A - Z Tamil Nadu Recipe Series ~ B for Brinji / Tamilnadu Style Brinji Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk

Brinji or vegetable brinji is a simple, delicious and easy one pot meal made with rice and mixed veggies, with it's origins in Tamil Nadu. Some believe the dish has Persian roots, since rice is called berenj in Iran, thus indicating that the dish might be a borrowed one. This rice dish is considered to be in existence way before biryani/pulao arrived in the region. Being older, the south Indian ingredients like coconut and pepper are incorporated into the recipe, thus making it different than biryani / pulao / tahiri dishes. Also the Tamil word for bay leaves, brinji elai comes from being generously used in the preparation of brinji.  

South Indian style short grain rice is preferred to make brinji. Flavored rice like seeraga samba would be a perfect fit but Basmati would be a nice substitution which is easy to source. It is possible that the earlier version used little or no vegetables but the modern versions uses the standard vegetables used in a pulao recipe. Also the early recipe must have relied only on pepper for the heat since chilies were still an unknown ingredient in the Indian subcontinent. A garnish of fried bread cubes or soya nuggets chunks to the finished dish is also common.

Over the years, I have been seeing brinji recipe where the standard spices like cloves, cinnamon and cardamom being used and onions get sautéed. I made a small portion following the recipe here which does not use those spices and also onion or tomatoes do not get sautéed. It is hard to even notice the fact that they were not sautéed.  I even skipped the garlic from the recipe as I am not a fan of it's flavor. The recipe still is a keeper as the dish is absolutely delicious and very easy to remember or follow. This is a fuss-free dish where all you do is chop a few vegetables and layer it to pressure cook. The recipe is a quick one if you overlook the one hour wait time that is needed for marinating the veggies in coconut-ginger-garlic paste and soaking the rice part. 

Here are some other rice based dishes from Tamil Nadu for you to enjoy.

Arsis Paruppu Sadam

Chettinad Vegetable Biryani / Kaikari Biryani

Dindigul Thalapakatti Veg Biryani 
Ellorai (Sweet Version)
Ellu Sadam / Sesame Seeds Rice

Iyengar Style Kadambam

Iyengar Puliyodharai

Kalkandu Saadam

Lemon Rice

Paal Pongal / Vellai Pongal

Sambhar Sadam

Yogurt Rice

Ven Pongal

Ingredients for marinating: (Yield 4 servings)

1/2 cup peeled and cubed potatoes

1/2 cup peeled and chopped carrot

1/2 cup shelled fresh / frozen peas

1/2 cup chopped mint leaves (I used both mint & cilantro)

1 tsp. red chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 cup coconut paste *

2 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste **(I omitted garlic.)

1 tsp. salt

* Grind 1/4 cup coconut to a paste using 1/4 cup water

** 6 garlic cloves and an inch piece of ginger ground to paste with little water. Use 1 tbsp. paste if using store bought one.

Ingredients for brinji:

1 cup Basmati rice

1 tbsp. ghee

3 bay leaves, crushed

2 medium sized onions, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1/3 cup light coconut milk

2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients mentioned under marination list to a wide bowl and mix well. Cover and leave it aside to marinate for about an hour. The mixture would release liquid after marination.

2. Rinse and soak rice in water for about an hour. Drain the rice after soaking period.

3. Add ghee to a 3 liter sized / small pressure cooker and add the torn bay leaves. 

4. Top it with chopped onions and tomatoes uniformly.

5. Spread half of the marinated vegetables along with the liquid over onion and tomato mixture.

6. Next add rice over the veggies in an even layer.

7. Layer it again with the remaining veggies.

8. Pour the coconut milk and water over it and close the lid.

9. Cook on medium flame for two whistles and turn off the stove. Wait until the cooker's valve pressure is gone. 

10. Wait for 15 - 20 minutes and open the lid. Fluff and serve with raita or vegetable korma.

This is going to be my contribution to this week's Blogging marathon, with the theme 'A -Z Series'. Check the page link to see what other marathoners are cooking.

