Fried Rice

Ingredients
Basmati Rice/Long grained rice - 2 cups
Chicken -boneless- 1/2 cup 
Egg  - 2
Capsicum - 1/4 cup,chopped
Carrot- 1/4 cup,chopped
Beans - 10 no: or 1/4 cup chopped
Spring onion - 6-8 nos
Pepper powder-1 tbsp+ 1 tsp
Corn flour - 1/2 tsp
Soy sauce- 1 tsp
Salt
Cooking oil 
Direction
1. Cook the rice with enough water and salt and allow it to cool.Take care not to overcook.
2. Cook the chicken pieces in water and salt ,and when it is done ,shred it using hands or fork.Mix the chicken pieces with pepper powder and corn flour.Heat oil in a shallow pan and fry this for a few minutes.Keep aside
3. Cut the carrot and capsicum as long thin strips of 1 inch size, slice the beans thinly in elongated pattern.(or cut all vegetables according to your creativity )Cut the lower white portion of spring onion to round slices.Chop the upper green portion separately and keep aside. 
4. Beat the egg adding salt and pepper powder and scramble the egg in a shallow pan with enough oil.Keep aside 
5. Heat oil in a wide mouthed pan.Add the white spring onion,carrot, beans, capsicum and saute for 3-5 minutes with a little bit of salt until veggies are well fried and cooked .Add shredded chicken and pepper powder.Saute well
6. Now add  soy sauce and cooked rice,mix well.Finally add scrambled egg and green spring onion.Mix and saute for 2-3 minutes in medium heat and remove from stove.
Serve hot !!!
Note: 1) You can make egg fried rice with the same recipe,by avoiding chicken pieces
2) Vegetable fried rice can be made by avoiding egg and chicken in the same recipe 

Pulincurry /Ashgourd in Coconut -Tamarind gravy

Ingredients

Ash gourd/Winter melon/Kumbalanga - 3/4 cup skin removed,cut and cubed 

Grated coconut- 1/2 cup

Tamarind Juice- 2 tbsp (half of a gooseberry sized ball,soaked in warm water and juice extracted)

Cumin- 1/2 tsp

Shallots- 3-4

Green chillies- 2 split

Red chillies-2

Curry leaves

Mustard

Oil 

Salt

Method

1. Cook ash gourd in enough water ,with turmeric powder and green chillies.

2. Mean while grind grated coconut ,one or two shallots, cumin together to a fine paste.

3. When ash gourd is done add tamarind juice to this and boil for a few minutes.

4. Add ground  coconut to this and heat for 2-3 minutes.Remove from heat

5. Heat oil in another pan , splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies, curry leaves and  chopped shallots.Saute until the shallots are brown .Pour this into the curry.

Serve hot with rice !!

Easy Vegetable Biriyani

Ingredients
Basmati Rice- 2cups
Water to cook rice - 4 cups (adjust according to the instruction given on your basmati rice packet )
Onion -1 Big thinly sliced

Potato -1 Medium , peeled and cubed 

Carrot- 1/4 of a carrot, peeled and cubed

Beans - 5-6 ,chopped

Tomato - 1 small chopped

Green peas frozen- 1/4 cup thawed

Cardamom- 2

Clove-4

Cinnamon stick - 2" piece

Bay leaf - 1 small

Fennel- 1/4 tsp

Whole black pepper- 3-4

Ginger- 1 medium piece

Garlic- 1 big clove

Green chillies- 2 

Chilli Powder-1 tsp

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Coriander powder-3/4 tsp

Coriander leaves -1 tbsp chopped

Mint leaves - 1 tsp chopped

Raisins- 1/4cup

Cashew nuts- 1/4 cup

Oil/Ghee

Method

1. Heat a pan.Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fennel,bay leaf, black pepper) and heat for a few seconds.

2. Grind the above spices along with ginger , garlic, green chillies, turmeric powder and chilli powder to a fine paste ,adding 1 tsp of water.

3.  Soak basmati rice for 15-30 minutes in water. Wash and drain the rice, allow it to dry 

4. Heat oil/ ghee in a pan in low heat , add rice and stir for 1 minute .Remove from heat and keep aside.

5. Heat oil /ghee in a cooking vessel and add the sliced onion, and all vegetables to it , Saute until it becomes soft . 

6. Add the chopped coriander leaves,mint leaves,raisins and cashew nuts.

7. Add the ground paste roast it and mix well. 

8. Add required water and boil.When it is boiling add the fried rice and cook keeping a lid .

9. When it is done,remove the lid and allow the water to dry completely.Break the lumps using a fork 

Serve hot with Pickle, Raita, Curd, and Pappad 

Moru Curry/Moru kaachiyathu

Ingredients
Curd/Dahi - 1 Cup
Shallot -2/3 Chopped round
Garlic -2 cloves, and chopped lengthwise
Ginger -One small piece, crush it or make very small pieces
Green chilly -2, cut lengthwise/breadth wise
Red chilly -2
Curry leaves -4-5 leaves
Turmeric powder - 1/4 of tsp
Fenugreek Powder -1/4 of tsp
Mustard
Cooking Oil
Salt
Method
1. Beat the curd with salt and 1-2 tbsp water in a mixie/blender for a few seconds .Keep it aside
2. Heat oil in a pan/cheena chatti
3. Splutter mustard seeds, add red chillies, curry leaves and stir
4. Add chopped garlic, ginger, green chillies and saute for 1/2 minute till its color changes
5. Reduce heat
6. Add the powders and fry for few seconds
7. Add the beaten curd and mix well with other ingredients,stir continuously
8. Switch off and remove from heat before boiling , when the steam starts to come
Tip:
In between stirring, keep the spoon to the light and see whether steam comes from the spoon.When it comes, remove pan from heat. Do not overheat .