Masala Matar Pulao | Masala Peas Pulao | Lunch Box Recipes

Masala Matar Pulao or Masala Peas pulao rice is easy one pot meal which can make in jiffy and also do lot of variations with it. This masala matar pulao makes excellent lunch box recipe or even perfect comfort meal for weekend when you have some good curry on making whether veg or non-veg then this simple pulao makes best combo. We can also use coconut milk to cook the pulao for extra flavors. Add few more vegetables if preferred.

Matar Kachori | Khasta Matar Ki Kachori Recipe

Matar Kachori, peas kachori or hare matar ki khasta kachori is flaky, crispy deep fried pastry filled with spiced peas filling and it's popular North Indian breakfast than snack during winter when there are ample of fresh peas in market. Matar Ki kachori is something which I relate a lot and since fresh peas is popular in our house along with the matar ki dal this matar kachori is another regular dish. Matar Kachori with aloo sabzi is the most famous combo and it makes great brunch deal during weekends.

Plain Pulao | Sada Pulao Recipe | Plain Pulao Rice

Plain Pulao or sada pulao rice is easy one pot meal which can make in jiffy and also do lot of variations with it. This plain pulao also makes excellent lunch box recipe or even perfect comfort meal for weekend when you have some good curry on making whether veg or non-veg then this simple pulao makes best combo. We can also use coconut milk to cook the pulao for extra flavors. Add few more vegetables if preferred.

Matar Paneer Recipe | Matter Paneer - How to Make Mutter Paneer

Matar Paneer Masala, Mattar Paneer or also known as Mutter Paneer is popular Punjabi side dish with roti, paratha, pulao and one of the best winter recipe as we have fresh, sweet peas (matar) in season plus fresh stocks of paneer. Most of the people like matar paneer so it's very common dish in party or mostly in buffet :) I wanted to post mutter paneer recipe which I make it with both fresh paneer and peas (matar) which is rare being in Singapore but finally it happening now as during last India trip enjoyed winter and winter products to fullest.

Varagu Pulao | Varagu Pulao Recipe | Kodo Millet Pulao | Millets Recipes

Varagu Pulao, Kodra pulao, kodo millet pualo is easy, flavorful pulao or rice variety and it makes great lunch, dinner or lunch box recipe. Varagu pulao is like all millets healthy, gluten-free, vegan making it excellent choice for weight watchers, diabetics people as we could not miss regular rice at all in this recipe. Kodo millet also known as varagu in tamil, kodra in hindi/marathi/punjabi/gujarati, arikelu in telugu, harka in kannda, koovaragu in malayalam, kodo in bengali and kodua in oriya.

Beetroot Pulao Recipe | Beetroot Pulav | Lunch Box Recpes

Beetroot Pulao or beetroot rice also we can call this is easy one pot meal which can make in jiffy and also do lot of variations with it. Beetroot pulao makes excellent lunch box recipe or even perfect comfort meal for weekend. Whether you like beetroot or not you will like this recipe as it's slightly sweet, spicy and flavorful with all the garam masala we used. We can also use coconut milk for extra flavors.

Paneer Pulao Recipe | Paneer Matar Pulao | Easy Pulao Recipe

Paneer Pulao is one of best and delicious paneer+rice recipe and here I made in easy one pot meal in pressure cooker which is quick yet delicious. If you like Paneer then paneer pulao is no exception, pair along raita or any side dish of choice this paneer pulao can make any meal fancy and grand even just served along raita this can be satisfying meal provided you like paneer. This is my 650th post and am so glad to share the recipe that I love on this occasion :)

Mixed Vegetable Kurma (Korma) without Coconut | Hotel Style Veg Kurma

Vegetable Kurma or Vegetable Korma, hotel style mixed vegetable kurma in pressure cooker is creamy, aromatic, popular South Indian spiced curry or side dish with parotta, poori chapathi or even with idli, dosa, idiyapaam, appam, variety rice it gets pair along so well. This kurma is hotel style kurma only difference is I didn't used coconut in this version so if you don't have coconut stock and still want to make some kurma now you know what to do.

Vegetables Semiya Upma | Vermicelli Upma Recipe | Easy Breakfast Recipes

Vegetables Semiya Upma or Vermicelli Upma is popular South Indian breakfast recipe and almost all love semiya upma and adding vegetables only makes it more delicious and healthy. Semiya, Sevia, Seviya, Sevai, Shavige upma/uppittu whatever we may call it this is one of those recipe that we can have as breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack or even it suits perfectly for lunch box.

