Vegetable Biryani in Rice Cooker

A few years back,Rice cooker was something which I thought was a seldom used appliance in the kitchen.But now I feel it is an integral part of my kitchen.The Pulao,Biryani or any rice dish comes out perfect in a rice cooker and best part is,once we switch it on,we can completely forget about it and go about our work.Isn't that great?

I haven't tried cooking anything other than rice dishes in it but I see so many people use it to make payasam,halwa etc.Someday:)

Today I'm posting a weekend staple in our kitchen,Vegetable Biryani.I know,many people would disagree about the Vegetable in Biryani and some would believe only Dum Biryani is authentic.I believe as long as it tastes good and the family loves it,you can name it anything :)I add lots of vegetables and if time permits,add some stir fried bread croutons too.Paired with a Raita and some papad,this makes for a delicious meal:)

Vegetable Biryani in Rice Cooker

Ingredients

Oil+Ghee - 3 tbsp

Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 1" stick

Onion - 1,thinly sliced

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Tomato - 1,chopped

Beans - 3-4,chopped diagonally

Carrot - 1 medium,chopped

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Cauliflower - 3-4 florets,chopped

Curd - 1 tbsp

Basmati rice -1 cup

Salt to taste

For Garnish

Onion - 1,thinly sliced

Raisins and cashews - a handful

Bread slices- 3,chopped into cubes

Oil+Ghee - 3 tbsp

Method

Wash the rice well under running water until the water runs clear.Soak for 20 minutes.

In the rice cooker pan,heat oil and add the whole garam masala and saute for a minute.

Add the onion and ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes.

Mix in the powders-chilly,coriander,haldi and garam masala.Lower the flame and saute till the masala is well absorbed and no raw smell remains.

Add the tomatoes and sprinkle a bit water.Cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes turn pulpy and starts leaving oil from the sides.

Add the vegetables,curd and mix well.

Mix in the soaked and drained rice and give a good mix.

Add water (I added 2 cups for 1 cup of rice) and salt to taste.

Transfer the pan from the flame to the cooker and switch it on.Let it cook till it shuts down automatically.

Meanwhile,in a kadai add oil+ghee and saute the raisins and cashews.

Remove and then saute the onions till golden brown.

Lastly saute the bread cubes in low flame till golden.

Lightly mix the Biryani using a fork and add half of the sauteed items.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining.

Serve with Raita and papad.

Step by Step Tutorial

Wash the rice well under running water until the water runs clear.Soak for 20 minutes.

In the rice cooker pan,heat oil and add the whole garam masala and saute for a minute.

Add the onion and ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes.

Mix in the powders-chilly,coriander,haldi and garam masala.Lower the flame and saute till the masala is well absorbed and no raw smell remains.

Add the tomatoes and sprinkle a bit water.

Cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes turn pulpy and starts leaving oil from the sides.

Add the vegetables,curd and mix well.

Mix in the soaked and drained rice and give a good mix.

Add water (I added 2 cups for 1 cup of rice) and salt to taste.

Transfer the pan from the flame to the cooker and switch it on.

Let it cook till it shuts down automatically.

Meanwhile,in a kadai add oil+ghee and saute the raisins and cashews.

Remove and then saute the onions till golden brown.

Lastly saute the bread cubes in low flame till golden.

Lightly mix the Biryani using a fork and add half of the sauteed items.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining.

Serve with Raita and papad.

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Mambazha Morkuzhambu

I love pairing sweet curries with rice and some spicy vegetable on the side.Usually when I make sweet Pulisheri with Mango,Banana or Pineapple I make a spicy Potato roast on the side and it makes for a finger licking meal.So when I saw a similar recipe for Morkozhambu using ripe mangoes,I tried it soon after.It tastes a bit different than Pulisheri but I loved it.The tang from the curd and the sweetness from the mango along with the heat from the red chillies made it an explosion of tastes in the mouth.

This year,we've tried a variety of mangoes and loved them all.Usually we stick to Banganpally,Alphonso and Kalaphadi mangoes but this year there are so many varieties available and we tried most of them.I made this curry with Banganpally but you can use any pulpy,sweet mango.