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Edamame - Millet Khichdi

I picked 'easy dinner ideas' as my theme for this week's marathon which required the dish to be a meal by itself or can be served as a main course. This healthy and tasty khichadi happens to be a one pot meal, prepared with millet, spinach and edamame and one that can be cooked at the last minute. It is quite a simple and easy preparation as all you do is dump everything into a cooker / pot and cook them. I cooked the khichadi directly in a small sized pressure cooker but of course it can be cooked in any sturdy pot on stove top, under 30 minutes. 

Edamame pronounced 'eh-dah-maa-may' is the Japanese term for the young soybeans that are harvested before they get ripened. They are available both in pods / shelled forms, fresh or frozen. They are great to snack on or tossing them in a stir fry or salad. I have used frozen ones here and added them along with spinach and potato to boost the nutrition factor of this khichdi. I used the yellow colored millet commonly available in US stores and threw in a handful of Basmati rice as well. Substitute any long grain / Basmati rice or a combination of rice and millets or any other quick cooking grain in place of millets. This edamame and millet khichdi is a quick, wholesome and nutritious meal that can be prepared under 30 minutes.  

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. ghee and/or oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 inch piece cinnamon
1 bay leaf
2 green chilies or according to spiciness preferred
1/2 inch piece ginger, grated and crushed
1 big onion, sliced
1 big tomato
1 potato, chopped
1/2 cup edamame (I used about a cup of edamame and that quantity seemed more.)
2 cups chopped spinach
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp. garam masala (optional but recommended.)
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
Salt to taste
1/2 cup millets
1/4 cup yellow moong dal
2 cups + extra water

Directions:
* Wash millets and moong dal, drain and keep aside.
* Heat ghee / oil directly in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Toast for few seconds until you start to smell fragrance of the spices.
* Add the chopped green chillies and ginger and saute for few seconds. Next add onion and saute until golden brown. After onions are done, add tomatoes and cook until they soften.
* Next add potatoes, spinach, edamame, turmeric, salt (I used about 2 tsp.), garam masala, millets, moong dal and about 2 cups of water.
* Close the lid, put the valve on and pressure cook for 3 whistles. 
* When the valve pressure is gone, remove the lid and check the consistency. Do the taste testing to check the seasonings. If needed, add salt / chili powder. If the khichdi appears too thick, add a cup of water (or as needed). Simmer for few minutes until it starts to bubble, stirring in between to avoid the khichdi sticking to the bottom of the cooker. 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page to find what other marathoners are cooking.

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Bardoli Ki Khichdi

Khichdi, a medley of grain, lentils and vegetables is a common one pot meal prepared across Indian states. The regional variations keep this quick, humble meal interesting enough to keep it rotating in one's kitchen. Today's version supposedly comes from Bardoli, a suburb of Surat in Gujarat. The dish is a straight forward, no fuss kind prepared with the basic ingredients of an Indian kitchen. No special spices / spice powders are used here. 

Raw mango which is a summer staple of Indian kitchens is an interesting addition to this filling khichdi, which drew me to this recipe in the first place. I had a couple of raw mangoes in my refrigerator even in the middle of winter though they don't t match up to the varieties available back home in any manner. The khichdi also had onions in the recipe which I decided to leave out. The khichdi turned out to be how it should be - nutritious, wholesome and simple. Good to go with some papad / lentil wafers, a spicy pickle and drizzled with some ghee on the top.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup yellow lentils / toor dal
1 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 green chillies, sliced
1/2 inch ginger, chopped
A pinch of asafoetida powder 
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 cup rice
1 big sized potato, cut into cubes
1/2 cup raw mango, peeled and cubed
A handful of green peas
Salt to taste
Red chili powder to taste
Cilantro to garnish