Matar Dal (Matar Nimona) | Green Peas Dal | Dal Recipes

Matar Ki Dal or Peas Dal or matar nimona as unknown in Uttar Pradesh dal made with fresh peas and normally no lentil is used in this dal recipe. Matar Dal is popular recipe from Uttar Pradesh and it's a must during peas season in our home, in fact everyday matar ki dal is made in our home as my dad love this dal. Matar dal is something very different and delicious compare to any other dal, the texture, flavors and taste is awesome if made properly.

Bagara Bhaat | Bagara Pulao | Easy Pulao Recipe

Bagara Bhaat or Masala Pulao or bagara pulao is popular rice variety made with simple ingredients and goes well with any curry.  Bagara Bhaat is simple version of biryani made with just garam masala and onions. Different from usual jeera rice or peas pulao bagara bhaat is good change, bagara bhaat or bagara khana is Hyderabadi specility like bagara baingan. Bagara or bagarana means fried or frying, also tempering or tadka also known as bagarana.

Kashmiri Pulao Recipe | Kashmiri Pulao

Kashmiri Pulao or Kashmiri Pulav is aromatic, sweet, mild, colorful pulao unlike any other pulao.  Kashmiri pulao is very easy to prepare with lot of variety and fruits variations, dry fruits are added generously in this kashmiri pulao which makes this unique. If you don't like your pulao to be on sweet side then just add less of fruits and fry fruits in this recipe and customize according to your preferences and need. Kashmiri pulao we can eat by self and doesn't really require any side dish or even a raita works great along.  But we can pair it with some paneer butter masala or even chole works good or if you prefer some chicken curry on side.

Vegetables Oats Upma | Oats Recipes

Oats is something that took me a while to get used to it and that's the reason you don't see oats recipes in my blog.  Though it couple of years now I started to eat oats but I never managed to take pictures whenever I make oats dishes. Eating plain oats with milk and honey is just not my cup of tea I simply doesn't like that so I try different way to jazz up the oats so it's easy for me to not fuss a lot about it.  Apart from using it in milkshakes, I have few recipes that I make from oats some of which are way too easy and simple just the way I like it.

Guest Post - Potato Peas Pulao Recipe

This is my first guest post, I had few request but somehow I hardly manage to do a guest post, managing my blog along with work itself takes a toll on me plus the tension on what to do as a guest post is big worry for me than actually cooking or clicking, the expectations kills you see, but as I always say there's always first time for everything and so it has to be guest post by me and it happened to be for Veena from Great Secret of Life, a blog featuring wide range of recipes.

Patta Gobi Matar Sabzi | Cabbage & Peas Stirfry Recipe

Cabbage and peas stir fry is common side dish one can find in buffets or in any Indian food stall/restaurants mostly those serves office people here in Singapore.  For the reason that it's quick, easy and taste good plus cheaper to have as a side dish it's popular among food joints.  It's a very simple recipe and can be done in jiffy, perfect for weekday lunch box.  It's goes well with paratha or dal rice, sambar-rasam rice combo.  For me I like the bright color combination this dish brings and it's light so makes it perfect with my dal fry, these pictures are not doing justices to the recipe so try it to get the actual idea about this dish.

Tariwale Aloo Matar | No Onion-Garlic Recipe

Aloo tari or aloo matar tari is one of my favorite recipe, it’s so simple, easy and quick to make plus goes well with just everything.   I make this for all most all the get-together to balance the meal and the fact that it's a perfect sabzi for paratha, roti, poori, jeera or peas pulav or just any variety rice makes it more appealing.  It’s a no onion-garlic recipe which might interest more some of you.  It also goes so well with pongal, so this pongal give a miss to your usual gosthu, sambar, kuzhambu etc and try this simple aloo matar tariwale with pongal, a mix or north and south and if you have boiled potatoes in hand then this can be done in jiffy.  Here I made this with ajwain paratha and lemon rice for a friend.  Try this and it will become one of your favorite recipe too.

Ingredients for Tariwale Aloo Matar Sabzi

Boiled Potato - 3
Peas - 1/2 cup [ I used frozen]
Tomato - 2
Green Chilies - 3
Oil - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch
Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Amchar Powder - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Salt - to taste
Water - 2 Cups
Cilantro - 3 tbsp [chopped]

Method

1. Peel and chop boiled potatoes in to medium size pieces.  Mash one chopped potatoes pieces with 1 cup of water and keep aside. Chop tomato and green chilies.
2. In a wok or pan heat oil, add hing, cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
3. Add chopped tomato, stir and cook cover until tomato gets mashed.
4. Add red chili, turmeric, coriander seeds powders and mix well cook for a minute.
5. Add peas, potatoes pieces, stir and cook for a minute.  Add potato mixed water and another cup of water, salt to taste and bring it to boil.
6. Now simmer gravy for 7-10 minutes, add garam masala powder, amchur (if using) and simmer for another minute.  Garnish with cilantro and off flame.

