Tomato Rice

Ingredients
Rice- 2 cups cooked
Onion- 1 large diced
Tomato - 2 large diced
Garlic- 4 cloves diced
Green chilli- 4 slit lengthwise
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
Salt- as needed

For Tempering
Oil- 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Urad dhal- 1 tbsp
Asafoetida- few pinches
Curry leaves- few

Method

1. In a pan heat oil and do the tempering.
2. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft.
3. Add green chilli,tomatoes and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and mix the cooked rice.
5. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve warm.

Jambalaya

Ingredients
Long grain rice- 2 cups
Onion- 1 large chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves minced
Tomato- 2 chopped
Celery- 2 stalks diced
Green pepper- 1 seeded and chopped
Red pepper- 1 seeded and chopped
Chicken chorizo- 4 links diced into rounds
Paprika- 2tsp
Cayenne pepper- 2 tsp
Hot sauce- 1tsp(optional)
Bay leaves- 2
Thyme- 1tsp
Oregano- 1tsp
Chicken stock- 5 cups
Salt and pepper- as needed
Cilantro- 2 tbsp chopped

Method

1. In a large pan, heat 3 tbsp of oil and fry the bay leaves.Add chorizo and fry till well browned. Add the veggies one by one and saute till soft.
2. Sprinkle oregano and thyme and fry for few minutes. Add paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper powder and mix well. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the rice and saute for 5 minutes. Pour the chicken stock to the pan and turn on the stove to high flame.
4. When the stock boils, reduce the flame to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is well done. Garnish with cilantro.
5. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients
Basmati rice- 2 cups uncooked
Water- 2 cups
Coconut mik- 1 cup(optional)*
Onion- 1 large sliced lengthwise
Tomato- 1 small chopped
Green chili- 2 sliced lengthwise
Carrots- 1 diced
Beans- 4 diced
Green peas- 1/4 cup
Potato- 1 large diced
Ginger-garlic paste- 1tsp
Chili powder- 1/2tsp
Mint leaves- 10
Coriander leaves- to garnish
Salt- as needed

For tempering
Oil- 1tbsp
Butter- 1tbsp
Cinnamon- 2"
Cloves- 3
Bay leaves- 2
Fennel seeds- 1tsp

Method

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes in the rice cooker vessel.
2. In a pan, heat butter and oil. When the oil is hot, add the tempering ingredients and fry well.
3. Add the onions,mint leaves, green chilis and ginger and garlic paste. Fry till the onions are soft.
4. Add the veggies and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and chili powder Close the pan with a lid until the veggies are half cooked.
5. Transfer the veggies to the  rice cooker along with coconut milk and cook until done.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm with raita.

* Adding a cup of coconut milk enhances the taste of biryani.

Veg fried rice

Ingredients
Brown rice- 3 cups cooked
Onion- 1 medium chopped
Ginger- 1tsp
Garlic- 1tsp
Carrots- 2 cut lengthwise
Snow peas- 1 cup
Edamame- 1/2 cup
Water chestnuts- 1 8oz can
Eggs- 2 scrambled(optional)
White mushrooms- 1 cup chopped

For seasoning
Soy sauce- 2tbsp lite, 1tbsp dark(if using long grain rice reduce to 1tbsp lite soy sauce)
Rice vinegar- 1tsp
Red chili flakes- 1tbsp
Toasted sesame oil- 1tbsp
Salt and pepper- as needed
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and leave aside for 10 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Method
In a large wok, heat 2tsp of peanut oil in high flame. Add onions, ginger and garlic.
Saute till the onions are soft. Add the veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
When the veggies are half cooked but still crunchy, add the rice and eggs.
Pour the seasoning on top of the rice and mix well.
Remove from heat and serve warm.

Eggplant- Capsicum Rice

Ingredients
Curry  leaves- 3
Eggplant- 1 large sliced lengthwise
Green pepper- 1 sliced lengthwise
Red pepper- 1 sliced lengthwise
Onion- 1 large sliced lengthwise
Garlic - 3 cloves minced
Turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
Salt- as per taste
Cooked basmati rice- 4 cups 
Whole cashews- 4 fried  for garnish


Dry roast and grind coarsely
Gram dhal- 1tbsp
Urad dhal - 1tbsp
Coconut powder- 1tbsp
White sesame seed- 1tsp
Cinnamon- 2"
Cloves- 2
Fennel seeds- 1tsp
Dried red chilies- 3
Coriander seeds- 1tsp




Method

1. In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of oil. Add curry leaves and let it splutter.
2. Add minced garlic, onions and saute till the onions are soft. Add peppers and eggplant. 
3. Sprinkle with turmeric powder and salt. Close the pan with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
4. When the veggies are soft, add the ground powder and mix well. Let it cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
5. Add the cooked rice and mix gently until the rice is well coated with the veggie mix.
6. Garnish with cashews and serve warm with a side of potato chips.