Mambazha Morkuzhambu
Recipe courtesy - Malpat's Kitchen

Ingredients

Banganpally mango - 1,peeled and chopped
Fresh curd - 2 cups
Salt to taste
Sugar - 2-3 tsp(optional)
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

For roasting and grinding

Coconut oil - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 1/2 tsp
Methi - 3/4 tsp
Red chillies - 2
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp


Method

Cook the mangoes till soft.You can steam/Microwave it,I added a few tbsp water into a pressure cooker along with the mangoes and pressure cooked for one whistle.Cool it down and grind to a smooth paste.
Whisk the curd well so that there are no lumps.
Mix in the mango puree.Add salt to taste.
In a pan add oil and roast the ingredients till the coconut slightly changes colour.Remove from pan and let it cool down.Grind to a smooth paste.
Add this to the curd-mango mix.Cook the curry on a low flame for about 5-10 minutes or till it starts frothing from the sides.Take care not to boil the curry as it may split.
Make tadka with coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.Add this tadka to the morkozhambu.

Step by step Pictorial

Cook the mangoes till soft.You can steam/Microwave it,I added a few tbsp water into a pressure cooker along with the mangoes and pressure cooked for one whistle.Cool it down and grind to a smooth paste.

In a pan add oil and roast the ingredients till the coconut slightly changes colour.

Remove from pan and let it cool down.Grind to a smooth paste.

Whisk the curd well so that there are no lumps.

Mix in the mango puree.

Add the ground coconut paste to the  curd-mango mix.

Add salt to taste - I added a few tsp sugar as well.

Cook the curry on a low flame for about 5-10 minutes or till it starts frothing from the sides.Take care not to boil the curry as it may split.

Make tadka with coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.Add this tadka to the morkozhambu.

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Maggya Koddel | Mangalore Cucumber & Jackfruit seeds curry

There are a few recipes which gets etched in your mind because of the stories associated with them.For me,this curry always reminds me of my mil's sister Vasanthpachi.It seems,she made such a fuss once when this curry was made without Jackfruit seeds in it.I always smile and think of her when I prep the jackfruit seeds/Bikkand while making this Koddel.

Koddel is a curry made with vegetables or pulses using a ground masala of coconut,red chilly and tamarind and finished with a garlic tadka.I always have a love-hate relationship with garlic.Having grown up without eating it,I wasn't quite fond of it except for maybe using ginger garlic paste without any problem.But now slowly,I'm open to the idea of using it in my regular cooking and also eating it without any issues.

Here I have made the Koddel with Magge/Mangalore Cucumber,Drumstick and Jackfruit seeds.You can use any combination of vegetables as per choice.I do have some Koddel recipes posted here a while back.

Kulitha Koddel

Kellya Koddel

Maggya Koddel | Mangalore Cucumber,Drumstick & Jackfruit seeds curry

Ingredients

Magge/Mangalore Cucumber - I used 1/2 of one medium sized cucumber

Drumsticks - 2,sliced into roughly 2' sticks

Jackfruit seeds - about 5-6,peeled and crushed

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Roasted red chillies - about 4-5

Tamarind - a small piece

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Garlic(with skin) - 10-12,crushed

Salt to taste

Method

In a pressure cooker,add magge/mangalore cucumber,drumsticks,jackfruit seeds and salt to taste.Add about a cup of water and cook for 2 whistles.(if you are cooking in a pan,cook till the vegetables are soft and tender)

Grind coconut,red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste.

Add the ground masala to the cooked vegetables and bring to a boil.Simmer for about 5-7 minutes while you get the tadka ready.

For the tadka,add oil into a tadka pan and add the crushed garlic.

Cook till the garlic turns golden brown.

Add this to the Koddel and switch off the flame.

Step by Step Pictorial

In a pressure cooker,add magge/mangalore cucumber,drumsticks and jackfruit seeds.

Add about a cup of water and cook for 2 whistles.

(if you are cooking in a pan,cook till the vegetables are soft and tender)

Grind coconut,red chillies and tamarind to a smooth paste.

