PREP TIME: 15 Minutes

COOKING TIME: 20 Minutes (including the time to cook rice)

Vegetable fried rice!!! I am sure most people know the recipe for fried rice but here is my version of the fried rice. Our family being vegetarians we try to include as much vegetables as possible. With all 3 of us staying at home due to the social distancing practices I have been cooking a lot these days. With my son being a picky eater, I must make recipes that he enjoys and at the same time nutritious. With the limited time available to make lunch (especially during a busy workday😏) this recipe comes in handy. It is simple to make yet has a good portion of vegetables. The rice can be cooked ahead of time, may be in the morning and it is just vegetables chopping and mixing them all together with a little seasoning. If you use a food processor it takes less than 5 minutes to chop all the vegetables.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 1.5 cups

Green onions – 4 chopped

Onion – 1 sliced

Carrot – 1 (Julienne cut)

Cabbage – 1 cup finely sliced

Frozen Edamame – 1 cup (250 ml)

Salt – as per taste

Pepper – ½ teaspoon (you can add more if needed)

Soya sauce – ½ teaspoon

Tomato Ketchup – ½ teaspoon

Oil – 3 tablespoons of oil

Procedure

STEP 1: Cook the rice with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon of olive oil. I used instant pot to cook the rice, so I do not have to babysit the cooker. The rice should not get mushy. For 1.5 cups of rice I added 2 cups of water and used the pressure cook mode set to 3 minutes (I used aged basmati rice, so it took 3 minutes to get the right consistency and natural pressure release)

STEP 2: Chop all the vegetables. Add the edamame and enough water to cover the edamame to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 5 minutes. (You could also follow the instructions on the package to cook the edamame)

STEP 3: Once the vegetables are ready and the rice is cooked and cooled down, heat oil in a skillet.

STEP 4: Add the white portion of the green onions, sliced onions, carrots, cabbage and edamame.

STEP 5: Cook on medium to high heat for 2 minutes. The vegetables should be crunchy.

STEP 6: Add salt, pepper, soya sauce, ketchup and the cooked rice. Mix well and add more seasoning if needed.

STEP 7: Cook the rice and vegetables on high heat for about 3 minutes by constantly stirring and turn off the heat. Throw in the green onions and serve.

Veggie Fried Rice ready to serve😋

Tip: The edamame can be replaced with green peas. Other vegetable options – sweet corn, mushroom broccoli and bell peppers.

PREP TIME: 15 Mins

COOKING TIME: 20 Mins

Ingredients – to roast & grind

Fennel Seeds – ½ tea spoon

Bay leaf – 1

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon stick – ¼ inch piece

Roasted channa dal – 1 teaspoon

Onion – 1

Tomatoes – 2

Green Chillies – 3

Ginger – 2 inch piece

Garlic – 5 pods

Ingredients

Cashews – 15 (broken to small pieces)

Curry Leaves – 15 – 20 Leaves

Basmati Rice – 1.5 Cups washed & soaked for 15 minutes

Chilli Powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Oil – 5 teaspoons

Procedure

STEP 1: Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan, add fennel seeds, roasted channa dal, green chillies, ginger, garlic and onion. Once the onion turns golden brown, add tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves.

STEP 2: Cook till the oil separates from the onion – tomato mixture. Let it cool down completely and blend it to make a fine paste.

STEP 3: Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a pressure cooker, add cashews and curry leaves. Add the onion – tomato masala paste and cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 4: Add the required salt and ½ teaspoon chilli powder and cook till the raw smell from the chilli powder goes away.

STEP 5: Add the washed and soaked basmati rice to the pressure cooker along with 2.5 cups of water.

STEP 6: Pressure cook the rice for 10 – 12 minutes (It took 10 minutes/4 whistles in the pressure cooker for me)

PREP TIME: 5 Mins

COOKING TIME: 5 Mins

Ingredients

Mustard – ½ tea spoon

Urad dal – ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Green Chilli – 2

Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Asafoetida – 1 pinch

Green Mango – 1 (peeled and grated)

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 teaspoon

Rice – 1 cup cooked

Procedure

STEP 1: Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seed, wait for it to splutter, add urad dal and curry leaves.

STEP 2: Add the green chilli, asafoetida, chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.

STEP 3: Add the grated green mango and salt. Cook for 2 minutes and turnoff the heat.

STEP 4: Cook the rice separately and let it cool completely.

STEP 4: Add the cooked rice to the mango mixture and mix well.

TIP: Mango rice is a perfect lunch box recipe. It can be served with potato fry or any spicy dry vegetable dish.

PREP TIME: 10 Mins

COOKING TIME: 20 Mins

Ingredients

Cumin Seeds – ½ tea spoon

Bay leaf – 1

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 1

Star anise – 1

Cardamom – 2

Onion – 1 finely sliced

Green Chilli – 3

Ginger – 2 teaspoon grated

Garlic – 2 teaspoon grated

Mint – 10 leaves

Oil – 5 teaspoons

Salt – to taste

Turmeric powder – ¼ tea spoon

Carrot – 1 cup

Peas – 1 cup

Basmati rice – 1 cup washed and soaked for 15 Mins

 Procedure

STEP 1: Clean, peel and cut the carrot into small cubes.

STEP 2: Grind the ginger, garlic and green chillies to make a fine paste

STEP 3: Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, cumin seeds and ginger-garlic-green chilli paste.

STEP 4: Add turmeric powder and sliced onion and cook till the onions turn golden brown.

STEP 5: Add carrot and peas and cook for 2 minutes.

STEP 6: Add in the basmati rice and salt. Mix well. Also, add chopped mint and close the lid. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and turn off the heat.

TIP: Carrot and peas pulao can be served with any stir fried vegetable or onion, tomato and cucumber raitha topped with some chopped cilantro and dry mango powder.

Little millet known as Samai Arisi in tamil is a very nutritious grain. It can be used as a substitute for rice.

PREP TIME: 10 Mins

COOKING TIME: 20 Mins

Ingredients

Samai rice – 1 cup washed

Mustard – ½ tea spoon

Urad dal – ½ teaspoon

Fennel seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Curry leaves – 2 – sprigs

Bay leaf – 1

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon – ¼ inch piece

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Green Chilli – 1

Garlic – 5 pods crushed

Onion – 1 finely sliced

Tomato – 2 sliced

Ginger – ¼ inch piece crushed

Oil – 4 teaspoons

Salt – to taste

Chilli powder – 2 teaspoons

Procedure

STEP 1: Wash the Samai rice and cook the rice with 2.5 cups of water. (The usual ratio to cook rice is 1: 3 but I have reduced the quantity of water to avoid the rice turning mushy). Let it cool down to room temperature.

STEP 2: Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seed, wait for it to splutter, add urad dal, fennel seeds, bay leaf and curry leaves.

STEP 3: Add ginger, garlic, sliced onion and green chilli. Cook till the onions turn golden brown.  Add the sliced tomato.

STEP 4: Once the oil starts separating from the mixture, add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 4: Add in the cooked Samai rice, mix well and serve.

TIP: Healthy “samai tomato rice” ready to be served. It can be served with potato chips, appalam or any pickle.

Varagu Arisi or Kodo millet is a very nutritious grain. It can be used as a substitute for rice and wheat. Varagu rice is high in fibre as compared to white rice. This millet can be substituted for rice in most of the rice dishes.

PREP TIME: 2 Mins

COOKING TIME: 3 Mins + 20 Mins to cook millet

Ingredients

Lemon Juice – 100 ml

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Urad Dal – 1 tea spoon

Cashews – 10

Green chilli – 2

Turmeric Powder – 1 pinch

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Ginger – 1/4 inch piece grated

Salt – per taste

Cooked kodo millet – 2 cups

Procedure

STEP 1: Cook the millet with sufficient water and let it cool down. (Make sure the rice is cooked well but not mushy). For 1 cup millet add 3.5 cups of water to cook.

STEP 2: Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard and wait to splutter. Add urad dal, Cashews, Curry leaves, Green chilli, salt, turmeric powder. Cook for a minute and add lemon juice.

STEP 3: Wait for the mixture to condense/reduce to half the quantity and add ginger, then turn off the heat.

STEP 4: Add the lemon mixture to the cooked Varagu rice and mix well.

TIP: Easy & Quick healthy Varagu lemon rice ready to be served.

Coconut rice is a recipe that is prepared using coconut and a few other ingredients. It tastes awesome and can be served even without a side dish/vegetable. Many variations can be made in the Coconut rice preparation. Below is the simple and quick version of the recipe.

PREP TIME: 2 Mins

COOKING TIME: 3 Mins + 20 Mins to cook rice

Ingredients

Grated Coconut – 1 Cup (you can use frozen or fresh)

Cashews – 10

Dry red chilli – 2

Roasted Peanuts – 10

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Urad Dal – 1 tea spoon

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Salt – per taste

Cooked Rice – 2 cups

Procedure

STEP 1: Cook the rice with sufficient water and let it cool down. (Make sure the rice is cooked well but not mushy)

STEP 2: Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard and wait to splutter. Add urad dal, then curry leaves, red chillies, cashews and peanuts.

