Keerai kootu ( Amaranth with dhal )

  This was a  old post , was in the draft for a long time . Though the picture won't look nice , the recipe was so delicious. I will update picture soon.
   This is a famous kootu which is served in the lunch menu. It is healthy as it contains iron and protein from the greens and dhal. Besides , other kootu , it tastes great.

   

Requirements :

Amaranth leaves – a bunch

Red chilly – 1

Green chilly – 2

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Rice - 1/2 tsp

Shallots - - 10

Tomato -1

Tuvar dhal – ½ cup

Oil – 2tbs

Cumin – 1/ 4 tsp

Pepper – 5 corns

Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry leave – a sprig

Method :

Cook tuvar dhal separately.

Heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds and allow to splutter.

Now , add dry chilly , shallots , tomato and sauté well.

Add green chilly and turmeric powder.

Now add the chopped amaranth leaves , rice and allow to cook for five minutes.

Add cooked dhal and salt to taste.

Cook for another two minutes.

Keerai kootu is ready to serve.

Peas Pulao / Pattani Sadham / Mattar Pulao - Restaurant Style

    Today I am posting my favorite recipe,Peas Pulao . Pulao or Briyani was my all time favorite. 

    I can have these dishes for all the three meals a day. All the pulovs are my favorite , as they are tasty and easy to make one pot meal.

  Pilaf ( also known as pilau , peleau and pulov ) is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth. Depending on the local cuisine , it may also contain meat or vegetable.

Pilaf and similar dishes are common to Balkan , Middle Eastern , central and south Asian , East African , latin American and Caribbean Indian cuisines.

   The English term pilaf is borrowed directly from the Turkish pilav , which in turn comes from ( classical ) Persian polow and ultimately derives from Sanskrit pulaka – lump of boiled rice . The English term is further influenced by modern greek pilafi. Due to the vast spread of the dish , there exist variations of the name in many languages , including plov , polou , palov , pilau etc.

  In south Asia , pulao ( sometimes spelt pulav ) is a dish consisting of rice and commonly including peas , potatoes , French beans , carrots , mutton or chicken. It is usually served on special occasions and weddings and is very high in food energy and fat.

  Briyani is another rice dish similar to pilaf , introduced to South Asian cuisine during the mughal period . It is made from basmati or similar aromatic rice.

  Peas are easily available in fresh during the season and in dry form throughout the year. I used dry green peas to make this pulao. I sprouted it and used in making the pulao to make it more nutritious.

 This pulao can be served along with any spicy gravy like panner butter masala , dum aloo or chicken curry. Onion raita can also goes well with this rice.

It will be an excellent rcipe for lunch boxes and in parties.

  Usually basmati rice is used in making the pulao, I used normal cooking rice , I didn’t find any difference in the taste.

Requirements :

Rice – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Soaked green peas – ¾  cup

Green chillies – 2

Mint leaves – a handful

Coriander leaves – a handful

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbs

Salt as required

Oil + Ghee – 2 tbs

Bay leaf – 1

Cinnamon – a small stick

Cloves – 2

Cardamom – 1

Star anise – 1

Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Method :

If using dry peas means , soak it overnight , the previous day itself.

Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes.

Chop the onion into thin slices.

Slit the green chillies.

Heat the oil + ghee in a pressure cooker.

Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon , cloves , cardamom ,star anise , bay leaf and fry for a minute.

Add in the sliced onion and sauté till the onions become translucent.

Add the slit green chillies and ginger garlic paste  , sauté well.

Add in the green peas and mix once.

Add in the mint leaves and coriander leaves, sauté for two minutes.

Drain the water from the rice and add in the rice to the cooker.

Sauté the rice well for two minutes.

Add 2 cup of water and required salt , mix well.

Close the lid and cook for 2 whistles.

When the pressure subsides , open the lid and mix gently.

Peas pulao is ready to serve.

Serve with onion raita or any spicy gravy.

Note :

Tomato can be added to this pulov.

Instead of green chillies , garam masala can be added , but the color of the pulao will be changed.

Sending to Indus ladies
                       Kids lunch box recipes 

Book Review - Private India

Private India By Ashwin sanghi and James Patterson

                                         

      The novel begins with the introduction of  character SUNITA KADAM , housekeeper in Marina Bay Plaza. She knocked a room door , there was no response . she used her master key and enter into the room , there she find out a dead lady corpse .

 It was of the Thai from Bangkok  named Dr.KanyaJaiyen,  plastic surgeon.

  The other characters are the

   Staff of PRIVATE INDIA

 Jack Morgan , Boss of various detective agencies in many countries

SanthoshWagh, a former RAW agent , now working for private india , bcos of a car accident that took place two years ago.Present  head of Private India

NishaGandhe – assistant to santhosh

Mubeen – Private India’s fulltime medical examiner. He lost his son for racial discrimination in US , followed by divorce from his wife.

Hari – Technology Geek of Private India

All the above four enter the scene to investigate the murder case, as they are appointed by the hotel.

Rupesh Desai – present ACP , a friend of Santhosh enter the scene , and he says he will help with the case.

 While they were investigating , another murder occurred. The victim was BhavanaChoksi , Gossip colum writer of Afternoon Mirror.

Two chapter before the murder ,Bhavana contacted DevikaGulati , a yoga guru , for an interview. She was having an illegal relationship with NalinD’souza , India’s Attorney General.

Rupesh has connection with underworld Don Munna , whom he visits after the second murder.

    After the two murder Mubeen finds out the common thing in both murder , both were strangulated to murder , by using a yellow scarf. At the same time , a man possibly he was the killer was having a yellow scarf. 

    Mubeen also added that yellow scarf / urumaal was used by Thugs during British Raj rule and they were given signal by head of the thugs by asking for tobacco to chew.

  In the NOVEL , in two situation we came through that Rupesh was using tobacco for chewing. Whether he was the murder ?

   The third victim was a famous Indian pop singer PriyankaTalati. She rose to fame within five years and had won several award.

In all the three cases  there was no forced entry by the murder , may be the murder was known before to the victims. A single strand of hair was left nearby the body in all the three cases , as there was no root in the hair it was difficult to examine the DNA.

They went to a shoe shop to find out who bought a particular shoe OAKLEYS , the shop keeper didn’t answer. Hari , hacked the router of the system and found out that there were thirteen customers got the delivery , in that list NalinD’souza’s name was there.

     They also found out that in all the three murder sites , the security systems were installed by xilon security. All the three scenes , the hard disk which records the entrees were crashed.

The staff of Private India were watching a flimfare award function in TV. Lara omprakash , currently a famous director was receieving more awards and she went dwn and sat with a familiar face , Jack Morgan , boss of Private India from LA.

 I  t was a live program  ,Jack visited the conference room of private India and said he knows lara and he asked Santhosh why he didn’t inform him about the cases they were dealing with.

       The story goes on very interestingly , making us to read more .........

  

   To find out who was the murder  and what was the reason behind all the murders  ,  read the novel Private India.

The narration was so good , that each and every scene spreads in front of the reader’s eyes.

 I liked reading this , we will come to know how the private detective agency will handle the cases.
 This was a post for Book Review programme of Blogadda.com.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!