5 exciting rice recipes that will leave you drooling

Nothing can be more fulfilling and enjoyable than a delicious serving of a wholesome rice dish. Kusumlata Dantu and Swarna Kovvali bring you some of their choicest rice recipes.

PULAGAM PACHI PULUSU

This is a favourite combination of rice recipes savoured especially for breakfast in the traditional Andhra Pradesh cuisine.

PULAGAM

INGREDIENTS

3 cups rice
1 ½ cup moong dal
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Wash rice and dal thoroughly and add 6 cups of water.
2. Add salt and turmeric powder.
3. Mix it well and pressure cook up to 3 whistles (or in a rice cooker) till it is done.

PACHI PULUSU

INGREDIENTS

A big lemon-sized tamarind (extract juice using boiled water)
4 tbsp sesame–dry roast with dry red chilli and powder it
3-4 green chillies (finely chopped)
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
¼ tsp turmeric powder
3-4 tsp sugar/jaggery
Salt to taste
FOR TEMPERING
4-5 fenugreek seeds
½ tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
2tsp oil

METHOD

1. Take a bowl and place all the ingredients in it.
2. Mix all the ingredients well until the sugar dissolves (boiling is not required).
3. Heat oil in a wok and add fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, and mustard seeds.
4. Once the mustard seeds begin to splutter, switch off the flame and add the seasoning to the previously prepared mixture.
5. Serve delicious Pulagam with melted ghee and Pachi pulusu.

ALOO BATH

An easy and convenient way of relishing our favourite vegetable, this is a spicy rice dish consisting of some authentic Indian flavours.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice (wash and keep it aside)
2 large potatoes (cut into cubes)
1 large onion (thinly sliced)
4 slit green chillies
1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2-3 cloves
1 tsp red chilli powder (as per taste)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp each of oil and ghee

METHOD

1. Heat oil and ghee in a pressure pan and fry all the dry spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves).
2. Add the sliced onions and green chillies. Saute for a few minutes and add the ginger and garlic paste.
3. Fry until the raw smell goes away and add the potatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
4. Add rice and two cups of water. Mix well.
5. Adjust salt as per taste and heat until it begins boiling.
6. Close the lid of the pan and let it cook on a low flame until the rice gets done.
7. Serve the mouthwatering rice dish along with an onion raita.

BISI BELE BATH

Famed for its spicy and authentic flavours, this is one of the popular rice recipes from the kitchens of Karnataka.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice and ½ cup toovar dal (wash and cook upto 3 whistles and keep it aside)
1 tsp turmeric powder
Small lemon sized tamarind (extract the juice with boiled water)
3 tbsp Bisi bele bath powder
Salt to taste

VEGETABLES

½ cup green peas
A cup each of:
Carrot (cut into cubes)
Potatoes (cut into cubes)
Bottle gourd (cut into cubes)
French beans
Cabbage (cut into pieces)
Drumstick (cut into pieces)
Tomato (cut into pieces)

FOR TEMPERING

2 tbsp ghee
10 -15 cashew nuts
2 sprigs curry leaves
¼ tsp pepper corns
3-4 green slit chilies

METHOD

1. Cook all the vegetables (except tomatoes) with turmeric powder and salt in two cups of water for 1 whistle. Let it cool.
2. Mix the vegetables with cooked dal rice, add tomatoes and tamarind extract.
3. Cook on medium heat, and stir occasionally to avoid burning.
4. Add water to attain an ideal consistency and cook until the mixtures begins to boil.
5. Reduce the heat and add the Bisi bele bath powder and mix well. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
6. Heat ghee in a wok, add cashew nuts and fry till they turn golden brown. Add pepper corns, curry leaves and slit green chillies to the seasoning and saute for 2 minutes.
7. Add the seasoning to the Bisi bele bath and mix well.
8. Serve the piping hot Bisi bele bath and relish it with banana chips or boondi.

TOMATO RICE

One of the easy-to-make delicious rice recipes, this is a popular serving prepared in many South-Indian households.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rice (wash and keep it aside)
2 medium-sized tomatoes (cut into pieces)
1 medium-sized onion (thinly sliced)
4-5 slit green chillies
4-5 garlic cloves
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp Sambar powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil

FOR TEMPERING

½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp urad dal
½ tsp chana dal
A handful of peanuts

METHOD

1. Add oil in a pressure pan and add the tempering ingredients.
2. Once the dal turns golden brown, add the garlic cloves, chopped onions and green chillies.
3. Saute well for a few minutes and add the tomato pieces. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sambar powder and mix well.
4. Add 2 cups of water and adjust salt as per taste.
5. Once the mixture starts boiling, add the washed rice and mix well.
6. Close the lid of the pan and cook on low heat until the rice gets done.
7. Serve the spicy and tangy tomato rice with potato chips.

VANGI BATH

A Karnataka rice dish, which is made with brinjals as the main ingredient, is a favourite across age groups.

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp oil
¾ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp urad dal
½ tsp chana dal
1 dried red chilli
Few curry leaves
1 green chilli slit lengthwise
15-20 pieces of brinjal (Cut into 1 inch pieces)
3 tsp groundnuts
¼-½ cup tamarind extract
2 tbsp vangi bath powder
Small piece of jaggery
Salt to taste
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 bowl cooked rice
Few coriander leaves finely chopped

METHOD

1. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a large wok and add the tempering ingredients. Allow them to splutter and add green chilli in the end.
3. Add chopped brinjal and groundnuts. Fry them till they shrink in size.
4. Now add tamarind juice to the cooked brinjal.
5. Add 2 tsp of vangi bath masala, jaggery, salt and turmeric powder. Let it cook until the tamarind water evaporates.
6. Add cooked rice to the wok and gently mix it with the masala.
7. Sprinkle a few coriander leaves and serve the dish with raita.