Quick Rice Dishes : Pudina Pulav Recipe | Pudina Rice | Mint Pulao

Pudina is a powerful antioxidant and it helps in the digestion of food. The aroma and taste of pudina is simply marvelous and always makes us feel fresh and active. The strong aroma of Pudina helps in prevention of Asthma and cough as well. Apart from this there are a whole lot of nutritional and medicinal benefits of Pudina leaves that makes us want to add this herb to our cooking so that our family benefits from it. Some of the foods often made with Pudina leaves are Pudina Chutney and Pudina Rice. Here is a Pudina Rice recipe.

Preparation Time: About 45 minutes, including cooking time

Servings: 2 to 3

Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grained  rice
• 2 cups fresh mint / Pudina leaves, lightly chopped
• ½ a cup coriander leaves, lightly chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 2 to 3 green chillies
• ¼ cup grated coconut (optional, fresh works best, frozen will do too)
• A small piece of ginger, lighty chopped
• 4 cloves
• 1 or 2 green cardamom pods
• 1" piece of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 12 roasted cashews for garnishing (optional)
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Clean, wash and soak the rice for 30 mins.
• Heat ghee on medium heat in non stick pan.

• When it is hot, add the spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), saute them first.
• Add green chillies, then lightly chopped Pudina leaves ,coriander leaves and  ginger.
• Add grated coconut and fry for 2 minutes.
• Make a coarse paste of all the above contents using mixer.

• Heat ghee on medium heat in non stick pan, Add onions, saute until onions start to brown.
• Add the pureed Pudina-green chilli-coconut paste. Fry until the Pudina paste changes color from bright green to light-green.

• Add the washed rice and saute for a minute. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat and cover with lid and cook till the rice is done.
• Serve hot with raita or any curry of your choice.

Methi Ki Sabzi | Methi Bhaji

Methi is a very popular green herb which is also commonly known as fenugreek leaves in English, menthya in Kannada, menthe akulu in Telugu. They are very much aromatic and slightly bitter in taste.  The subzi recipe given here is very easy to make and very healthy to eat. Another Punjabi recipe of Methi, Methi Makai Malai  also tastes great with Parathas.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch of Methi/ Fenugreek leaves
• 2 medium sized potatoes – peeled and cut into tiny cubes
• 1 large sized onion
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 4-5 garlic petals – peeled
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 tablespoon haldi/turmeric powder
• 1 large sized tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Pick the leaves of Methi, clean rinse and chop them up .Keep aside.

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes and keep soaked in water.

• Add oil to a heavy bottom cooking vessel/kadai, when the oil gets heated up add the ingredients listed under tempering.

• Keeping the heat at low, add garlic and onion fry for a minute.
• Once the garlic turns light brown, make sure the oil is not too hot and add the green chillies and turmeric powder.

• Now add the thin slices of potato cubes and cook until tender.
• Follow this by chopped Methi.
• Cook for another 8-10 minutes.
• Add the grated coconut and salt to taste. Mix well. Leave for another 2 minutes.

• Serve hot along with hot rotis/chawal.

PS: The trick here is to not close the lid on the pan while it cooks.

Gajar Ka Halwa | Carrot Halwa

Gajar or Carrot is considered to be a very nutritious food product especially it is good for eyes and heart. Gajar Ka Halwa is a classic Indian Mithai. This is a  traditional Punjabi dish. This dessert can be explained in brief as Grated carrot cooked in milk, sugar, ghee and other ingredients. It is very easy to prepare and cook however it takes little bit of time to cook.

Preparation Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Grated  juicy orange Carrots
• ½ cups sugar
• 2 cups milk
• Elaichi powder (cardomon)
• 1 table spoon chopped  cashew nuts
• 1 table spoon raisins
• 1 ½ table spoon Ghee

 Method:

• Wash Carrots properly, peel them before grating it finely.

• Heat 1 ½ table spoon ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel, add the grated carrot and saute for 8 minutes on low to medium flame.

• Add the milk and cardamom powder and allow to cook till the milk is almost absorbed. Add sugar and cook further for another 15 minute.

• Go on stirring till it leaves the sides of the pan.

• Garnish with toasted almonds, raisins and cashew nuts.
• Continue stirring in low flame until a thick consistency is attained.
• Serve warm or refrigerate and serve. It tastes good both warm and cold.

 PS:  Don’t close the lid of the pan while cooking till the end. This recipe contains high level of sugar. However amount of sugar can be reduced as per one’s taste.

Punjabi Recipe Side Dish : Methi Makhan Malai

Methi leaves or Fenugreek leaves, add a lot of nutrition and is rich source of protein, iron and calcium, vitamins and potassium. They are used in making a lot of dishes in India.  A very simple recipe of Methi leaves is Methi Subji.  And here is a very yummy Punjabi recipe which actually takes a little bit of time to prepare but is out of world when served with rotis.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch of Methi/ Fenugreek leaves
• 1 cup of Kabuli Chana soaked overnight
• 1 large sized onion
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 4-5 garlic petals – peeled
• 1’’ ginger
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1 tablespoon haldi/turmeric powder
• 1 large sized tomato, chopped
• 2 table spoon Fresh Cream
• 2 table spoon Butter
• Salt to taste

 Method:

• Pick the leaves of Methi, clean rinse and chop them up .Keep aside.
• Soak the Chana overnight, boil the next morning in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes over high flame. 
• Add oil to a heavy bottom cooking vessel/kadai, when the oil gets heated up add the ingredients listed under tempering.

• Keeping the heat at low, add ginger, garlic and onion fry for a minute.
• Once the onion turns light brown, make sure the oil is not too hot and add the green chillies and turmeric powder. Now add chopped tomatoes.
• Follow this by chopped Methi.

• Now add the precooked Chana and cook until tender.
• Cook for another 8-10 minutes.

• Add salt to taste. Mix well. Leave for another 2 minutes.

• Finally add fresh cream and butter as shown in picture. Sauté for 2 minutes.

• Serve hot along with hot rotis.

PS:  Kasuri Methi also can be added which gives more of Punjabi Flavor to the dish.

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