Shrimp Fried Rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Shrimp - 1 lb, shelled and deveined
• Onion - 1 med, chopped
• Carrots - 1 cup, sliced
• Frozen sweet peas - 1 cup, defrosted
  
• Green chilies - 2-3 , chopped
• Soy sauce - 2-3 tbsp
• Tasting salt - 1 tbsp (or to taste)
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Eggs - 2
• Basmati rice - 3 cups(raw)

Methods:

• 1. Rinse and drain the rice.
• 2. Bring water into boil, add the rice with 1 tsp of salt and boil till the rice seems al dente. Drain and set aside.
• 3. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry the eggs by scrambling them, remove and set aside.
• 4. Add the onions to the pan, saute till they are translucent. Add the carrots, half the amount of tasting salt and black pepper. Saute for 2-3 min till they are a bit softer. Add the sweet peas and saute for 2-3 more min. Remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.
• 5. Add the shrimp to the pan with 1/2 tsp of garlic paste and 1/2 tsp of tasting salt. Saute till they curl up.
  
• 6. Return the eggs and veggies to the pan. Stir to combine and saute for 1-2 min.
• 7. Add the drained rice to the pan. Carefully stir to combine as not to break the rice. Test for salt. If required add a bit more tasting salt and black pepper. Saute for 3-4 more min.
  
• 8. Sprinkle the soy sauce on top, turn the heat off, cover and let it rest for 10 min before serving.
• 9. After the 10 min, stir the rice a bit so that some of the whiter rice and some of the darkened rice with soy sauce will mix evenly. Serve with a side of fried chicken or any side of your choice.
  

Saffron Infused Fried Rice with Garlic Chives

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 3 cups (raw)
• Onion - 1 med, finely diced
• Garlic chives - chopped, 1 cup
• Saffron strands - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 2-3, minced
• Green Chili - 2-3,( or to taste), sliced
• Salt & pepper - to taste
• Cumin powder - 2/3 tsp
• Whole anise seeds - 1 tsp

Methods:

• 1. In a large saucepan bring water to boil, drop the rice and boil until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• 2. In a non-stick wok, heat 3 tbsp of oil. Add the garlic, green chilies and saffron strands to infuse the oil.
• 3. Add the anise seeds, onion and chives, saute for 2-3 min till the onions are translucent.
  
• 4. Add some salt and pepper and the cumin powder, saute for a min. Add the drained rice to the onions. Saute on high heat for 5-6 min, till the rice have absorbed the flavoured oil. Season if required.
• 5. Serve with any meat or fish side.
  

Island Style Fruity Rice

For our 3rd wedding anniversary, the hubby and me went to the Florida Keys, for the first time. There, in Key West, FL, we had this wonderful dinner in a restaurant called "Rum Barrel". I know that the island, the magnificent surroundings and of course the pirate theme of the restaurant played a big part on our moods. Still the scent of the balsamic seared Tuna, the exotic spice blend in the rice served with it, haunts my palate. Thus, here lies the inspiration for this concoction. I did not use much spices as I did not want the rice to be over powering, as it is intended to be served with fish. The result was scrumptious. Bon Appétit!

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• Cooked long grain rice - 3 cups
• Kiwi fruit - 2, diced
  
• Pineapple - 1 cup, diced
• Dried cranberries - 1/2 cup, chopped
• Jalapeno - 2, diced
• Red Onion - 1 small, diced
• Lemon Pepper - 1 - 1.5 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Extra Virgin olive oil - 2 tbsp
  

Methods:

• 1. Chop the fruits and veggies, set aside.

• 2. In a wok, heat the oil, add the chopped onions and jalapeno. Saute for couple of minutes.
• 3. Add the lemon pepper and salt, stir to combine. Add the rice. Saute on high heat for 3-5 min, till the rice has absorbed the flavours.
  
• 4. Add the chopped fruits, stir to combine. Saute for 2-3 min. Turn the heat off.
• 5. Serve immediately as a side to some grilled fish.
  

