CHITRANA RICE

Tangy rice dish, flavoured with peanuts and malagapadi, a South Indian spice mixture.

Cooking Time : 10 mins.
Preparation Time : 20 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients

1½ cups long grained rice
3 tbsp peanuts
3 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
1 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
½ tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
3 whole dry red chillies, broken into pieces
5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsp freshly grated coconut
3 tbsp tamarind water (imli ka pani)
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
2 tbsp malagapdi powder, recipe given
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For the malagapadi powder
2 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
1½ tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
2 tbsp urad dal (split black lentil)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
12 whole dry red chillies
1 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp salt

For the malagapadi powder
1. Mix and dry roast all the ingredients. Blend them in a blender to a powder and keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Boil the rice in a vesselful of salted water. Each grain of the cooked rice should be separate. Drain and cool.
2. Roast the peanuts and sesame seeds separately and powder them coarsely. Keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan add the chana dal and mustard seeds and roast for 1 minute.
4. Add the red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida and cook again for ½ a minute.
5. Finally, add the rice, coconut, tamarind water, turmeric powder, malagapadi powder, roasted peanuts and sesame seeds powder and salt and cook for a few minutes.
6. Serve hot.

HARIYALI CHAWAL

Coriander lends a delicate flavour to this rice. You can also use dill leaves along with coriander.
Cooking Time : 10 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long grained rice
1 1/2 cups chopped coriander
4 peppercorns
25 mm. (1") piece cinnamon
4 cloves
4 green cardamoms
2 onions, sliced
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

For the garnish
1/4 cup onion slices, browned

Method

1. Wash and soak the rice for about 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom and onions and saute till the onions turn translucent.
3. Add the rice and saute for a few minutes.
4. Add 3 cups of hot water and salt and pressure cook till the rice is tender.
5. Remove from the fire and add the chopped coriander. Mix well using a fork so that the rice grains do not break.
6. Garnish with the browned onion slices and serve hot.

Tips

The Coriander is added last so that it retains its colour.
Crushed peanuts can be added for a better taste.

Bajra Kichidi

Stuffed to the core with iron health, this khichdi is a treat for elders and the children in the family!
Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Cooking Time : 15 mins.
Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/3cup whole bajra (black millet)
3 tablespoons yellow moong dal (split yellow gram)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
½ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 tablespoon ghee
salt to taste

Method

1. Grind the bajra to a coarse powder in a blender.
2. Combine the bajra and moong dal with salt and 2½ cups of water and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
3. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds and asafoetida. When the seeds crackle, pour over the cooked bajra khichdi and mix well.
4. Serve hot.