Microwave Capsicum Rice - Step by Step Recipe

Post the TCS 10k I have not had a moment to spare, have loads of guests at home with no time for blogging (am missing it so much)

My days are packed – am a Bangalore tourist guide, a cook (no doubt with a lot of help), an event planner - we are planning a weekend getaway, an agony aunt! With so many roles to play in addition to my everyday one’s, I finally found some time to cook something different which I would love to share on my blog.

Having large portions to prepare, this is one easy which takes some pressure off me, I just pop this rice in the microwave and continue with other dishes, its an immediate ‘tick’ mark against my menu for the day and trust me it’s a big relief!

What I love is the end result; each basmati grain is separate and is infused with a mild flavour of capsicum which is just perfect!

Here's what I put in:

Ingredients	Quantity
Basmati Rice	2 cups
Clarified butter/ ghee	1 tbsp
Cumin	2 tsp
Peppercorns	6-7
Capsicum diced	1 medium
Cashews	5-6
Green Chili finely chopped	1 nos
Water	4 cups + for washing rice

Serves – 4-5

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cooking time – 20 minutes on microwave ‘high’

Method:

• Take 2 cups of rice (each cup is 200 ml), wash the rice, add 3 cups of water to the washed rice and soak it for 20 minutes. Soaking helps the rice to cook faster.

• On the other hand, take a thick bottom pan or a non-stick pan, let the pan heat then   add 1 tbsp of ghee/clarified butter. Here you may use olive oil or regular cooking oil, I love the aroma of clarified butter and one tbsp is going to get divided between 4 – 5 people so no guilt here lol!To the ghee/clarified butter add 2 tsp of cumin, 1 green chili finely chopped, and cashews.

• Saute for 2 minutes till you get a nice aroma from all the sauteing and hear the grumble in your stomach (I always have one)

• Then add the diced capsicum, I have used only 1 medium size capsicum but if you want a stronger flavour you may add more! Saute for 2 minutes.

•  Add 5 -6 peppercorns to this and sauté again

• After 20 minutes, remove the water in which the rice was soaked. Take a microwave safe dish and add the washed rice to it.For 2 cups of rice add 4 cups of water, add salt and pour the seasoning prepared above to the rice. I have used Dawat Basmati rice, the rice to water quantity gives me a perfect long grain cooked rice

• Stir well and cover with an aluminum foil, poke hole in the foil with a knife or any other sharp object u can lay hands on, microwave for 20 minutes on high!

• The result is a capsicum flavored rice, serve hot with a rich gravy or a simple dal... its a sure winner!

I Am a Finisher!

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

With shaking legs, heavy breath and a BIG smile on my face I have successfully completed Target ONE - TCS 10k run 2012, 3 minutes faster than my previous best at Kaveri Trail Marathon last year in Sept 2011.

I cannot say that I am completely satisfied with my performance; but I know my areas of improvement which I have started working on. Yes.. no break here, especially if I have to get where I want before my next run!

What I learned from the race:

Firstly I did not anticipate the heat and humidity, so coping up on the race day was more of a mental challenge that physical. In all my mock runs I never carried a water bottle with me, but on The Day I had to change this practice and picked up 3 bottles along the way and sipped water throughout the run!

This being my first race in Bangalore City I was taken by surprise the number of enthusiastic people who had entered the run… I took some time to adjust and learn to maneuver. Besides; I believe this is something I need to get used to, most of the races held in the city are going to have a huge crowd and I have to learn to get past them and stick to my timing (no excuses)

When I was close to the 5k mark my feet began to feel numb, especially my last 3 toe fingers, by the time I was close to 10 k mark things returned to normal. I am not sure if this is due to irregular blood circulation or related to my running technique or something else. I have to clarify this with my coaches.

What I need to work on:

My target to finish the 10k was 1 hour which I grossly overestimated …. and why is that?
One of the crucial elements to running faster is to be lighter; and am not. So the next 3 months till my next race am going to work on eating healthy and loosing a minimum of 12 kgs! Keep reading about this in ‘The Weight is Over’ series.

I know have the stamina to run; the farthest distance I have covered is 18kms; so the area to work on is speed for which I need to pick my legs up and run. In this case the next plan of action (POA) is to work on my legs

CORE: If I follow the first 2 points very sincerely and regularly working on my core will become easy, I hate abs workout and ironically that’s where ALL my weight is :P

What I wish was different about the race:

The race was overall well managed, the Elite runners (Men’s Category) started first at 7.00 am, after 45 minutes the Elite women started their run. And the open category started at 8.00 am.

The only hitch that I came across was the post run refreshments and medal distribution which was held inside the Auditorium.

This was more tiring than the race, waiting inside a packed auditorium with barely any ventilation for my medal (the race is all about the medal) and refreshments, being pushed against each other (this is not pleasant when everyone around; including you are sweating profusely), people squeezing past one another in a hurry to get their goody bag!

