Peas pulav

An erudite doctor offers healing remedy after heeding, the patient’s nature, the disease’s nature and the time of year. – Thirukural

Green peas contain a healthy phytonutrients a polyphenol called coumestrol which lowers the risk of stomach cancer. Another phytonutrients saponin in green peas has anti oxidants and anti inflammatory benefits. Pea plants are environmentally friendly, they are nitrogen fixing crops.

Peas pulav is a easy to make one pot meal, I usually do this with malai koftha or simply onion raitha.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 3 cups
• Green peas - 1 cup
• Onion chopped - 1 cup
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic – 4 cloves
• Green chilies - 5 (adjust to your taste)
• Water – 4 ½ cups

For tempering
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cloves - 6
Cinnamon - 2 inches
Cardamom - 3
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1/2 cup

How to make

1. Soak Basmathi rice in water for half an hour.
2. Then drain the rice and fry rice in a low flame till water evaporates from the rice.
3. Boil water in a separate vessel.
4. Heat oil in a pan add tempering ingredients one by one.
5. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies in a mixer grinder. Add this paste to the oil and fry till raw smell goes away.
6. Next add chopped onion and fry till it is translucent.
7. Then add green peas and fry for few minutes.
8. Add rice and salt, mix it well. Next add boiling water, in the ratio of 1:1 and ½. For 3 cups rice, I usually add 4 ½ cups water.
9. Cook for one whistle, and then simmer it for five minutes. Switch off the stove.
10. Serve hot with spicy gravy or onion raitha.

Vegetable- Mushroom fried rice

The body requires no medicine if you eat only after the food you have already eaten is digested – Thirkural

Vegetable Mushroom fried rice

Whenever I feel tired or want to complete cooking fast, I prefer to cook Vegetable fried rice. It requires only few ingredients and it gets ready in no time….if we have the frozen veggies pack.

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice – 2 cups (basmathi rice or sona masoori rice)
• Vegetables – 1 cup (vegetables of your choice)
• Mushroom – 5 to 6
• Garlic chopped – 1 tsp
• Green chilies - 2 (adjust to your taste)
• Spring onion chopped – 1 bunch
• Schezwan sauce  (store brought) – ½ tsp
• Pepper powder – 1 tsp
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Salt to taste

Procedure

1. First cook rice in pressure cooker or electric cooker, grease a plate with oil and spread cooked rice on the plate.
2. Next heat oil in a pan, when it fumes add chopped garlic, spring onion and green chilies cut lengthwise. Fry for 2 minutes.
3. Then add mushroom (cleaned and chopped) and vegetables of your choice. Fry for 10 - 15 more minutes in medium flame.
4. After 10 minutes add schezwan sauce ½ tsp and stir well.
5. Finally add cooked rice and pepper powder, salt to taste. Mix well and switch off the flame.
6. Serve hot with munchurians of your choice.