Pudina / Mint Rice with Raita

Mint rice is one of my favourite recipes, not just because its tasty but also because it is easy to make and doesn't involve much of a procedure. Mint cools off your body. I found this recipe in a local newspaper, tried it and it turned out well. I'm sure you'll like it too. So here's the recipe.

Ingredients :

• Rice : cooked ( depending on how much you eat or the number of members you are cooking for , I used 2 medium cups for me and my husband )
• Mint : 2 bunches or 2 cups of mint leaves, same as the measure of rice
• Green chillies : I used 2 green chillies to make it not too spicy, for those who eat very less spice use 1
• Ginger - garlic paste : 1 tablespoon , I used ginger and garlic pieces
• Salt : according to your taste
• Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon : 2 pieces each
• Oil : 2-3 table spoons ( use according to your preference, I mean you could use less or more )

Procedure :

• Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies and mint leaves into a paste by adding salt to it( if you are using ginger - garlic paste, then just grind mint leaves and green chillies together ).
• Now heat oil in a wok or a pan and add the spices ( cloves, cardamoms and cinaamon ) and then the ground mixture to it.
• Once all the water goes off and the oil starts to float, then add rice to it and mix it well, keep it for not more than 2 minutes on the flame and remove it.

Raita

Ingredients for the Raita :

• Yogurt : 250 gms ( would serve 2 people but then it again depends on how much you consume )
• Tomatoes : 2 - 3 , finely chopped
• Onions : 2, finely chopped
• Coriander : finely chopped, for garnishing
• Salt : as per your taste
• Green chillies : your choice, 1 - 2, finely chopped

Procedure :

• Mix all the ingredients and your Raita is ready.

This is one kind of Raita. The Raita I prefer to have is the one with cucumber.

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients and procedure are almost same, instead of tomatoes, I add cucumber ( Kheera ) and I dont add green chillies to that. Instead, I add red chilly powder, just a pinch and I also add about 2 - 3 table spoons of sugar. I also don't add onions to this but if you prefer, then you can have onions added to the cucumber raita.

Your mint rice is ready to serve. Have it with Raita or you can have it as it is. I would also suggest to have it along with sliced cucumber. the heat of the rice and the coolness of cucumber is really amazing.

With the same procedure for rice, you can also make coriander rice, tomato rice, palak / spinach rice. Just replace mint with any of the above mentioned vegetables and the respective rice is ready. Although, with tomato you would want to boil it first, peel the skin and then grind it separately from ginger, garlic and green chillies. There are other methods to make tomato rice and I shall post them later.

Hope you will enjoy this dish by both making it and having it.

Til the next post, eat healthy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

R

Blog Update

Hello Readers,

We have updated our blog with the labels " Posts by R " and " Posts by T ". Now you can read our posts directly under our labels.

Hope you have a great week ahead...... Happy blogging !!!!!!!!!

Love
R & T

Raw Mango Pickle / Aam ka Achar / Mamidikaya Kharam

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions. 

Until the next, yummmmmmmmmmmmm.........

R

Koot - recipe

It has been a long time since I posted any recipes. I guess it is time I posted one. Here it comes..........



Koot is the recipe of Tamilnadu. I have a Tamilian friend who's mom is an amazing cook. I've learnt quite some recipes from her and this is one of them. Whenever I like something I eat at anyone's place, I ask the procedure to make it and try it at home. I love South Indian food but I love experimenting with dishes from all over the world, provided they are tasty and healthy.


Ingredients :

• Kaddu / bottle gourd : 250 gms ( cut into cubes of medium size, like you cut for Sambar )
• Toor Dal / Pulses : one small cup ( about 100 gms )
• Coriander : for garnish
• Oil : 2 tablespoons
• Salt : as per taste
  

Ground paste ingredients :

• Fresh coconut ( not the dried one ) cut into small pieces : about 50 gms
• Jeera / Cumin seeds : 2 table spoons
• Red chillies ( dried ) : 5 - 6 ( number depends on how hot you prefer the dish to be )

Procedure :

• Pressure cook the toor dal and the bottle gourd pieces and keep it aside.
• Grind the coconut, cumin seeds and red chillies into powder and then a little bit of water to it and grind it into a thick paste.
• Boil the cooked mixture of dal and bottle gourd for about 5 - 10 minutes by adding salt as per your taste.
• Now add the ground paste to the boiling mixture and let it boil for not more than 2 minutes and take it off the heat.
• Garnish it with coriander.
  

Koot can be made with cabbage also. The procedure remains the same, except that you substitute the bottle gourd with cabbage. It is supposed to be very healthy if you don't make it very spicy. I prefer to eat it less spicy.

Till the next post, eat healthy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love

R

Thoughts to Conquer

"Are you searching for job"? inquired my mother as she was worried about me sitting at home.

"At your age I was traveling alone with a month-old kid in my hands" said my MIL.

When there was a discussion on money, my husband told that "our parents worked harder and harder to earn each penny and we people got everything right in front of our hands".

"This is the generation of opportunities and you are not availing these" said a caring uncle who visited my home the other day.

My mother-in-law always says that she entered into an empty home when she got married.Everything we have now at our home (including our house in hyderabad) was my in-laws hard-earned and she is very proud of it. Same is the case with my parentswho would list out the items they have to buy, like gas connection ( it was very difficult getting a connection those days ), television, cooler..etc and used to tick off when they bought them. After marriage I didn't have the need to buy anything; everything was ready at home.

Their lives were always rotating around compromise, patience, dedication, sacrifice, hardwork. They have blossomed from those hard days. They walked for miles together to school, took care of their kid sisters and brothers, never traveled to any place, never bought a Saree for themselves as they thought that they could save money for future use. Their lives are inspirational. They have BIG stories to tell. Sometimes I feel that I am nothing in front of them.

Frankly, I didn't have a chance to sacrifice anything. Once my husband told me "my parents must be proud that you are their daughter-in-law". This is the biggest gift you can give to your parents.

Though I am lucky when compared to them, I feel that I should imbibe their qualities to achieve great heights in life. After all I have to narrate big stories from my life to my children and grand-children.

Love
T