Cilantro Rice

Coriander leaves has so many essential vitamins and minerals for a human body.It acts as a anti-oxidant and antibacterial agent.It can be used as a medicine to control cholestrol and sugar.When my H bought 3 bunches for a dollar,I cannot resist myself in preparing this dish.Coriander rice is a flavourful ice,when prepared,ur house will surely be filled with its aroma.Today we had cilantro rice with eggplant fry and onion raitha.It went well with my family.

Ingredients:
1. Basmati rice            -  2 cups
2.Cilantro                  -   1 bunch
3.Mint leaves              -   1 cup
4.Onion                       -  1
5.Green chillies          -  6
6.whole garam  masalas
7.Ginger                     -     1/2 inch
8.Garlic                     -    4 pods

Method:
* Chop the onion lenghthwise and slit the green chillies.
* Wash and grind the cilantro,mint leaves,ginger,garlic with 2 green chillies.
* Make into a fine paste .
* Wash the basmati rice and soak it in water for 15 mins.
* Take a pressure cooker pour 1 tsp of ghee and fry the basmati rice for few minutes and keep it aside.
* In the same cooker add oil and splutter with  whole garam masalas.
* Saute onion and remaining 2 green chillies till they ooze out oil.
* Pour the grinded  mixture into the cooker and saute it with onions.
* When it  looses its raw smell, add 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
* Slowly add the fried basmati rice into the cooker and mix it well.sprinkle salt to taste.
* Transfer the content to the rice cooker.( Chk the rice in between).
 When the rice is cooked pefectly,transfer the rice immediately to another container, this will make the rice non-sticky.Serve it with ritha and eggplant fry.



Sending this to Krithi's Herbs and flowers in my platter - Coriander/Cilantro started by PJ.

Keerai Kadayal - Amma Spl

Though there are n number of preparing spinach, this particular one is very easy and elegant dish.Which facilitates even a beginner to prepare this,with less ingredients.Everybody will love this simple yet healthy dish.I was fully satisfied ,after trying out several recipes.My mom is a queen of veges .This is one of her exotic recipes.Give it a try ,u will fell in love immediately.

Ingredients:
1.Spinach                         -          1 bunch
2.Tomato                          -          1/2
3.Garlic pods                   -           4
4.Tamarind                      -           a gooseberry size
For seasoning:
1.Vadagam                      -            1/2 tsp
2.Red chillies                  -            4
3.Curry leaves                 -            1 spring
4.Cilantro                         -            few

Method:
* Take a pan and put spinach,tomato,tamarind and garic pods.
* Cook for 10 mins or untill,it gets mashes .
* Use a hand bender and smash it well.
* Now take a pan and add oil and season with tempering ingredients....
Serve it with hot rice...

Sending to Umm Mymoonah of "Taste of Pearl city" 's Any one can cook event

Also sending to torview Toronto 's Food Palette - Series - Green

Drumstick Leaves Sambar

Drumstick leaves sambar is my favourite .This weekend ,went to indian grocery,saw these leaves.They were very tempting and fresh.Bought them immediately and cooked sambar in my mom's style.It was to gud .It has iron in it and gud for kids also....

Ingredients:
1.Drumstick leaves           -        1 bunch
2.Toor dal                         -         1/2 cup
3.Onion                             -          1
4.Tomato                           -         1
5.Garlic                             -         4 to 5 pods

For Tempering:
1.Vadagam                        -           1 tsp
2.Red chillies                    -           4
3.Curry leaves                    -          few

Method:

* Chop onion and tomato finely.
* Pressure cook toor dal with all the ingredients ,except drumstick leaves.
* Cook for 3 whistles.when the whistle is released,add the drumstick leaves ,without putting the weight.
* now ,when the leaves are mixed well and cooked,turn off the haet.
* Take a hand blender and blend it well.
* Now take a pan and add oil, splutter with ingredients under 'for tempering',pour it to the blended mixture.
* Adjust salt to taste and have with piping hot rice.

 Pudina Pulao:

Beans Usili

Sending this to Pari and Sara's "Only Greens Event"

Fluffy Spinach Omlett with traces of carrot

According to my husband,spinach is a very last thing - he wud eat weekly once.To make it attractive,I was finding ways ,for a long time.When I was browsing thru blogs, I came to know this very good idea "spinach omlett " from a fellow blogger..To make it fluffy, we are going to add 1 egg and 2 egg whites.The more egg whites u add, the more fluffyness, u will get in ur omlett.Obviously egg whites has less cholestrol level, it is good for adults also.I made it colorful by adding traces of carrot also.

