Tag Archives: vegetables

Instant Pot Vegetable Pulao

Posted on by
Reply

20121021-201118.jpgIngredients:
For the spice blend

2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 1-inch pieces of cinnamon
5 cloves
5 cardamoms
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
¼ cup grated coconut
¼ cup warm water

Heat coconut oil in a small pan on medium heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Fry for a minute, and remove from heat, and cool. Add all the ingredients to a blender with the warm water, and grind to a smooth consistency. Set aside till ready to use.

Ingredients:
For the rice

3 tablespoons coconut oil
½ cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp turmeric
½ cup diced carrot
½ cup diced French beans
1-2 green chillies, slit in half, optional
½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen
Salt
2 cups rice
3 cups water

Rinse the rice and soak it in fresh water for 15 minutes. Strain the water and set aside.

Select “Sauté” to pre-heat the Instant Pot. When the word “Hot” appears on the display, add the oil and sauté the spice blend for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Sauté for a minute. Add turmeric and sauté until the raw smell of turmeric disappears.

Add carrots, beans, green chillies, peas, salt, and rice. Sauté gently for two minutes. Add water. Taste to make sure there is enough salt.

Close and lock the lid. Select “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” and then use the (+) or (-) button to set 4 minutes of pressure cooking time. 

When time is up, open the lid using the “10-Minute Natural Release”.
(Let pressure cooker go into “Keep Warm” mode and count up to 10 minutes. Then press “Cancel” and position the steam release valve on the lid to the “Venting” position.

Vegetable Biriyani

Posted on by
10

This is a simple, flavorful rice dish that I learned to make when I lived with my family in Manipal, India. I tasted it for the first time in Dr. Meera Baliga’s home. She shared her recipe with me, and I started making it for my family for weekend lunches. It pairs well with raita – a salad made with yogurt, tomato, cucumber, and onion.

Many times when I cooked this dish in Manipal, students from the nearby university would drop by and linger way past lunch time, until we were all so hungry, that I would have to invite them to join us for lunch! I soon learned that I would need to make a huge batch, because every time I cooked it, the heavenly smell wafted all the way down the street and into the dorms! So, this recipe is for those young, talented students that made me feel like I was the best cook on earth! See, what you turned me into – a blogger and foodie for life! I love each one of you and think of you often.

For the masala mix

2 teaspoons coconut oil
5 cardamoms
5 cloves
2 1-inch piece of cinnamon
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup grated coconut
½ cup chopped cilantro

Heat coconut oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Fry for a minute, remove from heat, and cool. Add the fried ingredients, onion, coconut and cilantro to a blender, and purée.

For the rice

½ cup coconut oil
½ cup cubed potatoes
½ cup cubed carrots
6 French beans, cut into diagonal pieces
½ cup fresh green peas
½ cup chopped tomatoes
3 finely chopped green chillies
½ cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups Basmathi rice, washed and drained
4 cups water
Salt to taste

Heat coconut oil in a large pan. Add the masala mix and fry for five minutes. Add the vegetables, tomatoes, chillies, grated coconut, turmeric, rice, and salt, and fry for another five minutes. Add water, and bring to boil. Once it boils, turn heat as low as possible. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Fluff up rice, and vegetables gently with a fork, and serve piping hot.