Directions:
1. Soak lentils for about 2 hours and drain. (It cuts down the cooking time if the khichdi is going to be cooked in a pan or if the dal cannot be cooked for three whistles in a pressure cooker. Skip this step if lentils can be cooked in a pressure cooker in 2 or 3 whistles.)
2. Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan on medium flame and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown, add chillies and ginger. Fry until ginger turns golden brown. Add asafoetida, turmeric, drained lentils and about 2 cups of water. 
3. When the lentils are half cooked, add rinsed and drained rice and potato cubes. Keep adding water if needed. Add raw mango cubes after about 10 minutes and continue to cook. After about 5 minutes, add peas and continue to cook. When the rice and lentils are completely cooked, add salt and chili powder. Check the consistency and add water if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil if water was added and if not, cook for about two minutes and turn off the stove. 
* Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Note:
Follow this method if using a pressure cooker. Heat ghee in the cooker directly and add cumin seeds. When they start to brown, add chillies and ginger. Fry until ginger turns golden brown. Add asafoetida, turmeric, drained lentils, rinsed and drained rice, potato, raw mango pieces, peas, salt, chili powder and about 2 cups of water. Close the cooker lid and pressure cook for two / three whistles.

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Black Eyed Peas Rice / Lobia Pulao

Today's recipe makes a spicy one pot meal that is filling and nutritious. Vegetables like beans, carrots, potatoes and peas can go as well into it to make it more healthier but I wanted the beans to take the lead role here. If one had soaked black eyed peas handy or even the canned ones, the dish is a breeze to make. I like onions in these kind of dishes in fried form rather than sauteing along with the spices and so have used them as garnish. A chopped onion can be sauteed before the addition of the tomato in the recipe and the garnish can be left out. 

The rice is spicy on it's own and doesn't need any side dish to go with it. A simple raita can be prepared if preferred though a plain yogurt made a perfect accompaniment for the very spicy version I cooked.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup black eyed peas
3/4 cup basmati rice
1 sliced onion + oil for frying
1 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 green cardamom pod
2 whole cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 inch piece ginger, crushed
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tomato chopped
1/2 tsp. garam masala
Salt to taste
1 and 3/4 cups of water
Chopped cilantro to garnish

Prep work:
* Soak beans for about 4 to 5 hours. If not pressure cooking, soak overnight to cut down the cooking time.
* Soak rice in water for about 15 to 30 minutes and drain the soaking water. Rinse rice in several changes of water until clear and leave it in a colander to dry.
 * Heat oil in a pan and fry onion until crisp and golden, stirring frequently. Remove them with a slotted spoon, draining oil as much as possible and spread them out on a paper towel to drain. Keep aside for garnish

Directions:
* Heat oil directly in a small sized pressure cooker and add cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and cook for few seconds over medium heat. Next add ginger and saute for 30 seconds. Some chopped garlic can be added at this point if preferred. Add turmeric, ground cumin and coriander, chili powder and saute for few seconds. 
* Next add tomato and cook until it turns into mush. 
* Add the drained rice and garam masala, saute for about a minute, stirring gently not to break the grains. 
* Next add the drained beans, salt and water and close the lid. Pressure cook the mixture fro two whistles.
* Let the rice sit for few minutes after the valve pressure is gone. Garnish with fried onions and chopped cilantro. Serve it with some yogurt on the side. 

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Quick Version Tomato Rice

My husband loves rice based dishes and undoubtedly this tomato bhath is one of his favorites. This gets cooked whenever I am in mood to prepare a proper version and indulge him. Nowadays an instant version is replacing it for a quick fix meal idea. Thanks to MTR tomato rice powder that we came across during our last India trip. Just like their instant puliyogare mix, this powder gets sauteed in oil and mixed with cooked rice and magically one will have tomato rice ready within minutes. 

This instant tomato rice can prepared in under five minutes if one has some cooked rice handy and only following the directions on the pack and keep it simple. I don't stick to the basic version and end up frying some chopped onion and tomatoes and mix it along with the dehydrated tomato and spice powder. I haven't tasted it as it contains garlic but my husband vouches for the taste of this no fuss tomato rice and keeps asking to prepare it often. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Basmati rice
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. cashews
1 small sprig of curry leaves
1 finely chopped small onion
1 tomato, chopped
3 tbsp. MTR tomato rice powder
Salt to taste (1/4 tsp.)