Our tariwale aloo matar is ready, serve with roti, paratha or any variety rice.

Variations
~ Add ginger-garlic paste if preferred
~ You can skip peas and made this only as aloo tari
~ Add little kasuri methi for extra flavour
~ This curry will be watery and not very thick, it's the way it suppose to be.
~ For nice red color gravy, use good quality of red chilli powder.

Have a nice day ~~

Keema Matar | Matar Keema | Minced Mutton with Peas & Spices | Bakrid Recipes

Keema Matar or Qeema Matar is traditional Indian Meat dish which is nothing but minced mutton curry with peas.  If keema matar is made properly then the people who don’t like mutton would also eat it. Popular during Eid and Bakrid, this recipe calls for the main ingredients call Patience's but then it’s paid off in the form of delicious keema matar or matar keema whatever we may like to call it.  Not only as side dish but keema matar can be used as filling for naan, paratha, samosa or even serve with pav.  DH made this for a get together with my help of only chopping onion, tomato and it was highlight of the menu. The only other effective recipe was Chicken Masala again made by DH and Dahi Bhalla done by me.  DH tried to find the recipe online but he was not happy with anything, in the end he did it his way which was super delicious, list of ingredients looks long but it’s a simple recipe. 


Ingredients: [Serves 5-6]

Minced/Grounded Mutton - 1/2 kg
Peas - 1.5 cup
Onion - 2 large
Tomato - 2 medium
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Bay Leaf -1
Cinnamon - 1” piece
Cloves - 2
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Salt - To taste
Chopped Cilantro - 3 tbsp
Oil/Ghee - 4 tbsp
Red Food Colour - a pinch [if required]
Water - 1 Cup


Method:

1. Wash minced mutton few times and keep aside.  Finely chop onion, tomato and cilantro.
2. In a pressure cooker heat oil/ghee add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add onion, ginger-garlic paste and sauté until onion becomes transparent. 
3. Add turmeric, red chilli, garam masala and coriander seeds powders, mix everything well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Add mutton and stir well and sauté for 5-7 minutes on slow to medium flame or until oil starts to ooze out.  Add peas sauté for another minute. 
5. Mix colour with 1 tbsp of water and add to mutton along with salt and cilantro, add 1 cup water give a stir, close the cooker and pressure cook for 1 whistles and then simmer for 10 minutes in slow flame.  Let the cooker cool down and then mix well, if there is any water left then put the cooker back to flame on slow heat and simmer until water dries without closing the cooker this time. 
Our Keema Matar is ready, have it naan, parata, pulao or anything of your choice. 



Variations:
~ Use ghee for rich and flavour keema matar.
~ Thaw peas if using frozen.
~ Use mined chicken and do the same if you like.
~ Discard all whole garam masala before serving.

Have a nice day ~~

Matar Pulao | Peas Pilaf

Pulao is one such dish that can make any occasion grand or just keep it simple, perfect for a party, simple get-together, for a lazy weekend lunch or for lunch box and the fact that it's a one pot meal only makes it more appealing, don't you think so?

Matar Pulao or Peas Pulao and Jeera Rice are the rice recipe that I do the most as these are most simple, delicious, fast and goes well with chole, any curry or even a simple raitha, making our life less complicated.   And then like most of the recipes there are plenty of ways of making this peas pulao too, you can add the below spices or skip anything if you don't like.  Some people like to add fried cashews but then I prefer to keep it simple and original.   I normally do it in pressure or rice cooker rather than using cooked rice and frying it afterwards ofcourse it has it's own taste, no denial in that but then for me it's one pot meal. 

Serves - 2

Ingredients:

Basmati/Long Grained Rice - 1 Cup

Matar/Green Peas - 1/2 Cup

Ghee/Oil - 1 tbsp

Shahjeera/Caraway Seeds - 1/2 tsp [or cumin seeds]

Bay Leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1" pieces

Green Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Star Anise -1

Onion - 1 medium

Water - 2 Cups

Salt - to taste

Cilantro Chopped - 2 tbsp [optional]

Green Grape - 8-10 [optional]

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile Shell peas if using fresh or thaw it if using frozen, slice peeled onion and keep aside.

~ If you soak basmati rice for longer time it tends to break.

2. In a pan or wok heat ghee/oil, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise and shahjeera saute for 30 seconds.

