Bisebalebath

This is an all vegetarian meal. It is one pot wonder comfort food with family & fills in all the vegetable servings you missed during a week. Served with yogurt & potato chips.DYK - you can hide as much as half a cauliflower in this recipe. with 3/4 cup of rice, it can still serve 4-5 people.

Ingredients 

2 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper and/or 1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped beans
1/2 cauliflower chopped

1/2 cup of cooked garbonzo beans or raw peanuts

4 garlic cloves
2-3 tomates

3/4 cup rice
1/2 cup toor Dal

3 cups  water

salt to taste

0.5 - 1 tsp chilli powder
1- 2 tsp coriander powder
0.5 - 1 tsp garam masala powder

Preparation

1. In a pot or pressure cooker add the oil, when hot add onions followed by vegetables. 

2. When translucent add the chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala followed by  water, tomato and allow to boil. 

3. If using a rice cooker, this is when you transfer the mix to the rice cooker. And add rice and dal to the boiling water. If you are using an American pressure cooker, wait for 8 minutes after the steam is build. If you are using an Indian pressure cooker, 4 whistles wud do it.

4. when done, add chopped coriander leaves to garnish.
The final consistency shud be like a oatmeal porridge. so if you want always add water at the end and allow a boil.

You can almost add all the vegetables here. I have added and the recipe works well with red radish, opo squash, egg plant, zuchinni, beets and potatoes.

Easy Chicken Briyani

This is a you-can-never-go-wrong easy chicken briyani. It is one pot wonder for me and best to entertain the company or for weekend special with family. Served with Raita or chicken curry.

The traditional recipe does not ask for bell peppers, but I add them to include vegetables in our daily meal. I also maintain colors to different briyanis based on the meat, chicken is orangish color. so I use saffron or bit of red food color.

I go with a thumb rule of 4 thai chillis for 1/2 cup rice. This gives a 7/10 spicy. so increase or decrease the chillis based on your palate. 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp kasuri methi (optional)

1 bay leaf

1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1.5 tbsp yogurt

6-12 thai chilli

4-5 cloves, 1 anistar, 1 chip cinnamon, 2-3 cardamon (if you are missing 1 or 2 here, you are still fine)

2 shallots

1 tbsp butter 

2 tbsp cooking oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper and/or 1/2 green bell pepper (optional)

5-6 chicken thighs skinless (boned or boneless)

1 tomato

1.5 cup rice

3 cups  water

salt to taste

saffron (optional)

Nuts & raisins (optional)

Preparation

1. clean the chicken, drain, dice if boneless, add salt, ginger garlic paste & yogurt. Set aside

2. in a food processor chop the thai chilli, shallots & (4-5 cloves, 1 anistar, 1 chip cinnamon, 2-3 cardamon). keep aside

3. In a pot or pressure cooker add the butter & oil, kasuri methi, bay leaves, nuts, raisins followed by onions & bell pepper strips. Then add the processed thai chilli mixture . when the mixture is translucent add the chicken mixture. 

4. The mixture leaves out water from the yogurt & chicken. heat and wait for the water to evaporate & the oil to separate. Now add water, tomato, saffron allow to boil. 

5. If using a rice cooker, this is when you transfer the mix to the rice cooker. And add rice to the boiling water. If you are using an American pressure cooker, wait for 3 minutes after the steam is build. If you are using an Indian pressure cooker, 1 whistle is more than enough.

6. when done, add chopped coriander leaves to garnish & lemon juice to finish it.

Maple Oatmeal-Whole Wheat Muffins

I make atleast one muffin per week, this way we stay clear from the store bakeries & I am happy that I know what is in there & It does not have white flour but wheat & not the shortening but the cooking oil or butter I know from the brand I prefer. Never a fan of icing (calorie conscious) so lesser the calories here. Now to the recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 egg

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

1 cup fine ground wheat
1 cup quick cooking oats - run couple of minutes in food processor
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Cream together apple sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, egg, milk and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
3. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture just long enough to incorporate.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
5. in the oven at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes