Rice Dishes

1.Arabian Rice:

Ingredients:
2 cups long-grained rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup vermicelli (cut into small pieces)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste.
For Garnishing:4-5 almonds(chopped).

Method:
Fry the vermicelli in oil till golden brown. Mix the rice, water and salt. Cook the rice over a low flame till tender. Garnish with chopped almonds and vermicelli. Serve hot.

2.Bodi Pulao (Nepal):

Ingredients:
250g basmati rice (long grain rice)
100g black eyed beans (lobia)
3 medium sized oinions (sliced)
2 tomatoes (cut into quarters)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 red chillies
4 tbsp butter or ghee
2 cloves
1 inch piece of cinnamon
salt to taste
For Garnishing: Brown onions.

Method:
Soak the black-eyed beans for 3-4 hours and the rice for an hour. Drain and keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp of oil, fry half the quantity of the sliced onion and keep aside for garnishing. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add cinnamon, cloves, cumin, red chillies and mustard seeds. When it starts crackling lower the heat and add the onions. Cook till golden brown and then add the rice and black-eyed beans. Mix well and cook over a low flame for another 5 minutes. Add enough water to cook the rice and the beans. Garnish with the brown onions.

3.Green Rice with Brown Buttons and Curd Dip:

Ingredients:
For green rice:
3 cups long grain fluffy rice (cooked)
1 cup green coriander leaves (finely chopped)
2 tbsp butter ghee
3-4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion(finely chopped)
1 tbsp almonds flakes
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

For brown buttons:
2 potatoes (boiled and mashed)
1 bread slice
Salt and pepper
Ginger paste and green chilli (chopped)
oil for frying

For curd dip:
250g thick curd
1/2 cup cottage cheese(grated)
Salt and pepper
Red chilli powder
Black salt
Mint powder to taste.
For Garnishing: Green coriander leaves.

Method:
For green rice: Heat ghee or butter and fry cumin seeds, cloves and onions till they brown. Add raisins, almond flakes, rice, salt and pepper and mix gently. Finally add green coriander leaves and lemon juice. Make a rice ring by lightly pressing green rice into a well-greased 6 inches or 8 inches ring mould. Keep it warm until it's time to serve.

For brown Buttons:
Mix all the ingredients into small ball buttons shape. Deep-fry till they are golden brown. For curd dip: Mix all the ingredients and chill. To serve, un-mould green rice ring on plate. Arrange the buttons around and fill the centre with chilled curd. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.

4.Hot Cashew Pongal (South Indian Speciality)

Ingredients:
1 cup green gram
2 cups rice
1 tsp whole black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 inch piece ginger (peeled and minced)
1/4 tsp asafoetida/ hing
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
8-10 cashew nuts
1 bunch curry leaves
3/4 cup ghee/ oil
salt to taste
6 cups water

Method:
Soak rice soaked in water for 1/2 hour, drain and set aside. Dry roast the green gram in a pan over low heat. Put it to boil with 5 cups of water and 1/4 tsp turmeric in a large pan. Add rice to the gram when it's 3/4th done. Add enough water so that the liquor floats about 1 1/2 inch above the rice and gram. Stir in salt and cover. Remove from heat when the liquid is absorbed and the rice has been cooked. Heat ghee in a pan, add black peppercorn, cumin seeds, cashew nuts, asafoetida, minced ginger and curry leaves. Saute until the cashew nuts turn golden. Mix the contents of the pan with the rice. Cover and cook on low flame for another 1/2 hour before serving. Serve with mint or coriander chutney.