Spinach Omlett!!!

Ingredients:
1.Egg                  -     1
2.Egg white         -     2
3.Onion               -      1/4(Chopped)
4.Green chillies  -       2  ( Chopped)
5.Garlic              -       1  ( Grated)
6.Ginger             -        1/2 inch (Grated)
7.Spinach              -     1/2 cup( Minced)
8.Carrot              -        1/4 cup (shredded)

For Garnishing:
1.Shredded cheese       -    1 tbsp
2.Tomato                     -     1 slice (chopped)

Method:
* Take a  mixing bowl , add egg,egg whites and beat them well.
* Now add all the items  under "ingredients" and mix them.
* Adjust salt to taste.
* In a skillet, add a tsp of oil and pour the mixture slowly in low flame.
* After couple of minutes ,flip it around and let it cook for 2 to 3 mins more in low flame.
* Serve hot ..

I thought of giving a visual treat for my son.Took a small bottle cap and made 3 small omlettes and garnished with shredded cheese and chopped tomato.My son was so happy and named it as spinach pizza.Wow.....
wat a  great way to feed my son,spinach.......

Spinach Pizza!!!

Note:
Make sure that all the ingredients are minced well.If u feel, that ur egg batter is too thick, then u can increase one more egg white.The flame has to be very low, as it may turn brown quickly and will not be appealing

I am sending this to Srivallils " Wholesome Breakfast"

Indian Omelette

Palak keerai masiyal

In my previous posting , I have updated spinach dal.Now I am going to give u the slight variation of that.
Its our mother's, home made secret.This dish is very well done in a special vessel , which is known as "Chatti".It gives a unique taste to it.

Ingredients:
1.Spinach            -  1 kattu
2.Toor dal           - 1/2 cup
3.Onion               -  1 1/2
4.Tomato             -  1
5.Green chillies   -  10 (small)
5 (a).Garlic          -  3 to 4 pods
6.Red chillies      -  3
7.Mustard seeds   -  1 tsp
8.Cumin seeds      -  1 tsp
9.Vadagam            -  1 tsp
10.Curry leaves 
11.Cilantro

Method:
* In  a pressure pan boil the toor dal with a pinch of turmeric pwdr,a tbsp oil, and garlic .
* When the dal is half cooked , add the chopped onions,tomato and green chillies.
* When the mixture is 90% cooked, add the chopped spinach.
* When the spinach turns color , turn it off
* Take a hand mixer and smash the spinach nicely.
* Take a pan and add a tsp of oil, splutter cumin seeds, mustard seeds,curry leaves and vadagam.
* Transfer the spinach masiyal to the pan and mix it well.
* Garnish it with cilantro.
* Serve it with hot rice .
Spinach Cooked With Onions

Spinach dal

Spinach is rich in iron and minerals. It helps us to fight against prostate cancer,ovarian cancer,cardio vascular diseases, and it helps our bones to retain its calcium level.As spinach is rich in iron , it is compared with red meat. Becoz it gives iron with no fat.
Popeye the sailor man introduced spinach. But it is too bad that he ate that from a can as ,spinach looses the delicacy of texture and the jade green color, when it is processed. It is always good to use fresh spinach. Spinach has a crispy ,sweet taste ,which allows us to use it in salads.

Here i am going to show u how to prepare spinach dal .This is my fav dish.And i love to eat when my mom cooks it. I learnt this from one of my friend. She does this very well.

Ingredients:
I have taken a bunch of spinach. Wash and chop the spinach finely.Pressure cook 1/2 cup of urad dal and keep it aside. The ingredients for tampering are 1 tsp of mustard, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, curry leaves and 4 to 5 red chillies.I have also taken 1 onion,1 tomato, 8 to 9 green chillies ( this depends on ur level of spicyness, i want really spicy), 2 tbsp of tamarind juice,few curry leaves ,cilantro and salt to taste.

 Method:
Chop the onion ,tomatoes and slit the green chillies. Take a pan and pour oil into it and splatter the mustard seeds, cumin seeds ,red chillies,curry leaves. Saute the onion until it oozes out some oil.Now add the tomatoes and sprinkle some salt for cooking it fast.Once tomato disintergrates into the mixture, add the chopped spinach.Let it fry for a minute.

Now add the cooked toor dal and let it boil.When it comes to a boil, add the tamarind juice and turn it off after a minute. Garnish it with cilantro and serve with rice.Looks yummy right.........

Indian-Style Spinach