3. Add sliced onion and saute until transparent, don't let it change colour otherwise pulao colour will change.

4. Add peas and saute for 2 minutes, now add rice mix gently and  saute for a minute.

5. Add salt, water and stir gently.  You can transfer everything to a rice cooker and let it cook like I did.

~ If you going to use pan then let water come to boil, reduced heat, close pan with lid and cook until water absorbed or rice is cooked, stir gently in intervals.

You can also add some green grapes (if too big halve it), but the grapes should not be sour or too sweet.  Long back when I was kid I saw grapes in matar pulao in one birthday party, it was tasty, different and thus stuck in my mind until now and I try to add grape some times.

And this easy pulao goes  to Lubna's Joy from fasting to feasting IV.

Have a nice day ~~

Spring Onion and Peas Soup

DH got 2 fresh bunches of spring onion and I am not a big fan of spring onion other than garnishing I don't use it much, specially I don't like spring onion and potato curry !!  So I always try to come up with new recipes using spring onion and this time I tried few. 

I just thought of making soup with spring onion and decide use peas along with it.  The outcome? Better than I expected, the soup was thick with good texture and spring onion adds this wonderful spicy touch with peas sweet taste that I helped myself with 2nd serving.  If you are looking for a interesting yet easy soup then it's for you and not to mention the beautiful color it has, I simply loved it.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

Spring Onion/Scallions - 1 bunch
Peas - 2 Cup
Onion - 1 Medium
Garlic - 1 Pod or 1 tsp chopped
Olive Oil - 2 tsp [I use extra virgin oil]
Vegetable Stock/Water - 3-4 Cups [I used one vegetable stock cube]
Salt & Pepper - To taste

Method:

1. Thaw peas (if using frozen), shell peas if using fresh.  Wash and chop spring onion, separate white and green parts, keep aside little spring onion for garnishing. Chop garlic and onion.

2. Heat oil in a pan add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, add onion and toss it.  Now add spring onion white part, saute until transparent.  Add peas and saute for a minute.

3.  Now add 1-2 cups of stock or water, spring onion green parts, salt, little freshly crushed pepper and vegetable stock cube(if using).

4. Bring it to boil on high flame and then reduce the flame to low and simmer for about 3 mintues or until peas gets tender.
~ If using fresh peas you need to simmer for 5-7 minutes.

5. Let the mixture gets cool and then puree in a blender or mixer.  Transfer the puree back to pan, add 2-3 cups of water or stock and bring it good boil.  Adjust salt and pepper if required.

Our soup is ready, serve as it is or do a garnish of little spring onion/cilantro or with finely chopped carrot it's your choice.
 ~If using spring onion for garnishing then add 1/2 tsp or you might find the soup very spicy due to it.

Serve hot/warm with any bread you prefer.  I had it with italian pepper biscuit, oh ya it's wonderful combo and serve as bread sticks :)

Have a nice day ~~

Mix Vegetables Kurma | Mix Vegetables with Cashew Sauce

Remember my Navratan Korma? In that I said I have used my sister method with some modification, so here am posting the original method of my sis.  This is simple curry but taste really good and goes well with chapathi, paratha, pulav or anything.    We can also add any vegetable of our choice ...let's check the recipe now. 

Ingredients:

Diced Vegetables - 2 cups  

[Used here is carrot, beans, peas, red capsicum and potato]

Cashew nuts - 10  

Poppy Seeds - 1 tbsp

[If you don't have poppy seeds then add more 6-7 cashews] 

Oil - 1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Green Cardamom - 1

Clove - 1

Bay Leaf - 1 small

Onion - 1 large

Tomato - 1 large

Green Chilli -3-4 [halved]

Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste 

Water -

Cilantro - 2 tbsp [chopped]

Method:

1. Dice all the vegetables in almost same size and microwave for 5 minutes with little water, 1/4 turmeric powder.  Stir after every minute.

2. Meanwhile Soak cashew and poppy seeds in little warm water for 10 minutes and grind into smooth paste, keep aside.

3. In a pan heat oil, add bay leaf, Cinnamon, cardamom, clove, cumin seeds and allow to splutter.  Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes or until it becomes pinkish.  

4. Add ginger-garlic paste, chillies and mix well sauté for another minute.

5.  Add chopped tomato, chilli, coriander, turmeric powder; mix everything and cook for a minutes.

6. Add salt and all the vegetables, give a good stir.  Add 1 to 1.5 cup water and cook for 5 mintues.

7.  Now add the cashew n poppy seeds paste mix everything well and cook for 8-10 minutes in medium flame or until all the veggies gets cooked and gravy becomes thick.

8. Adjust salt if required and garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy with paratha or pulav ...

Have a good Day ~~