Mexican Rice

Mexican Rice

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

From Firangi Tadka

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Rice

Key Ingredients:

Full of flavour and spicy enjoy this rice preparation to the fullest

Ingredients

Rice (preferably Basmati), soaked 1 cup
Vegetable stock 1½ cups
Oil 2 tbsps
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 6 to 7
Onions, sliced 1 cup
Dried red chillies 3
Carrots, grated 1½ cups
Medium green or red capsicum, cut into square pieces 1
Medium tomato, cut into square pieces 1
Mexican seasoning 1½ tsps
Mexican seasoning - grind together
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli flakes 2 tsps
Oregano 1 tsp

Methods

Heat oil in a big non-stick pan, add garlic and onions and saute for 2-3 minutes on high heat.
Add dried red chillies and rice and saute on high heat.
Add Mexican seasoning and salt and mix well. Pour 1 cup vegetable stock, mix, cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or till half done.
Add carrot, red capsicum and tomato and mix gently so that the rice grains do not break. Add remaining stock, mix, cover and cook further for 3 minutes or till fully done.
Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot.

Schezwan Fried Rice

Schezwan Fried Rice

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Rice

Key Ingredients:

Basmati rice
Dried red chillies

Spicy and flavourful, this rice preparation is to die for

Ingredients

Basmati rice, cooked 2 cups
Dried red chillies, soaked in hot water 15
White vinegar (sirka) 7 tbsps
Sugar 2 tsps
Garlic, finely chopped 2 tbsps
Oil 3 tbsps
Celery stalk, finely chopped 2 inches
Carrot, cut into thin strips 1 cup
Cabbage, shredded 1 cup
Green capsicum, finely chopped 1 cup
Bean sprouts 1 cup
Salt to taste
Sesame (til) oil 2 tsps

Methods

To make Schezwan paste, put dried chillies, 6 tbsps vinegar, sugar and garlic in a mixer jar and grind to a fine paste. Transfer it into a bowl.
Heat 3 tbsps of oil in a non-stick wok, add celery, carrot, cabbage and green capsicum, mix and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add ground paste, mix and then add rice. Mix well and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes on high heat.
Add bean sprouts, salt, remaining vinegar and sesame oil and mix well.
Transfer into a serving platter and serve hot

Coconut Spiced Burmese Style Rice

Coconut Spiced Burmese Style Rice

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Rice

Key Ingredients:

Fresh coconut
Rice
Sambhar powder

Next time there is leftover rice, do make this dish – it is absolutely fabulous

Ingredients

Rice, cooked 2 cups
Fresh coconut, scraped ½ cup
Oil 2 tbsps
Onions, finely chopped 1 cup
Curry powder / sambhar powder ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Cinnamon powder ½ tsp
Clove powder ½ tsp
Bay leaf 1
Salt to taste

Methods

Heat oil in a non-stick wok, add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat, add curry powder, turmeric powder, cinnamon powder, clove powder, bay leaf, salt and coconut and mix well. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add rice, mix well and cook till the rice gets heated through.
Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot.

Pineapple Rice

Pineapple Rice

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Rice

Key Ingredients:

Rice
Tinned pineapple

This delicious rice preparation has the predominant flavour of pineapple

Ingredients

Rice, cooked 1 cup
Tinned pineapple, cut into small pieces 1 cup
Oil 2 tbsps
Galangal, cut into thin slices 1 inch
Fresh red chillies, finely chopped 2
Star anise (phoolchakri) 4
Mace (javitri) 4 strands
Brown sugar 2 tsps
Salt 1 tsp

Methods

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add galangal, red chilies, star anise, mace and pineapple and toss well.
Add brown sugar and mix till the pineapple pieces are well coated and turn brown in colour.
Add salt and rice and mix gently. Cook for 2 minutes or till the rice gets heated through.
Transfer into serving bowl and serve hot.

Zii Pulao

Zii Pulao

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 1 hour

Cook: 20 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Rice

Key Ingredients:

Basmati rice
Fresh coriander leaves
Fresh parsley
Fresh dill

This pulao is bursting with flavour, it’s green and it’s nutritious too

Ingredients

Basmati rice, soaked for 1 hour 1 cup
Oil 1 tsp
Butter 2 tbsps
Spring onions, finely chopped ½ cup
Fresh parsley, finely chopped ½ cup
Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped ½ cup
Fresh dill (suva / shepu), finely chopped 1 cup

Methods

Heat oil and butter in a non-stick pan. Drain rice and add to pan. Add salt and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Boil 1½ cups water in a separate non-stick pan and add to the rice, mix, cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Add spring onions, parsley, coriander leaves and dill and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer onto a serving platter and serve hot.

Vegetable Claypot Rice

Vegetable Claypot Rice

By Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chinu)

By Firangi Tadka

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Rice

Key Ingredients:

Kolam or Basmati rice
French beans
Carrot
Green capsicum

An excellent one pot dish – make this when you are feeling too lazy to cook a 3 course meal

Ingredients

Kolam / Basmati rice, cooked 2 cups
Sesame / vegetable oil 3 tbsps
Garlic cloves, finely chopped 3
Ginger, finely sliced 1 tbsp
Spring onions, finely chopped 2
French beans, cut into fine diagonal slices 4 to 5
Medium green capsicum, cut into square pieces 1
Medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin long slices 1
Soy sauce 2 tbsps
Salt 1 tsp
Cashewnuts, roasted lightly ½ cup

Methods

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a non-stick wok, add garlic, ginger and spring onions and saute for 1 minute.
Add beans, capsicum, and carrot and cook on high heat for 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups water, 1 tbsp soy sauce and salt, mix and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add rice and mix well. Add cashewnuts, 1 tbsp soy sauce and the remaining oil.
Transfer into a serving clay dish and serve hot.