Directions:
* Rinse rice twice with water and drain the water completely. Pressure cook adding 3/4 cup water for 3 whistles. When the valve pressure is gone, remove the rice container and let the rice cool a bit. Don't try to scoop the cooked rice immediately since the rice grains may break. 
* Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and fry cashews until golden brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon draining as much as oil as possible and keep them aside. Add curry leaves and onion to the same oil. Fry until onion turns golden brown and add tomato pieces. Cook until tomato turns mushy and add tomato rice powder and saute for about 30 seconds. Add rice and mix gently until it is coated well with the tomato mixture. Taste and add salt if needed. Mix well and serve with papad and yogurt. 

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Round up of A - Z Indian Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi Series

Off and on, I have been part of a blogging group, coordinated by my blogger friend, Srivalli for the past 98 months. Yes it has been that long. Each month, we publish 3 posts per week under set themes as a group and during April and September months, we do month long posting dubbed as mega-marathon. Each marathon, I have something old and traditional and something new to offer. The former category usually helps me record the family recipes while the latter are those I come across and try to explore from my contemporary, real and virtual worlds. This particular marathon has been unique in it's own way as it has been a part of my leaning curve. A regular visitor on my blog would have noticed the series of biryanis, pulaos and khichdis posted here for the past one month. 

I am not new to khichdis but honestly speaking, the mothers in my life never ventured into the biryani / pulao worlds. My grand mothers and my mother in law had started their families even before India got independence and it sounds ridiculous to even imagine them doling out biryanis / pulaos in their traditional south Indian vegetarian kitchens where even the usage of onion and garlic were taboo. I think the Andhra vegetarian cooking was never influenced by the Muslim culture and does not use the spices liberally. Andhra was a part of the Madras presidency before independence and not a part of the Nizam's Hyderabad whose kitchen is the torchbearer for the biryani revolution. My mother has kept up the tradition since my father doesn't eat onion / garlic and they don't even like the spice combination used in the garam masala. The funny thing is that they use all the spices in one form or another but not in that particular combination. I have seen many south Indians who don't prefer garam masala in their food,  surprising it may sound to North Indians whose main variety of rice dishes depend on them for the flavor quotient. 

I ended up with a husband who occasionally can enjoy a biryani / pulao but prefers south Indian style rice dishes over them any day. I used to make a simple vegetable or peas pulao at home now and then like most of my husband's family does though as a blogger, I come across the classic versions. With that kind of background, I was obviously oblivious to the varieties, the biryani and pulao world had to offer until I ventured into it, thanks to this mega marathon. Biryanis and pulaos, a craftsmanship evolved over centuries in the hands of khansamas of the Mughalai / Nawabi kitchens may or may not be replicated to perfection in today's world but along with them, there are plenty of modern varieties and also an equal number of vegetarian versions to suit the palates of vegetarians. For this marathon, I have tried to stick mostly to the versions that were vegetarian in origin except a handful of classic versions from the Nawabi kitchens that I wanted to try, converting them to vegetarian versions. It's like I have opened a pandora's box now and I have plenty of varieties to try later. 😋  Here is my humble effort to record my 'evolution' as one from being not able to differentiate between a pulao and biryani preparation to confidently pull off a decent preparation of a 'biryani / pulao' on my own. I chose to stick with Indian variety grain based dishes in an alphabetical order and here is the list for you to enjoy.

