one pot meal

Vermicelli Pulav:

May 22, 2024

My daughter persuaded me to write my version of Vermicelli Pulav, which they used to enjoy during their schooling days. It is a one-pot, quick meal with veggies and greens.

Earlier, I posted how to cook vermicelli under the Beginner’s guide. Here is one more recipe with vermicelli from our kitchen to yours.

Ingredients:

Vermicelli – 3 Cups

Mixed Vegetables – 1.5 Cups

Ghee and oil 2 tbsp+2 tbsp.

salt and ½ lemon.

To Grind:

Onion – 1 small

Pudina and coriander leaves – ¼ Cup

Green Chillies – 4

Ginger – ½ inch piece

Garlic – 2 cloves

Cloves – 3

Cinnamon – ¼ “

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Dhania/Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Method

-Toast vermicelli in one tbsp of Ghee. Set it aside.

-Chop all the vegetables and keep them aside. (I normally use capsicum, beans, carrot and green peas)

-Grind all the ingredients under “grind” in a mixie jar till smooth.

-Heat the remaining oil and ghee in a pan. Put chopped vegetables in it and fry till half done. Now, add the ground mixture and salt. Cook till the spices are fragrant and the raw smell vanishes.

-Add 4.5 cups of water and boil; add roasted vermicelli, stir well and cover. Cook till done. Add the juice of ½ lemon and mix.

-If you add water after adding the vermicelli, ensure sufficient water, just like we add while making regular vermicelli. Water should be just above the vermicelli. Mix the mixture and check for the salt. Add and cover the kadai with a lid if salt is needed, and cook it on a low flame.

-leave it to rest for a while and then serve.

Khara Pongal/ Ven Pongal :

January 9, 2022

Ahh..what to say about humble Pongal? It is one of the comfort food for any South Indian. It is most prevalent in Tamilnadu as a Ven Pongal and a Khara Pongal at Bangalore.

Be it breakfast or as popular Tiffin Item or Lunch or Dinner in a chilly winter season, with added healing properties of ginger, black pepper, hing and loads of ghee to soothe your soul.

It is one of the wholesome, one-pot meals. As the Makarasankranthi festival is around the corner, I would love to share the recipe I follow at home and loved by my family.

Ingredients:

Rice – 1 cup

Moong dal /green gram dal – 1 cup

Ghee – 2 tbl spoons

Cumin – 1 tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

Green chillies- 2 (slit)

Ginger – 1′ ( julienne)

Curry leaves – 1 spring

Turmeric – 1 tsp

Milk – 1cup

Water – 7 cups

Salt

Fresh coconut gratings – ½ cup

Tempering: Ghee – 1 tbl sp, mustard, cumin- 1 tsp, black pepper – 1 tsp – 2 tsp, curry leaves – 1 spring, chopped cashew nuts – 1 to 2 tbl spoons.

Extra ghee – to serve ( optional)

Method:

-Dry roast yellow moong dal for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool it. Wash rice and dry roasted moong together and soak it for some time, or you can use it directly.

-Take a cooker, add 2 tbl sp ghee, add cumin, hing, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and turmeric and fry for 2 minutes.

-Now drain the rice and moong dal, add-in, mix everything and add water, milk and boil.

-When water starts boiling, add salt, coconut, close the lid, and cook for three whistles.

-Crush black pepper and cumin by putting them together in a mortar and pastel. Keep it ready.

-After opening the lid, make tempering by heating ghee, splutter mustard, add crushed pepper and cumin, curry leaves, cashew bits and fry until the cashew becomes light brown. Pour over the tempering on ready Pongal.

-Mix everything, serve with tamarind gojju, sambar, Raita or chutney.

NOTE: I usually use Broken rice, which is used explicitly for Pogal and available in all the local Rice traders here in Bangalore.

If it is not available, I would prefer to use Jeeraga samba rice/ small grain rice/ sannakki.

Milk Noodles: Instant noodles with coconut milk

September 26, 2021

As I always say, learning is an ongoing process. This particular recipe, which I learnt from my daughter. Yes! You heard it right 😀 Here, she has used coconut milk powder, which is an easy option for a hostller.

Instant noodles can be a super tasty, comforting meal by themselves if we consider replacing it with a little healthier option by opting for millet noodles and some tossed veggies. When I heard milk and the explanation of the recipe, I was a little hesitant. After tasting it, I can tell you; it was creamy and delicious. I felt the addition of curry leaves and coconut milk was a game-changer.

