Palak Biryani (Spinach Rice) Pressure cooker version

I'm back from my long holidays!!! After so many days i'm writing my blog again and i'm not having any idea what should i write, this happens with me every time when ever i give a long gap in my blog writing then i will not know only what to write. After a long holiday i'm feeling lazzy to cook some different dishes except dal and rice. I had this recipe in my waiting list from a long time, i think now the time has come to post this Palak Briyani recipe. Since i'm not cooking any other dishes..

Ingredient's
3 cups of shredded spinach
1 cup basmati rice
1/2cup mutter, 1/2cup chopped beans
1 large onion, 2 green chillies, 1 large tomato (sliced thin)
1tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder, 2tsp ginger garlic paste
2 bay leafs, 1 green cardamom, 2 dry red chillies
Oil and Salt to taste

Cooking Method

Wash and keep the rice aside with 2 cup of water. In a pressure cooker add oil, when the oil is hot add bay lefas, dry red chillies and cardamom, when they turn brown, add onion and green chillies and fry to golden brown, then add all the masala powder, ginger garlic paste and tomato, cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Now add the green peas, beans, spinach, rice and salt. mix them all together and add 2cup of water. and close the lid and cook for 3 whistle (1 in high flame 2 in low flame)
Serve hot with Raita.

Toor Dal Fry (Split Pigeon Pea Fry)

Toor Dal Fry, you could probably make dal fry using a combination of dals as well. But i like only toor dal because it gives you a very unique taste, once you start eating this dal fry you never feel like stoping. When ever i cook dal fry i always end up cooking for 4 to 5 person though we are only 2 at home.

I think i should give some credit to my hubby as well, for giving me his secret recipe.. In oct 2011 i was not feeling well and i did not even feeling like eating anything for whole day. I wanted to eat something spicy but doctor had told me not to eat oily and spicy. My hubby made a deal with me in the afternoon saying that if you eat this plain khichdi or fruits, i will cook some special dinner for you ok. After hearing that i was excited and i ate fruits. Then for dinner he cooked food, but what? Dal fry, Rice, Roti, Potato and fenugreek seeds sabji. First i told him this is what you said special, i dont want to eat now. Then he told me you just eat one bite, and i did that. OMG!!! i never thought the food was so so so tasty, i finished the entire plate... From that day i started loving toor dal fry :)

Ingredient's

1/2cup toor dal
1 onion, 2green chillies, 1 tomato(finely chopped)
5 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1tbsp ghee, 1tbsp oil
1/2tsp turmeric
1/2tsp cumin seeds
Salt to taste
2cup of water
2tbsp chopped fresh coriander leafs.

Cooking Method
In a pressure cooker add dal, turmeric, salt and 2cup of water and cook for 4 whistle (1 in high flame 3 in low flame) and keep it aside. In a deep frying pan add ghee and oil, when the oil is hot, add cumin and chopped garlic and fry to golden brown, add onion and green chillies, fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add chopped tomato and fry for another 2 to 3minutes. Now add cooked dal and let it simmer for 4 to 5minutes in a low flame. Garnish with coriander leafs. Serve hot with Rice or Roti. You can add more ghee before serving (optional)

I am sending this recipe to Sudha from Wit,wok & wisdom. Love for lentils event.

Oats And Almonds Cookies..

Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber. This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. One component of the soluble fibre found in oats is beta-glucans, a soluble fiber which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Here's how it works. Soluble fiber breaks down as it passes through the digestive tract, forming a gel that traps some substances related to cholesterol, such as cholesterol-rich bile acids. This entrapment reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Oats and grains are also one of the best sources of compounds called tocotrienols. These are antioxidants which together with tocopherols form vitamin E. Source from Eat More Oats.

Ingredient's
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 egg, 1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

1tsp coca powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Baking Method
Preheat the oven to 175C/375F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, combine egg and sugar and beat until creamy. Add melted butter and vanilla and stir until well combined. Set aside. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, coca powder, baking powder and chopped almonds. Then combine wet and dry ingredients and mix it well.
Drop teaspoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2-3 inches space between the drops. Place one full almond on the cookies, (for the better look). Bake for about 10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
Let cool completely on wire rack, before storing in airtight container.

Sweet Lassi..

Lassi is a popular and traditional yogurt-based drink of India. Traditional lassi is a savory drink sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin while sweet lassi on the other hand is blended with sugar or fruits instead of spices. This is one of the simplest and very easy way of making sweet lassi. There are many variation in lassi but i like this version because it does not take much time and it can be made with very less ingredients too..

Ingredient's
2cup curd (yogurt)
1cup sugar
1cup chilled water

Method
In a deep mixing bowl, add curd, sugar and water. Mix all together till it is frothy. To blend the ingredients you can use whisk or hand bender. Serve cold.

Merry Christmas...Vanilla & Almonds Muffins

Yooo.... It's Christmas time. Merry Christmas to all my blogger friends and readers. Whenever i think of Christmas, only one thing comes to my mind is lots of colors, celebration , shopping , gifting, baking and baking... This time i have planned to celebrate Christmas very simple, may be i will go out for dinner with my hubby or I will cook something never tried before at home. I am saving my celebration to have blast on New Year eve.

Ingredient
1 cup of all purpose flour
80 gm unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg, 2 pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp Almond flakes
2-3 tbsp tooty frooty

Baking Method
Preheat the oven for 10 minutes at 180c. In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugar. Beat till it becomes light and creamy, add in egg, vanilla essence and milk, mix well till it becomes fluffy. In a separate mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, salt, tooty frooty, mix them together nicely. Now add the mixed flour into the wet ingredients, beat till all the ingredients are combined well.

The batter should not be too thick neither too thin. Grease the muffin cup with butter. Now fill the muffin cups till half with batter and then add a layer of almonds flakes. On top of it add some more batter. Then bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes at 180c. Allow it to cool in room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before taking it out from the tray. Serve warm or cold. In this batter you can make 6 to 8 muffins.