour, cook on hot tawa on both sides using a little ghee to smear. Wrap it in tea towel put these in celloware tight container or keep in Roti basket and Serve immediately.

Serve with Lime pickle or with Radish Raita or Mutter Paneer or serve just as it is, still tastes good.

Left over Tomato Dal (the way I made it):

In a pressure cooker add 1 steel glass (small cup) washed toor dal, 2 m tomatoes (cut in half), 1 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, handful of deep fried onions, 2 slit green chillies and 2 and 1/2 steel glass (small cup) of water, put the lid with weight on top and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.

Once cooked, remove the lid add salt to taste and blend with stick blender.

Now in a seperate pan for seasoning, add 1 tbsp oil, once heated add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 4 split red chillies, 1 sprig of curry leaves. do seasoning and add it above dal with 1/2 rice cup water.

Once boiled switch off.

***Serve for dinner immediately and remaining dough, keep in fridge and do Parathas.

yum!!

© 2011 by Rajani Rayudu