Here, I have used Instant Millet based noodles. One can opt for any preferred noodle and its masala for this recipe.

Ingredients:

A small pack of instant noodles – 1 ( with masala)

Onion – 1 ( slightly bigger pieces)

Garlic – ½ tsp (chopped)

Ginger – ½ tsp (chopped)

Green chilli – 1 (sliced)

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Coconut milk/powder– 1 sachet or as required

Chopped veggies – of your choice ( I used Carrot, green peas)

Turmeric – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

black pepper powder – if needed ( optional)

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Sugar – to enhance the taste ( to balance)

Method:

-Take one tawa, heat a tbl spoon of oil, when it is hot, season with lots of curry leaves.

-Then, add chopped onion, green chilli, garlic, ginger fry for 2 min.

-Add turmeric, coriander powder, salt and add chopped veggies and green peas.

-Fry all these until veggies wilts. Add 2 cups of water, ready Maggi masala, and adjust the salt.

-Now, drop those noodle blocks, cook. When it is almost done, add coconut milk or coconut milk powder, add water to adjust the consistency.

-if you want some more zing, sprinkle a little pepper powder and serve.

Tri colour Capsicum Rice :

July 2, 2020

Capsicum flavoured one pot rice item, with added richness by coconut milk as well as lots of curry leaves and goes very well with any side dish of your choice. It is an absolute favourite at our office potlucks or any parties. It is rich in taste ,easy to make and nutritious too. I normally serve this with simple dhal fry .

I normally Use Basmati rice or small grain Jeera samba rice to make rice and all the three colours of capsicums.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Onion – 1 big (sliced)

Green chilli – 1 (slit)

Ginger garlic paste – 1tsp

Ghee + Oil – 1 + 1 tablespoon

Bay leaves – 2

Cardamom – 2

Cinnamon – 1”

Clove – 2

Coconut milk powder – 2 tablespoons (I normally use Maggi brand)

To Garnish:

Red, Green and yellow capsicum – 1 each

Ghee or Oil – 2 tablespoons

Cumin – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 2 springs

Green chilli – 1 (slit )

Method:

-Wash ,soak rice for 10 minutes and drain.

-Take one cooker, add ghee and oil, Bay leaves, cinnamon, clove and cardamom.

-Add sliced onion, green chilli and fry until it is golden. Continue frying with adding ginger garlic paste.

– Add drained rice, coconut milk powder ,4 cups of water ,salt and cook for one whistle ,keep it in a simmer for 3 minutes and switch off.

To Prepare capsicum garnishing – dice all the three-coloured capsicum.

-Heat ghee, cumin ,curry leaves and slit green chilli and fry.

-Add capsicum ,toss for a while and sprinkle some salt and when it is done, add the ready rice and mix with a light hand and serve with your favourite side dish or simple dhal fry.

Oats Rava Vegetable Idli :

June 10, 2020

I normally prefer rava idli by adding oats. As you all are aware, I have 2 types of oats idlies in my blog. One is plain Oats Rava idli and another one is Regular Rava idli style by adding oats to it. I normally prefer Rava idli style and if it is for tiffin box or Brunch adding vegetable is an incredibly good option. It is my dear friend Smitha’s recipe and I want to thank her for sharing such a filling, nutritious and healthy recipe in our Foodie group.

Addition of vegetables with oats increases the nutritional value of the dish. This recipe doesn’t demand much curd as well. Hence for me, this is one more recipe to indulge in that too without any grinding and prior planning.

I normally prepare the dry mixture the previous night and keep it ready to cut short my early morning job. It works very well. Dry mix consists of seasoning and roasting part.