Sambar rice

Ingredients
Raw r
ice- 2 cups
Onion- 2 large chopped
Tomato- 1 large chopped
Garlic- 6 cloves
Potato- 2 small diced
Carrots- 2 diced
Green beans- 10 chopped
Green peas- 1/2 cup
Sambar powder- 1tbsp
Tamarind paste- 1tbsp
Sesame oil- 2tbsp


For tempering
Oil- 3tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Urad dhal- 1tbsp
Methi seeds- 1/2 tsp
Gram dhal- 1tbsp
Dried red chili- 2
Curry leaves- 10
Asafoetida- 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp.


Method

1. In a large pan , heat the oil and add the tempering ingredients.
2. When the seeds splutter, add garlic and onion and saute well. 
3. When the onion is soft, add the vegetables and tomato.Sprinkle with sambar  powder  and cover with a lid.
4. When the veggies are soft, add the tamarind paste.Mix well.
5. Transfer the sauteed veggies to the rice cooker and add rice and 5 cups of water.
6. Cook till done. Before serving sprinkle the sesame oil on the rice and mix well.

Serve  hot with papad.

Mint pulav

Mint Pulav

Ingredients
Mint leaves- 2 cups packed
Onion- 1 chopped lengthwise
Green chillies- 3
Potatoes- 2 boiled and diced
Green peas- 1 cup
Coconut- 2 tbsp
Basmati rice-  4 cups cooked
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Ginger- 1"
Lemon juice- 1tbsp


For tempering
Butter- 2tbsp
Oil- 2tbsp
Cinnamon- 1"
Cloves- 3
Bay leaves- 2
Marati mokku- 1


Method

1. In a pan, heat 1tsp oil and saute the green chillis, mint leaves and ginger. 
2. Grind the sauteed leaves along with cumin and coconut into a fine paste.
3. In a medium pan, heat the butter and remaining oil. Add the tempering ingredients and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add the sliced onion and saute till the onion are translucent.
5. Add potatoes, green peas and the ground mint paste. Fry for few minutes.
6. Add the cooked rice and mix well. 
7. Sprinkle desired amount of salt and lemon juice.
8. Mix well and serve it with onion raitha.

Cubed  paneer can be substituted for potatoes.

Lemon rice

Ingredients
Cooked long grain rice- 3 cups
Lemon juice-5 tbsp
Green chilli- 4
Chilli flakes - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Roasted peanuts- 2 tbsp ( optional)
Corainder leaves- 1 tbsp
Salt- to taste


For tempering
Oil- 3tbsp
Mustard- 1/4 tsp
Urad dhal- 1tsp
Gram dhal- 1 tbsp
Curry leaves- few
Asafoetida- 2 pinches


Method

1. In a pan heat oil and do the tempering.
2. Add green chillies, chilli flakes and turmeric powder.
3. Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil.
4. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice mix to the cooked rice.
5. Add salt and mix well. If adding peanuts, add it to the rice.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve the rice with potato chips.

Chicken fried rice

Chicken fried rice

Ingredients

Rice- 2 cups( cook with 1 tsp of oil)
Onion-1 small

(cut into small pcs, reserve the tops  for garnish)

Carrot- 2 (cut into strips)

Beans- 1/2 cup (cut lengthwise)

Green peas-1/4 cup
Egg - 1(scrambled with salt and pepper

Soy sauce-2tbsp

chili garlic sauce- 1tbsp

Salt and pepper as needed

Peanut oil-5tbsp

For Chicken

Chicken-1 cup( cut into thin strips)

Corn flour-1tbsp(optional)

Soy sauce-1tbsp

Oil-1/2tsp

Salt and pepper as needed

Marinate chicken in its ingredients for 30 minutes.

Method

1. In a large pan, heat peanut oil in high flame. 
2. Fry the chicken and drain in a paper towel. 
3. In the same pan, fry the vegetables until half cooked. If adding egg, move the veggies to the side of the pan and scramble the egg on one side of the pan and mix.
4. Add the chicken to the pan, pour the sauces and fry for few seconds.
5. Add the cooked rice and mix well. 
6. Sprinkle with g.onions,salt and pepper.

Taste the rice before adding salt, sometimes the sauces maybe enough.Shrimp can be substituted for chicken.