Nutty Butter Pulav

Sometimes you are tired and dont want to spend hours in the kitchen but still dont want to compromise on the delicious food that you are used to having on weekends. ( i.e . something different and special ).

Same thing happened with me on the last weekend .I wanted to make something simple but different for our Sunday meal , and while searching the various sites came across this lovely blog   maayeka  by Anjanaji .

She has so many lovely recipes of rice as well as other dishes that I first couldnt decide which recipe to try . But then this wonderful  pulav  recipe simple yet flavorful cought my attention and I decided to try it. You can get the original recipe from   here

The only change which I made in the recipe was adding chilly flakes and little sambhar masala as we like our food little spicy. And the result was this awesome pulav , so flavorful that you can even have it just plain without any side dish.

Though we had it with  a simple raita and achar.

Thanks Anjana Didi for sharing such a lovely recipe.


Ingredients :

2 cups .........................Basmati rice
4 cups ............................water
3 tbsp.......................butter ( I used Amul butter )
1tsp........................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp.....................urad daal
1/2 tsp...................chana daal
1tbsp......................chilly flakes
1tbsp.....................sambhar masala ( I used Sakthi brand)
1 tbsp.......................cashewnuts
1 tbsp.......................walnuts
2 tbsp.......................sesame seeds
1/4 cup....................peanuts
salt

Method :

Heat the ghee and fry peanuts, cashews and walnuts separately till golden .
Remove and keep them aside.
Keep the water to heat .
Now heat the remaining ghee and add mustard seeds, urad daal and chana daal.
When they crackle add the chilly flakes and washed and drained rice.
Stir till the rice grains are well coated with ghee say about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add 4 cups warm water, salt and sambar masala and mix well.
Keep few cashews and walnuts aside for garnishing.
Now add the roughly crushed sesame seeds, fried peanuts and remaingin cashews and walnuts.
Adjust the salt, cover the lid of the pan and lover the flame.
Cook on slow flame till done .
Serve hot with raita , papad or any side dish of your choice.

This butter rice is so aromatic and delicious that you can just have it warm as it is.

Linking this to :

cooking-with-seeds-peanuts

Grilled Vegetable Salad

Summer is a time for vacations, enjoyment and all things cold. So you must be wondering why I am posting this warm vegetable grilled salad in this climate. But believe me this is a very comforting salad to have during hot weather.

Though warm this salad has minimum amount of spices and the dressing is so mild that you get to enjoy the goodness of all the vegetables in their most natural form.


The main attraction is the grilled flavor and adding the nuts which brings out the true  flavor of this
salad as the vegetables have not undergone complicated cooking procedures .

Just grill the vegetables , taking care not to overcook them so that they retain their crunchiness .The interesting part is that you can add any easily available vegetables or omit the ones which you dont have .

Normally adding citrus fruits like oranges, berries or pineapple will add the extra tang to this salad, but since I had only pomegranate I added the same and it gave the extra crunch to this already crunchy salad .

Ingredients :

1 ........................capsicum
1 .....................potato
1......................onion
1.......................carrot (medium)
4 to 5 ................mushrooms
4 to 5.................cherry tomatoes
4 to 5 .................baby corns
100 gm .................cottage cheese (paneer)
1 tbsp........................oil

Dressing :

2 ....................garlic cloves (crushed )
1 tbsp.............thyme (dry)
1 tsp...............pepper powder
2tbsp................olive oil
1tbsp.................lemon juice
2 tbsp.................honey
salt

Garnish :

1/2 cup...............pomegranate seeds
1tbsp..................roasted sesame seeds
1tbsp.................roasted sunflower seeds


Method :
Mix well all the things listed under dressing and keep .
Now cut the onion , carrot and capsicum into big pieces.
Slice the potato thickly.
Cut the mushrooms into half.
Make thick cubes of paneer.
Cut the baby corn or keep them whole if you like.
Now keep a iron tawa on gas and smear it with oil.
Now arrange all the vegetables on the tawa .
Keep potatoes and carrots at the centre whereas arrange the softer ones at the sides.

When they get cooked and charred turn them and cook the other side too.
When still warm mix these vegetables with the prepared dressing.
Add pomegranate, sesame and sunflower seeds and serve warm.
Have the salad with toasted bread .
You can even have this salad itself as a meal.




Linking this colorful tasty salad to :

Swathis hearth-and-soul-blog-hop-152

my-bowl-of-salad                                                             

 Priyas healthy salads   at     themadscientistskitchen