How I did:

Ingredients:

(a) Main Ingredients

Upma Rava – 2 Cups
Quick cooking Oats – 1 Cup

(b) To be ground into a coarse paste

Black Pepper Corns – 10 -12 or, as desired
Cumin Seeds – 1&1/2 Teaspoons
Ginger Root – 1 Inch Piece
Green Chillies – 4 to 6 or, as per your spice levels

Preferably grated, or very finely chopped

Bottle Gourd – 1/4 Cup (grated)Carrots, medium sized – 2 (grated)
Green Peas, slightly crushed – 1/4 Cup
French Beans, Finely Chopped – About 8 to 10
Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped – 4 Tablespoons

Fresh Curry Leaves, finely chopped – 2 to 3 Sprigs

(d) Other Ingredients

Cashew nuts – A few or, as required (For garnish)
Salt – To taste
Cooking Soda / Baking Soda – ½ Teaspoon
Lemon Juice – 1 Teaspoon
Water – As required
Yogurt – 1/4 to 1/2 Cup + 2 Spoons to mix with soda
Oil – To grease the idli plates/molds

(e) For Tempering

Asafetida – A generous pinch
Black Mustard – 2 Teaspoons
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 Teaspoon
Chana Dal & Urad Dal – 1 Teaspoons each
Oil – 4 Tablespoons

Method:

-Dry roast Rava, halfway through add oats and fry further until it is done. Cool.

-Dry roast pepper, cumin. Dry grind these by adding ginger, green chilli and keep aside.

-For Seasoning part, Take one wok, do the seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, fry chana and urad dal, add cumin, hing, ground spice mix, chopped curry leaves , coriander leaves and fry a little.

– Add crushed peas, finely chopped beans, and grated bottle gourd. Add salt and switch off. Cool completely.

-Now Mix in roasted Rava and oats with veggie seasoning.

-Add ½ cup yogurt, keep it aside for 15 minutes.

-In another bowl take lemon juice, curd, cooking soda mix nicely and add to batter.

-Then adjust with water, make idlies by keeping cashew at center.

-Serve with Hot and sweet coriander chutney.

Paneer Pulav:

June 9, 2019

This is a one pot meal and is wholesome and quick. Working days are always hectic and when you have to pack dabbas, it is a challenge to think of some interesting wholesome food. This pulao is one such thing, my family doesn’t mind having even in dabbas when cold or piping hot for a quick weekend lunch.

It needs very little ingredients as well as time. Here I have taken Beans, carrot, peas along with paneer chunks to enhance the nutrition.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice or any rice of your choice – 3 cups

Veggies of your choice – 1 bowl (Beans, carrot, peas)

Paneer – 200 grams

Bay leaves – 2

Cinnamon- 1 “

Cardamom – 2

salt

Oil – 3 to 4 tablespoons

For Masala:

Cinnamon – 1”

Clove – 4

Ginger – 1”

Garlic – 10 cloves

Green chillies – 5 to 6

Coriander leaves – little

Pudina – little

Coconut – 2 tablespoons

Curd – 1 small cup

Method:

-Wash rice and soak for 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

-Chop veggies, grind masala and keep aside.

-For masala: Fry clove, cinnamon, green chillies, garlic, sliced ginger, coriander, pudina and coconut by adding little oil, cool and grind into smooth paste by adding curd.

-Take one cooker, add oil, drop cinnamon, bay leaves ,cardamom. Add chopped veggies and fry until raw smell vanishes.

-Next, add masala, add salt and fry until oil leaves at the sides.

-Add drained rice, fry for 2 minutes. Add paneer chunks mix gently and add water (1:2 cups) and when it starts boiling, close the lid.

-Cook for one whistle, keep in a simmer for 1 to 2 minutes and switch off.

-When pressure releases, mix everything and serve with onion raita.

Vegetable Pulav (Bangalore Style):

October 6, 2018

Vegetable Pulav is very versatile and made in many ways. Each house or family has their own favourite recipes. But this one is found in any small darshini or small eateries in Bangalore. It is a native Bangalore style Pulav which is green in colour due to the usage of Pudina and coriander leaves. It is fried with onion and other masalas and ground to paste. Selection of the vegetable is also unique. With other vegetables, Knol khol, double beans as an added attraction, when compared to normal Pulav. Added to all this, we find deep fried bread croutons.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice – 3 cups (small steel tumbler)

Beans – 10

Carrot – 1

Knol khol – 2

Green peas – ¾ cup

Double beans – ¾ cup

Lemon – 1

Bread slices – 3

For Masala: (please refer the picture)

Oil – 2 table spoons

Cinnamon – 4 to 5 small pieces

Clove – 4

Cardamom – 2

Black pepper – 10 to 15

Cumin – 1 table spoon

Onion – 2 (medium)

Green chillies – 5 to 8

Ginger – 2-inch piece

Garlic – 12 to 14

Mint / Pudina leaves – 1 fist full

Coriander leaves – 1 fist full

Fresh Coconut – 1 small cup

Seasoning:

Oil – 8 to 10 table spoons

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Bay leaves – 3 half pieces

Marathi moggu – 2

Star anise – 2

Method:

-Wash rice a couple of times, soak and keep aside.