Fusion Fried Rice

I call this my Fusion Fried Rice, as it is practically a fusion of everything. I came up with this recipe few nights ago, when the only thing "cooked" I had in my fridge was rice. I had sandwich meat but no bread, loads of herbs (don't know why I buy all different kinds at the same time) and some veggie. So.... here is the result. The fusion of all the weird ingredients. You just have to try it to know how yummmm the result came out. :)

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 2 cups, cooked
• New Carrots - 3, sliced thinly
• Sweet peas - 1.5 cups
• Eggs - 4
• Roast Beef deli slices - 1 whole package (8 oz pack), chopped
• Italian/ Flat Leaf Parsley - 1/3 cup, chopped
• Cilantro - 1/3 cup chopped
• Basil - 1 handful leaves, chopped
• Onion - 1 med, chopped
• Jalapeno - 1 , sliced
• Garlic clove - 2 , minced
• Soy sauce - 4 tbsp
• Salt & Black pepper - to taste
  

Methods:

• 1. Prepare all the vegetables and the meat, by chopping them , set aside. In a bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and black pepper, set aside.
  
• 2. In a large non stick pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil, fry the eggs for about 1-2 min. Do not over cook them. Remove and set aside,
• 3. Add the chopped roast deli meat to the pan, saute for 2-3 min with some black pepper and 1 tbsp of soy sauce. Remove and set aside with the eggs.
• 4. Add 2 more tbsp of oil to the pan, heat. Add the onions and garlic. Saute till the garlic is fragrant. Add all the veggies, except the herbs. Add the remaining 3 tbsp of soy sauce. Saute for 4-5 min.
• 5. Add the eggs, deli meat and rice to the pan. Stir to combine. Break any lumps of rice gently, do not mush up all the rice. Saute for 4-5 min on high heat.
  
• 6. Since the soy sauce will be salty, taste for seasoning now. If needed add some salt and black pepper. Stir in all the herbs. Turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
  

Matar Polao ( Rice with Sweet Peas)

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice - 4 cups
• Sweet peas - 2 cups
• Ghee/ Clarified Butter - 1/2 cup
• Onion - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Garlic cloves - 3, crushed
• Ginger root - 1 inch, grated finely
• Green chilies - 3-4, halved lengthwise (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Whole pepper corns- 1 tsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1.5 inch long pc
• Cloves - 3-4
  
• Cardamons - 4-5
• Dried Bay leaf - 1 lrg

Methods:

• 1. Wash and drain the basmati rice in a colander. Set aside.
• 2. In a deep base pot or dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp oil. Add the cardamon, cinnamon, bay leaf, pepper corns. Saute till they pop.
• 3. Add the ghee/butter. I add it now, so that it does not burn. Add the onions and salt. Saute till they turn translucent and a little crispy on the edges. Add the garlic and ginger. Saute for 2-3 min.
  
• 4. Add the drained rice, stir to combine and coat the rice with the butter. Saute for 4-5 min, stirring constantly so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
  
• 5. Add 8 cups (using the same cup you used for measuring the rice) of hot water. Cover and bring to boil on high heat.
• 6. Once the water has boiled up, stir the rice to combine everything. Add the green chilies and reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 10 min.
• 7. After the 10 min, gently fold the rice, that is, with a spatula stir from the left bottom side to the left top and the same for the right side. Do NOT over stir the rice as it will make it soggy.
  
• 8. Scatter the sweet peas on top of the rice, cover and simmer for 10 more min.
• 9. Turn the heat off . Do not stir it yet. Let it rest for at least 10 min before serving. When serving, gently stir the rice to mix in the peas with the rice. Serve as a side with any fish or meat or vegetable entrée .
  

Hints:
I have used some food colouring which is optional. If you also wish to do so, then mix 1 tbsp of Zafran (orange food colour) to 2 tbsp of water. At step 9, after turning the heat off, with a tsp, take spoon full of the colour mixture and pour it in one spot of the rice. Do this for several spots. Then cover and let it rest and serve as suggested above.

Mughlai Chicken Biriyani

Chicken Biriyani is a Mughlai dish, dated back to the Mughal Empire. It is a rich dish, adorned with nuts, fruits and of course a generous use of ghee(butter) and cream. Usually the meat is cooked separately then, half cooked rice and the cooked meat is layered and then baked in the oven to finish off. My version differs in the cooking method, but tastes brilliant every time. So here it is...