A for Ambur Biryani

Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao

Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao

Donne Biryani

Ek Toap na Dal 

F for Fada ni Khichadi 

G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani

H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani

I for Iyengar Puliyodhari

J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao

K for Kashmiri Pulao

L for Lucknowi Biryani

M for Motiwale Pulao

N for Nei Choru

O - Oodhala Pulao

P - Pariba Khechudi

Q - Quinoa Panchkuti Dal Khichdi

R - Rajma Pulao

S - Sindhi Biryani

T - Tehri / Tahiri

U - Uttarakhandi Khichdi

V - Vaal Khichdi

W - Wadi - Subz Pulao

X - Xacuti Masala Veg Pulao

Y for Yakhni Pulao (Vegetarian Version)

Z - Zafrani Pulao

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A - Z Biryani / Khichdi / Pulao Series ~ U for Uttarakhandi Khichdi (Tilantha Khichdi)

When I made a list of recipes to try for this marathon, I made it a point to pick as many as possible choices for each alphabet. The idea was that I can cook whatever I can depending upon the mood and the ingredients I have on hand at the time of cooking rather than sticking my guns at one dish which may have proved not feasible at all. I went on to cook about 2 dozen different pulaos and biryanis in the past couple of months that we my husband somewhat hit a vexation point just at the mention of it. He enjoys them once in a while but not when his wife is determined to experiment and cook all known varieties, in the span of few weeks. 

My initial plan was to cook a 'ulava chaaru biryani' for the alphabet "U'. I zeroed on a particular recipe and bought a packet of horse gram for the first time in my life.  I kept delaying the preparation until this weekend to break the biryani monotony but it turns out that I was no longer in the pulao / biryani mood. I therefore turned to this easy-breezy kind khichdi, the one pot meal being a dish which I don't get tired of, irrespective of regional variations. 

I tried to pick a handful of khichdis for this month's marathon, each with at least some minor variations. This one pot khichdi which is also called as tilantha khichdi or tilwali khichadi that I found on youtube, comes from the Uttarakhand region as the name suggests. It doesn't use any garam masala either in whole or ground forms, which seems to be a norm in most of the masaledar khichdis. This version is prepared using rice and small sized lobia / black eyed peas which are brown in color. I used chori beans instead. The khichdi is supposedly preferred during the winter months as sesame seeds and ginger are natural warmers. A paste made with toasted sesame seeds, generous amounts of ginger and garlic and green chillies is used in this khichdi preparation. I omitted garlic from the recipe but feel free to use it liberally if you prefer it's addition. The delicious khichdi is quite spicy on it's own, thanks to green chilies, chili powder and ginger in the recipe. Serve it along with some plain yogurt, papad, and ghee to make it a wholesome and filling meal.

Ingredients: (Yield 2 servings)
1/4 cup small sized brown colored black eyed peas
1 tbsp. white and /or black sesame seeds
1 inch piece of ginger
2 green chillies
2 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup basmati rice

1.5 cups water

Directions:
* Soak beans overnight. Drain after the soaking period.
* Toast sesame seeds on low flame until they start to crackle and turn off the stove. Let them cool.

* Grind sesame seeds, ginger and chilies together finely adding water as needed.

* Heat ghee directly in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds and when they start to brown, add drained beans and saute for a minute. Next add the sesame seed paste and fry on low flame for about a couple of minutes.

* Next add salt, coriander powder, turmeric and chili powders and stir well. Continue to cook until the paste thickens and the beans are coated well with it, about 3 - 4 minutes.

* Rinse and drain the rice. Add it to the cooker and saute for few seconds. Add water and bring the mixture to a boil. Close the lid and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles. 
* Wait for few minutes after the valve pressure is gone. Open the lid of the cooker, gently mix and serve warm.

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A - Ambur Biryani
B - Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C - Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D - Donne Biryani
E -  Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F - Fada ni Khichdi
G - Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H - Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I - Iyengar Puliyogare
J - Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K - Kashmiri Pulao
L - Lucknowi Biryani
M - Motiwale Pulao

N - Nei choru
O - Oodhala Pulao
P - Pariba Khechudi
Q - Quinoa Panchkuti Dal Khichdi
R - Rajma Pulao
S - Sindhi Biryani
T - Tehri / Tahiri

 
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.

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