-Wash pudina, coriander leaves, Chop veggies, onions etc. If you are adding double beans and green Peas keep it ready.

-Now prepare ground masala: Take everything under masala and keep it ready by washing or chopping.

-Take one wok, heat oil, drop all the dry spices from cinnamon to cumin.

-Fry onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies when onion becomes transparent add pudina and coriander.

-Fry until it wilts. Add coconut and fry for 2 minutes and switch off the gas.

-Cool, grind into paste by adding very minimum water. Keep aside.

-Now we would move towards the main preparation. It is the time to drain the soaking rice.

-Take one pressure cooker, pour oil for the seasoning, drop all the dry spices from cumin to star anise, fry for 2 minutes.

-Now put all the veggies, green peas, double beans and fry nicely until raw smell vanishes and all the pieces coats with the oil.

-Next comes the turn of adding ground green masala and salt. Fry nicely and lastly add drained rice and fry for couple of minutes.

-Add water (I normally add 1: 2 for Basmati rice or Sona masuri rice) If you are using small grain (Jeera rice) Use 1: 1 ½ ratio for water. Here 1 is rice and 2 or 1 ½ is water.

-Use rice measured cup for water measurement.

-Check for salt and squeeze lemon and close the lid. Cook for 1 whistle and keep it in a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

-During this time, we can prepare bread croutons. Usually bread pieces will be deep fried, drained and added.

But, I normally avoid deep frying and make it like this.

-Take one tawa, drop couple of spoons of ghee or oil, when it is hot, drop the bread pieces and fry for 2 to 4 minutes, until all the bread pieces coats partially and half roasted.

-Now switch off the gas, spread those bread pieces in a baking dish, bake for 20 minutes or until it is crisp in a pre-heated oven or convection microwave at 170-degree C.

-When Pressure relieves, open the cooker lid and mix in bread croutons and mix well. Close the lid and leave for some time to soak all these bread pieces to absorb the aroma.

-Then serve with Onion raita at the side.

Moringa / Drumstick leaves chutney and Rice:

August 22, 2018

Nugge Soppu ,Moringa or Drumstick leaves are a power house of nutrients. Back in 2016 I had tried a bunch of drumstick recipes to publish in Vijaya next kannada daily. This chutney recipe is from that trial and after that it is in my regular menu and I have made it many times, as well as tried to mix this same chutney into cooked rice after doing some seasoning and liked it a lot and It is an awesome way to feed small kids with added goodness of moringa.

I will first describe how to make chutney and at last I will add the procedure of rice as well.

This chutney stays good for up to one week and we can store this in a refrigerator and can be enjoyed as a side dish or make rice item and relish and can be packed as a carry meal in a tiffin box as well.

Procedure for Chutney:

Moringa leaves – 4 cups (keep aside some young leaves for seasoning)

To be ground:

Roasted red chillies – 3

Black pepper – 3

Garlic – 10 cloves

Tamarind – ¼ tea spoon

Coriander leaves – 3 table spoons (chopped)

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Jaggery – ½ to 1 tea spoon

Salt

Seasoning;

Oil – 2 table spoons

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Curry leaves – 2 strings

Garlic – 10 cloves (chopped)

Onion – 1 (chopped)

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Method:

-Take moringa leaves (keep aside a little) and grind with all the items under “To be Ground” from Roasted red chillies to salt in the list by adding little water into coarse paste.

-Now take one kadai, do seasoning part. Heat oil, splutter mustard, add curry leaves, chopped garlic, onion ,turmeric and fry until onion and garlic becomes light brown.

-Add moringa leaves, which we have kept aside and fry till it wilts and add ground paste and fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until raw smell vanishes and mixture changes in colour.

-You can serve this as a side dish with hot rice and ghee. This chutney stays good under refrigeration and can be used as a moringa rice mix as well.

Now we will see the procedure for Moringa Rice:

It is simple. Take some oil and put one tea spoon of cumin, little curry leaves and one or two table spoons of ready chutney, little salt and mix nicely. Switch off the gas. Mix required amount of ready cooked rice in this mixture and mix nicely to devour aromatic moringa rice. If you have ready chutney around, it is a quick recipe.