Serving: 6

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 whole (4-5 lb/ 2.5 kg), cut in small pieces
• Basmati Rice - 5 cups
• Onion - 1 lrg, thinly sliced
• Green Chili - 4 -5 , sliced lengthwise (seeds removed if you do not like the heat)
• Bay leaf - 1 or 2 lrg
• Green Cardamons - 5 pcs
• Cloves - 4-5 pcs
• Cinnamon stick - 2.5 inch long
• Whole pepper corns - 1 tbsp
• Yellow potato - 1 lrg, cubed
• Dried Prunes - 1/2 cup (to substitute Aloo Bokhora, since I don't like them)
• Unsalted Cashew nuts - 1/2 cup
• Ghee (clarified butter) - 1/2 cup
• Full cream milk - 1.5 cups
  
• 
  
• For the marinade:
• Plain yogurt - 1 cup
• Garlic Cloves - 4, crushed
• Ginger root - 1 inch, grated finely
• Salt - 1 tbsp
• Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
• Hot spice powder - 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• 1. Clean and pat dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel. In a sealable container, mix in all the ingredients for the marinade, and marinate the chicken pieces for 24 hours, refrigerated or minimum of 2 hours. The longer you marinate, the juicier the chicken gets.
  
• 2. On the day of cooking, take the marinated chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before cooking. Wash the Basmati rice, let it drain and set aside.
  
• 3. In a large non-stick pot, or a dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of oil with the ghee. The oil is added to reduce smoking as butter/ghee burns very quickly.
  
• 4. Add the cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, and the pepper corns. Saute till they pop. Add the onions and saute till they turn translucent.
• 5. Drain the chicken pieces from their marinade (reserving the liquid) and saute on high heat to get a crispy brown coating. Add the reserved marinade, cover and simmer on low heat until the chicken pieces are 3/4 cooked, for about 20-25 min. Remember to stir occasionally to avoid any burns at the bottom of the pan. If the liquid seems to dry up very quickly then add 1/2 cup of hot water, however the trick is to cook the chicken in its own juices.
  

• 6. Add the rice to the chicken and stir very gently to combine. Saute for 4 - 5 min on med heat. Remember to keep stirring otherwise the rice will burn.
• 7. Add 8 cups of water (using the same cup you used for measuring the rice), bring to boil on high heat. Add the milk (warmed up in the microwave), stir to redistribute, then lower the heat to med, cover and simmer for 10 min.
• 8. Meanwhile, in a microwavable bowl, put the potatoes with 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 tsp of sugar and a pinch of Zafran (orange food colour) and cook on high heat for about 3-4 min, or until the potatoes are cooked. In a small frying pan , heat 1 tbsp of butter and saute the cooked potatoes till they turn crispy. Set aside.
  
• 9. Back to the rice, after 10 min of simmering, stir the rice gently only once. That is, fold the rice from left bottom side to the upper left side, then the right side. DO NOT over stir it, as it will make your Biriyani soggy. Even if you are worried about burning at the bottom, then lower the heat, still do not stir it vigorously. Place, the cooked potatoes, dried prunes, and the green chilies on top of the rice, cover and simmer on low-med heat for 10 more minutes. Turn the heat off, sprinkle the cashew nuts on top, cover and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
  
• 10. After the long wait, your Chicken Biriyani is ready. Bon Appétit!
  

Curried Rice

Servings: 3 -4

Ingredients:

• Rice* - 2.5 cups
  
• Ground Beef - 1 lb (450 gm) (you can also use ground chicken/ turkey)
  
• Onion - 1 med, finely chopped
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
• Green Chili - 2, sliced lengthwise (seeds removed if you don't like the heat)
• Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Hot spice powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1.5 tsp (or to taste)
  
• Black pepper - 1 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1 lrg
• Clarified Butter - 4 tbsp (you can use oil in stead)

Methods:

• 1. Wash the rice, drain and set aside.
  
• 2. In a non-stick pot, heat the butter, add the bay leaf. Add the onions and saute till they turn translucent.
  
• 3. Add the salt, ginger and garlic paste, saute for 2-3 min. Add the ground meat, saute till they turn brown.
• 4. Add the dry spices (cumin, coriander, hot spice, nutmeg, black pepper), saute for about 3-4 min.
  
• 5. Add the rice and keep sauteing for 4-5 more min. Add 5 cups (using the same cup you used for measuring the rice) of hot water** to the pot, stir to combine. Bring the water to boil, stir the rice once, add the green chilies, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 15 min, covered.
  
• 6. After 15 min, gently stir the rice (do NOT over stir it, as it will make the rice soggy), turn the heat off. Let it rest for at least 10 min. With a fork, carefully loosen/fluff the rice, before serving. You can serve it as it is, or as a side to some grilled meat/veg.
  

Hints:
*I used Sona Masoori rice, however any fragrant rice can be used. However, adjust the measurement of the cooking water to the specific rice you use.
** You can also use beef/chicken/veg broth in stead of water. In that case, make sure to adjust the salt you add at the start since broths usually tend to be salty.