Add the ground masala 

and salt to taste to the cooked vegetables and bring to a boil.

Simmer for about 5-7 minutes while you get the tadka ready.

For the tadka,add oil into a tadka pan 

and add the crushed garlic.

Cook till the garlic turns golden brown.

Add this to the Koddel and switch off the flame.

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Khichdi / Masala Khichdi / Vegetable Khichdi | One pot Rice meals

Khichdi is something I make at home at least once in a week,sometimes more.It was Arjun's first solid food.Initially I made it without any spices for him but now I just make one batch,for us as well as for him.I couldn't believe such a simple dish created such a furore of being called the National dish by some while some argued it is not.There is no doubt about one thing however,and that is the taste!

It packs in flavor as well as nutrition since it is a one pot meal consisting of rice,dals and vegetables.You could completely customize it according to your taste.Don't like rice?Add millets!Don't like vegetables?Make it plain!Or add vegetables of your choice!!Don't like spices?It tastes good with just a tadka of ghee and jeera!

Served warm with a dollop of ghee on top,this absolutely tastes divine.You need to eat it to believe it :)

Khichdi / Masala Khichdi / Vegetable Khichdi

Ingredients

Raw rice - 1/2 cup
Dal - 1/4 cup (I used a mixof Toor dal,Moong dal and Masoor dal)
Onion -1 small,chopped
Tomato - 1/2 medium sized tomato,chopped
Capsicum - 1/2 of a small capsicum,chopped
Carrot - 1 small,chopped
Beans - 4-5,chopped
Pumpkin - about roughly 1 cup,chopped
Water-3 cups

For the tadka

Oil+ghee - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Whole peppercorns - about 5-6
Curry leaves- a few
Hing - a pinch
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Ghee - 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak together rice and the dals for about 30-45 minutes.
In a pressure cooker add oil/ghee and splutter mustard seeds and jeera.Add in the peppercorns and curry leaves.
Now add the hing and chopped onions and saute for a minute.
Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or till the raw smell of the paste disappears.
Now add tomato and the vegetables and give a good mix.
Time to add the spice powders - haldi,chilly,coriander and garam masala.
Give it a good mix.
Add the drained rice and dal mix and add salt to taste.
Add water and check for seasoning.Close the cooker and cook for 2-3 whistles on high and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Switch off the flame and let the pressure settle down.
Open and mix well.If you feel it is watery,simmer for a few minutes more and if you feel it is dry add hot water till it reaches the consistency of your choice.
Add ghee and close the cooker and let the flavors infuse.
Serve warm with some more ghee :)

Step by Step Pictorial

Wash and soak together rice and the dals for about 30-45 minutes.

Wash and chop the vegetables.

In a pressure cooker add oil/ghee and 

splutter mustard seeds and 

jeera.

Add in the peppercorns and 

curry leaves.

Now add the hing and 

chopped onions and saute for a minute.

Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or till the raw smell of the paste disappears.

Now add tomato and the 

vegetables and give a good mix.
Time to add the spice powders - 

haldi,

chilly,

coriander and 

garam masala.

Give it a good mix.

Add the drained rice and dal mix and 

add salt to taste.

Add water and check for seasoning.Close the cooker and cook for 2-3 whistles on high and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Switch off the flame and let the pressure settle down.

Open and mix well.If you feel it is watery,simmer for a few minutes more and if you feel it is dry add hot water till it reaches the consistency of your choice.

Add ghee and close the cooker and let the flavors infuse.
Serve warm with some more ghee :)

Here's a small video :)

Notes

• The spice powders can be added more/less according to your taste palettes.Since I am serving this to Arjun as well,I keep it to the bare minimum.
• You can add any vegetables of your choice,I sometimes add only carrots and beans or only potatoes or then a medley of vegetables like I've used here.
• The water quantity is approximate.You may need less or more depending on the amount of vegetables you add or depending on the cooking time.Like I said,once you open the cooker you could add more water or simmer and cook till the Khichdi reaches the consistency of your choice.

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