Red cabbage and Sweet corn Pulav: One pot meal

July 5, 2018

I have promised to post my trial on rice dish by adding red cabbage and sweet corn in my earlier post. Here I am with the detailed account on this beautiful pink hued rice.

Red cabbage is smaller and dense in structure, when we compare it to the green one. Leaf is thicker as well. Because of this, it doesn’t loose its texture, even after cooking. So, pressure cooking does not ruin its shape or texture in this trial of one pot meal.

When we want to cook Purple or red cabbage, we make sure to add some souring agent to it. It can be anything like lemon, vinegar or yogurt. Here I have added curd while cooking. If souring agent is not there, red cabbage will surely turn pale blue and loose its crunchiness.

Now we will see how I have worked in this recipe –

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 3 cups

Shredded cabbage – 1 ½ cup

Sweet corn – 1 cup

Oil – 3 table spoons

Cinnamon – 1 “

Cumin – 1 tea spoon

Bay leaf – 1

Star anise – 1

Clove – 2

Cardamom – 1

Green chillies – 3(slit)

Onion – 2 (sliced)

Ginger garlic paste – 1 ½ table spoon

Curd – ½ cup

Salt

Method:

-Wash rice, drain and keep aside.

-Take one cooker, add oil, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaf, star anise, cloves and cardamom.

-After frying for a couple of minutes, add green chillies and onion and fry.

-When onion turns light brown, add ginger garlic paste and continue frying.

-Next add shredded cabbage and corn and mix once.

-Immediately add curds, salt, drained rice and coat evenly.

-Add 6 cups of water, when it starts to boil, close the lid and cook until one whistle and keep it in a simmer for 2 minutes and switch off.

-When pressure releases, open the lid and mix gently and serve with any raita. I have served this rice with slightly sweet Boondi raita.

Fresh Chick Peas Pulav:

January 9, 2018

Fresh chick peas are green in colour and known as Cholia / Hara Chana. They are fresh young Garbanzo beans which are usually sold as a small bundle of plants with roots intact. These are found only in winter months here in Bangalore. People usually enjoy eating this as a fresh bean by shelling its outer green pod. Chickpeas are high in dietary fibre, mineral, vitamins, proteins.

Ribbet collage 1

These pods are tiny compared to green peas pods. Usually one pod will contain only one garbanzo bean, rarely we find two beans as well. Not more than that.

DSC05879_Fotor

One pot meal is a super cool idea to consume these fresh beans, which I have paired with a cucumber chutney, which I will post next.

Here we will see how I made this Pulav –

DSC05895_Fotor

Ingredients:

Small grain rice – 3 cups (we call this as Jeera samba rice)

Onions – 2

Green chillies – 3 to 4

Ginger garlic paste – 1 table spoon

Fresh chick peas /green Chana – 1 small cup

French beans – 8 to 10 (chopped)

Pudina leaves – 2 tblsp (chopped)

Coriander leaves – 2 tblsp ( chopped)

Salt

Lemon – ½

Ghee – 1 table spoon

Oil – 2 table spoons

Shahi jeera – 1 tea spoon

Bay leaves – 2 small

Cloves – 4

Cinnamon – 1” piece

Mace – 1

Cardamom – 2

Method:

-Wash rice, drain and keep aside.

-Slice onion, green chillies.

-Take one cooker, heat oil, put all the masalas from Shahi jeera to cardamom.

Ribbet collage 2

-Fry onion, green chillies till it is light brown.

-Add ginger garlic paste and toss. Add chopped beans, fresh chick peas and fry for a while.

-Add salt, drained rice, chopped coriander, pudina and fry for 2 minutes. Add 5 ½ cups of water (rice 1: 1 ½ cups of water + 1cup for veggie)

Ribbet collage 3

-When water starts to boil, check for salt, add lemon juice and I table spoon of ghee. Close the cooker lid.

– Cook until one whistle, then simmer for 2 minutes. Switch off the gas.

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-When steam relieves mix the rice and serve with Hot cucumber chutney.

Note:

-I usually use 1 ½ cups of water for 1 cup of small grain rice.

-Here additional 1 cup of water is to cook fresh bean.

-Instead of Chana one can use fresh green peas as well.