STEP 3: Cook for a minute, then add grated coconut and salt. Mix well and cook for one more minute and turn off the heat.

STEP 4: Add the coconut mixture to the cooked rice and mix well.

TIP: Easy & Quick lunch box recipe.

Vermicelli Biryani is made with the same ingredients used in making vegetable biryani but the rice is replaced with vermicelli/Semiya. Also the cooking time is comparatively less compared to the regular vegetable (rice) biryani. Instead of making the usual Semiya upma (which is a “Not so favourite” lunch box recipe at least in our house) you can add a twist to the dish and make this yummy recipe. Everyone will love it and you will surely get a request to add it to the regular lunch menu 😉

PREP TIME: 5 Mins

COOKING TIME: 15 Mins

Ingredients

Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Bay leaf – 1

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 1

Onion – 1 finely sliced

Tomato – 1 sliced

Green Chilli – 1

Ginger & Garlic finely chopped – 1 teaspoon

Mint leaves – 20 leaves

Coriander leaves – 10 sprigs

Oil – 2 teaspoon

Ghee/clarified butter – 1 teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Chilli powder – 1 tea spoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ tea spoon

Mixed vegetables – 1 cup (carrot, peas, cauliflower and beans)

Roasted Semiya/Vermicelli – 1 cup

Procedure

STEP 1: Heat oil and ghee in a pan. Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Fry for a minute.

STEP 2: Add the sliced onion, green chilli and chopped ginger garlic. Cook till the onions turn golden brown.

STEP 3: Chop the mint leaves finely and add it to the onion mixture. Cook for a minute and then add the sliced tomato.

STEP 4: Once the tomato turns mushy add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Add ¼ cup of water and let it cook for 2 minutes.

STEP 5: Add in the mixed vegetables. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 6: Add in the roasted vermicelli and 2 cups of water. Mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 7 – 10 minutes. (The vermicelli shouldn’t turn mushy).

STEP 7: Garnish with some chopped cilantro and serve.

TIP: Vermicelli biryani can be served with onion-tomato raitha or chips.

Thengai pal kanji is a dish that is made combining all healthy ingredients. The rice is cooked in coconut milk with fenugreek seeds and garlic. Coconut milk is highly nutritious and rich in flavour. Fenugreek seeds helps with digestive problems and garlic enhances the taste and also has a lot of medicinal properties.

Prep Time – 10 Mins

Cooking Time – 20 Mins

Ingredients

Raw rice – 1/2 cup

Garlic – 30 pods

Fenugreek seeds – 1 teaspoon

Coconut milk – 1 cup (400 ml tin)

Water – 1 cup

Salt – to taste

Procedure

STEP 1: Wash the raw rice and transfer it to a rice cooker.

STEP 2: Add coarsely chopped garlic, fenugreek seeds and salt to the rice.

STEP 3: Measure and combine the coconut milk and water. Add it to the rice and mix well. (Ratio for rice, coconut milk and water is 1:2:2)

STEP 4: Mix well and cook till the rice turns mushy. Leave the rice cooker lid slightly open just to avoid the coconut milk from oozing out from the cooker while cooking.

TIP: Serve the thengai pal kanji to kids by sprinkling some sugar on the top. The best combination for thengai pal kanji is summa Kuzhambu (similar to the taste of a Kara Kuzhambu but without any veggies)

PREP TIME: 10 Mins

COOKING TIME: 20 Mins

Ingredients

Mustard – ½ tea spoon

Urad dal – ½ teaspoon

Fennel seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Curry leaves – 2 – sprigs

Bay leaf – 1

Cashews – 7 (broken to small pieces)

Onion – 1 finely sliced

Tomato – 2 sliced

Green Chilli – 1

Garlic – 5 pods finely sliced

Ginger – 1/4 inch piece chopped

Oil – 4 teaspoons

Salt – to taste

Chilli powder – 2 teaspoons

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Rice – 1 cup washed (I have used sona masuri rice)

Procedure

STEP 1: Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seed, wait for it to splutter, add urad dal, fennel seeds, bay leaf and curry leaves.

STEP 2: Add the sliced onion, green chilli, cashews, ginger and garlic. Cook till the onions turn golden brown.

STEP 3: Add the sliced tomato.

STEP 4: Once the tomato turns mushy add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. Cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 4: Add in the rice. Mix well. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles and turn off the heat.

TIP: Tomato rice is a perfect lunch box recipe. It can be had with chips.