I later heard that there were separate lines for girls/ women but I was hardly able to hear the announcement inside :(

I hope next year this stall is arranged elsewhere; maybe outside in the open where there is plenty of fresh air and open space to accommodate the large numbers and post run hungry runners!

Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad

A little sweet, a little tangy, and a whole lot healthy, this sprouted green gram and pomegranate salad is just right to satiate my sugar cravings and is filling!

Being a salad fan I love to experiment with different fruit and veggie combinations and try to make every day salad making hassle free.

I have used simple ingredients which are found at home easily; even though I left out onion and chaat masala in this recipe, adding these two ingredients add that extra zing!!

This salad goes perfectly well with an Indian menu.... give this salad a try and let me know!

Ingredients	Quantity
Sprouted moong (whole)	2 cups
Pomegranate	1 cup
Cucumber finely chopped	1 large or 2 medium
Tomatoes finely chopped	2 medium
Salt	As per taste
Freshly ground pepper	As per taste
Lime juice	1 tsp
Chaat Masala	Optional
Onion finely chopped	Optional

Serves – 4

Preparation time – 20 minutes

No cooking time

Method:

• Cook the sprouted green gram / moong in a pressure cooker, I put it on ‘high’ flame and waited for 1 whistle.
• Remove the sprouts from the pressure cooker and let them cool.
• Once cooled, take a large bowl; add the sprouts, pomegranate, tomatoes, and cucumber, adjust the seasoning as per taste and serve!

Chakulya – Indian Pasta!

Call it chakulya,varan phal, dal dhokli or Indian Pasta like I do :) its one tasty dish on any given day!At home chakulya were made when mom had a very busy day and no time to cook an elaborate meal, my younger sister and me were more that happy to have heaps of it with dollops of ghee. I still remember we almost licked the plates :)

This dish has two main components - varan or dal which is cooked with cooked toor dal and phal or fruit which here are rolled out rotis cut into diamond shapes.

Even though I have given a detailed recipe below (my way), you can change this to suit your taste and you will still love this dish.

Getting back to the recipe some things that I would like to specify:

I have used 3-4 tbsp oil mainly because I don’t have a very large non-stick utensil to cook chakulya, if you use non-stick cookware reduce the oil accordingly.

I like the groundnut+chilis+garlic pods to be coarsely pound, it gives a good texture to the dal/sauce (all the kids on Junior Master chef Australia are super talented, thought I should start using the correct language – texture / character/ and so on)

Goda or Kala masala is a maharashtrian masala, if not available at home just add another tsp of red chili powder.... don't worry the dollop of ghee will balance all the heat. 

For the dal / sauce

Ingredients	Quantity
Lentils / toor dal	3 cups (my cup holds 200ml)
Onions finely chopped	3 nos
Grated dry coconut/ desiccated coconut	½ cup
Garlic pods	10 nos
Oil	3-4 tbsp
Asafoetida	A pinch + ¼th tsp for cooking the dal
Red chili powder	1 tsp
Maharashtrian goda/ kala masala	2 tbsp
Turmeric (haldi)	½ tsp
Cumin / jeera	1 tsp
Mustard seeds/ rai	1 tsp
Groundnuts	¼th cup
Green chili	1 nos
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Coriander finely chopped	A handful
A dollop of clarified butter	For each helping…… its a must

The second main ingredient in chakulya or Indian Pasta like I call it, it nothing but roti / chappati dough, for 4 persons this is the quantity I used:

Ingredients	Quantity
Whole wheat atta (flour)	3 cups
Salt	A pinch
Oil	1 tsp to make the dough
Water	To knead the dough

Serves: 4

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cooking time – 10 minutes

Method:

• First knead the dough and set aside
• Cook the lentils in the pressure cooker with a pinch of asafoetida  and 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder.

• Once the lentils are cooked in the pressure cooker, set aside.

• Gather the spices:

• Take the green chili, ground nuts, garlic pods and pound them coarsely, or just wrrrrr them once in the mixer/grinder.

• Now take a heavy bottom large pan or a non-stick pan if you have one and add oil. Once the oil is heated add asafoetida, cumin, mustard let them splutter, then add turmeric, saute for a minute, add the coarsely pounded groundnuts with garlic and chili.

•  Saute this for 1 minute, then add 1 tsp red chili powder and 2 tsp of goda masala (easily available in the market)
• Add the desiccated coconut, chopped onions,

• Then add the cooked toor dal/ lentils and mix well, add 4 cups of water, salt, lemon juice and adjust the seasoning as per taste.
• It may seem like a lot of water in the dal, but as you add the chapati / roti, it starts to thicken.

• Now as this dal cooks, roll out the dough like a roti / chapati and cut it into squares.

• As the dal / sauce is cooking keep adding these cut pieces, stir the dal in between as its very likely that it sticks at the bottom of the pan.
• Also separate each piece of the chapati as they will stick together in the dal/ sauce.