Nutmeg Rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice - 3 cups
• Clarified Butter - 4 tbsp
• Green cardamon - 4-5 pcs
• Whole cloves - 4-5 pcs
• Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
• Dry Bay leaf - 1
• Salt - 1 tbsp
• Ground Nutmeg - 1/2 tsp
• Ground Cumin - 1/2 tsp
• Whole pepper corns - 1 tsp
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
• Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced

Methods:

1. Wash and drain the rice in a colander.
2. Heat the butter in a non-stick pot, add the cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, and the bay leaf. Saute till the seeds start to pop. Add the onions and salt. Saute till the onions are translucent.
3. Add the garlic and the ginger paste and saute for a few min. Add 1/2 of water and the dry spices (nutmeg, cumin, black pepper), saute till the water evaporates. Add the rice and saute for 4-5 min, till the rice develop a colour.
4. Add 6 cups of water, using the same cup you used for measuring the rice, and bring to boil on high heat. After 4 - 5 min, stir in the rice gently, lower the heat to low-med and simmer for 15 min, covered.
5. After 15 min, turn of the heat off and let it to rest for at least 10 min before serving. Serve with fish or any other meaty side.

Beige Khichuri with Chili King Prawns

The traditional Khichuri (which is usually bright yellow/orange coloured) usually has more spices, such as turmeric, cumin, etc and also more types of lentils. The cooking process is also a little bit more complicated. This version of my Khichuri does not go to all those lengths but still tastes fantastic and is the perfect solution for a busy or amateur cook. Since, I do not use all the dry spices, my khichuri looks beige coloured, and its easy on the tummy. :)

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• For Khichuri:
• Sona Masoori Rice - 3 cups*
• Masoor Dal/ red splits lentils - 1.5 cup
• Onion - 1 sml, finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves - 2, crushed
• Ginger paste - 1 tsp
  
• Green Chili - 2 sml, finely chopped
• Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1.5 tsp (or to taste)

• For Chili King Prawns:
• King Prawns - 1 lb(450 gm, or about 12 pcs)
• Onion - 1 med, thinly sliced
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped coarsely
• Garlic powder - 2 tsp
  
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Paprika powder - 1 tsp
• Chili powder - 1 tsp
  
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Methods:

• 1. Clean and devein the prawn, leaving the shells on. **
• 2. Mix in all the ingredients for the chili prawns, except the cilantro and the onions, in a bowl and marinate the prawns while you cook the rice.
• 3. Wash the rice and the lentils together and let it drain in a colander.
• 4. In a pot, put the drained rice and lentils, add the onions, garlic, ginger, chili, salt, and the mustard oil. Mix to combine. Add 7.5 cups (2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice and 1.5 cup for the lentils ) of water using the same cup you used for measuring the rice.
  
• 5. Put the pot on high heat, covered, till the water comes to a boil. Once boiled, stir to combine everything together, lower the heat to medium, cover and let it cook for 15 min, undisturbed, that means do not go in, opening the lead or stirring the rice. If you stir your rice too many times, it will release the starch which will make the rice sticky.
  
• 6. After 15 min, check the rice to see whether all the water from the surface has evaporated or not. If it has, then turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 15 min before serving. If you still see some moisture on the surface of the rice, then cook for few more min on med heat and then turn the heat off. Your Khichuri is done.
  
• 7. Meanwhile, on a non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of butter. Add the chopped onions and saute till translucent.
  
• 8. Add the prawns and saute till they curl up and turn bright red. Once all the juices released from the prawns are evaporated, your prawns are ready. Top them with the chopped cilantro.
• 9. Serve the prawns on a bed of the beige coloured khichuri.
  

Hints:
* You can use any type of medium grain rice. I prefer Sona Masoori, because it has a nutty flavour and the rice, when cooked, is not sticky or does not lump up.
** To devein a prawn/shrimp, keeping the shell on, you first need to remove the heads. Then make a slit or puncture mark on the tip, middle, and lower back of the prawns, through the shells. Make sure not to make a deep wound, which will cut through the vein as well. Place your knife tip through the slits of the shells and pick up a point of the vein through the slits marks, and pull it out. The veins will come out whole, leaving the prawns clean. You might have some trouble the first time, in which case you can just make a cut along the back of the prawn and just pull the vein out. However, the other option makes the prawns look prettier.