Curd Rice

Ingredients :
Cooked  soft Rice - 300 gms or ( medium size bowl filled rice)
Curd - 400 gms ( whisked ) ,
Green chilli -1 ( deseeded and finely chopped ),
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp - finely chopped ,
Salt for rice ,

Tempering for curd rice :
Ghee - 2 tsp ,
Dried red chilli -1 ( broken ),
Mustard seeds - a pinch ,
Cumin seeds -a pinch ,
Hing -a pinch ,
Ginger -1 inch - (cut into long pieces or small if you prefer ),
Curry leaves - 4 or 5 .
Method :
Cook the rice softer than what you usually cook.
Keep aside and cool .
You can make curd rice from left over rice too .

Beat curd and add salt ,green chilli ,coriander leaves and keep aside .
Take 1 tsp oil and  lower the heat add hing ,red chilli ,mustard seeds .let it crackle then add urad dal and let it roast .Add curry patha and ginger and close gas .Leave it to cool .

When tempering is slightly cool , pour the  tempered spices on the curd rice .

Mix and taste salt .
Curd rice is ready .Very good for tummy .

Tomato Rice

Ingredients :
Cooked rice -1 medium size bowl ,
Whole dried red chilli -1 ,
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp ,
cumin seeds -1/2 tsp,
Chana dal or gram dal - 1/2 tsp ,
Urad dal or white lentil - 1/2 tsp ,
Roasted peanuts - 1 tbsp ,
Ginger -1 inch cut into small pieces or shredded
Small green chilli -1 ( deseeded and chopped ),
Curry leaves  -5 or 6 ,
Hing - a pinch ,
Onion - half  -chopped - 1 tbsp ,

Tomato -2  medium size ( chopped and pureed ),
Salt to taste ,

Ghee -2 tsp .

Method :
It can be made with left over rice .
Heat ghee in pan and add hing ,mustard ,cumin seeds and  dried  red chilli .Let mustard and cumin seeds crackle .
Lower the heat and add gram dal , let it roast a bit .
Then add urad dal .let it roast and then add peanuts and then raise heat for few seconds .
Then add curry patha and ginger  .Let it roast then add onions and saute it .

Add the tomato puree , salt and red chilli pwd .

If you want to put chopped tomatoes ,then cover and let it cook till the tomatoes are soft .
If you are using pureed tomatoes then raise  the heat and cook till oil leaves side .
Lower the heat and then add the cooked rice  .Mix gently till the rice is evenly coated with the tomato sauce .

Close the gas and sprinkle coriander leaves .
Taste salt .

Fried Rice

Ingredients :
Rice -150 gms or 1 cup  ( over night cooked ),
Chicken pieces -  2 ( cut into thin strips ),
Green beans - 10 - 75 gms ( ends cut and then finely chopped ),
Baby carrot -3 -75 gms ( cut into tiny cubes ),
Onion or green onions - 1 ( chopped into small pieces ),
Ginger - 2 inch ( thin  long strips ),
Egg white beaten - 2 ( yolk seperated ),
Soya sauce -1 tbsp ,
Black pepper -1/2 tsp ,
Oyster sauce - 1/4 tsp ( optional ),
Oil -2 tbsp , 
Salt to taste

( if you are using fresh boiled rice then boil the rice and strain it when 3/4 cooked and keep in the fridge for few hours till cold . Fresh cooked rice will break if  you use  it for the dish )
Method :
Heat oil in a deep pan and add ginger .Saute in high heat for 5 seconds and then add the chicken strips.lower the heat to medium and saute the chicken strips till light brown ,then add the beans and saute for a minute .

Add the carrots and fry till half cooked on medium heat .
Add the boiled rice and gently stir .

Add soya sauce ,pepper pwd ,oyster sauce ( optional ) and salt .Mix gently .
Lower the heat and make a well in the middle of the fried rice and pour the egg white and wait for 
for 30 seconds. Cover the egg with rice and wait for 30 seconds .

Raise the heat to medium and stir fry the eggs to small pieces and mix  it with the rice .

It will take few minutes .Once you see the eggs are cooked close the gas .
Taste salt .

Lemon Rice With Onion Chutni

Ingredients :
Rice -100 gms - 3/4 cup ,
Lemon -2 tsp ,
Salt - to taste ,
Corriander leaves -1 tbsp( chopped).
Ingredients for tempering :
Hing or Asafoetida -a pinch ,
Mustard seed - 1 tsp ,
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp ,
Fenugreek seeds -1/4 tsp ,
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp ( optional ) ,
Dried red chilli -1 (broken into two ),
Onion - 2 tbsp (finely chopped ) ,
Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp ,
Ginger grated -1 tsp ,
Curry leaves -5 or 6 ,
Peanuts - 2 tbsp ,
Oil -1 tbsp .

Method :
Boil rice and keep in a bowl .
Heat oil for tempering . Add all the spices and   let it crackle in high heat  and then  add curry leaves. Lower the heat and  then add the chopped onion ,saute for a few seconds and then add  grated ginger and  turmeric pwd . Raise the heat and add peanuts. Stir fry for 10 seconds and close gas . Then add the boiled rice ,lemon juice and salt .Toss the rice so that it evenly mixed .Taste the salt .If you want the rice to be more  tangy add more lemon  juice .Sprinkle chopped corriander leaves and chopped green chilli (optional ).
Lemon rice can be eaten with sambar or onion chutni .
( Serving for - 2 )


Onion Chutni 
Vasudha`s favourite chutni

Ingredients :
Onion - 3 medium size (  300 gms ) sliced ,
Tomato 3 medium size ( 300 gms ) sliced,
Salt To taste ,
Oil -1 tbsp.
Ingredients for tempering :
Dried red chilli -1 ( broken into two ) ,
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp,
Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp ,
Fenugreek seeds -1/4 tsp,

Urad dal -1/4 tsp (optional),

Hing -a pinch ,

Curry leaves -5 or 6 ,

Oil -1 tbsp .

Method :
Heat oil in a non stick wok .Add hing and after a few second add all the spices .Let it crackle.Then add curry leaves .Dont let the curry leaves burn ,add sliced onions .Saute in high heat for 2 minutes and then add the chopped tomatoes .Mx and then add salt.

Lower the heat and cover the pan with a lid.
Let the onion and tomato simmer for 2 or 3 minutes so that the tomatoes are soft .

Uncover the pan and  let it be on  high heat for 1 minute.Close the gas and leave it to cool .

Run the chutni in a blender for a smooth paste.
Before serving ,temper with mustard seeds and curry patha  again with just 1/2 tsp of oil .
Can be stored  in the fridge for few days .