• Keep adding the dough, once you are done .. let it cook for 10 mins on medium heat, this is how the roti / chapati will look once cooked.
• The roti/chapati is cooked when it has shine, take a piece of roti out and try break it with your fingers it will happen in a jiffy (let it cool a bit or you will definitely burn your fingers!
• Garnish with a handful of finely chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with a dollop of ghee, papad, achaar, onions or just plain and ENJOY!

Dum Aloo

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Finally have some time to pen down this recipe and post it…

It all began last week when I was busy doing my vegetable shopping and noticed a bag of baby potatoes, with my significant other’s friend arriving I thought I would make the baby potato and yogurt salad for dinner…. but as the day moved on; so did my decision from a salad to a luscious, rich, very Indian curry!

Dum Aloo comes from Kashmiri cuisine, cooked in curd based gravy with spices on medium flame, another variety is the stuffed Dum Aloo (bharva dum aloo) which I will cover in the coming months. This dish came out just perfect; fit for a relaxed dinner with friends accompanied with a glass of wine!

Ingredients	Quantity
Small potatoes or baby potatoes	500 gms
Fresh curd well beaten	1 cup (mine holds 200 ml)
Amul cream	50 grams
Tomatoes	3-4 medium
Green chilies	2 nos
Ginger	1 inch
Oil	2 tbsp + to fry/shallow fry potatoes
Cumin (jeera)	1 tsp
Turmeric (haldi)	1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Cashews	25-30
Red chili powder	1 ½ tsp
Garam Masala (1 used Everest brand)	2 ½ tsp
Finely chopped coriander	A handful
Salt	As per taste

Serves - 4

Preparation time 30 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

 

Method:

• Soak 25-30 cashews in water and set aside

• Add ½ tsp of salt and boil potatoes, once they have cooled; peel and prick them with a fork.

• Put oil in a kadhai/ heavy bottomed pan; fry the potatoes till golden brown, remove on a tissue paper to soak excess oil set aside.

• Alternatively you can put the potatoes in a baking dish, coat them with oil and bake in the oven at 220 degrees celsius for 20 minutes turning them once in between.

• Or add 1 tsp of oil, add the boiled potatoes and saute them till they are golden brown like it did.. just to save on some calories!

• In a grinder/ mixer, put tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, soaked cashews, grind into a fine paste.

• Put 2 tbsp of oil in a kadhai/ heavy bottom pan, add cumin, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and the paste made above (tomatoes, cashews etc) and the amul cream
• Don’t stop…sauté the masala then add red chili powder and salt as per taste.
• Keep stirring till the oil separates, once the oil separates add curd (beat the curds well before adding) and sauté.
• Add water if you want to thin the curry, keep sauteing till the curry boils.
• Lastly add the fried or baked potatoes and sprinkle the garam masala. Cover the kadhai/ heavy bottom pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, this ensures that the gravy get soaked into the potatoes (remember you had to prick them after boiling them)
•  Remove from heat, garnish with a handful of coriander serve hot with rotis/ naan/ or capsicum rice like it did and it was a hit!

Adding the cream and paste

Add well beaten curd

Lastly add garam masala and let the curry simmer on low heat 

•     Remove from heat, garnish with coriander and eat with roti/naan or rice.

           Tip

       Don't use very sour curd the tomatoes and sour curd will make the gravy very tangy, use fresh curds to make this gravy just the way its supposed to be!

Rajma Salad (Kidney Beans)

Rajma-chawal or salad?

Rajma-chawal or salad?

Rajma-chawal or salad?

Rajma-chawal or salad?

Rajma-chawal or salad?

I had soaked rajma (kidney beans) last night, but could not decide what to make out of it; my mind kept going back and forth between two options… well I finally chose the salad!

I have some friends over today so my salad serves as my lunch (lot of cooking to do) and will accompany the evening meal as well.

I know I post a lot of salads… but they are so quick to make and healthy!!

Last night I had soaked I cup (my cup holds 200 ml) rajma (kidney beans), this yields about 2 cups.

I have also used apple cider vinegar to this salad; apple cider is made form cider - a fermented beverage made form apple juice with a pale amber colour. 

It’s used in flavoring salads, marinades, chutneys, If you don’t have it just replace it with lime juice.

Here are the ingredients:

Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients	Quantity
Boiled rajma (kidney beans)	2 cups
Tomato finely chopped	2 medium nos
Celery thinly sliced	1 stick
Onions sliced	2 medium
Extra virgin olive oil	1 tbsp
Apple cider vinegar	2 tsp
Freshly ground pepper	As per taste
Salt	As per taste
Coriander finely chopped	As per taste
Honey (optional)	2 tsp

Serves - 4

Preparation time: 1 mins

No Cooking time

Method:

• Wash clean and chop/slice the veggies as per the instructions above and mix them
• Add 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil,  2 tsp apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper adjust the seasoning as per taste
• If you want to add a bit of sweetness, ass 2 tsp of honey mix well.
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve!