Pongal savoury

      We are very fond of South Indian cuisine and often I try out various recipes and make some changes according to my requirements and enjoy this very lovely cuisine.So this week it was pongal time and not knowing how my family would enjoy it, I teamed it with kohlrabi sambhar.And it was a hit ! So one more variety on our plate.  :)
Ingredients
Rice                                               1 cup
yellow moong dal                          1/2 cup
Ghee                                              2 tbsp
Bay leaf                                         1 no
Pepper corns                                 6-7 nos
cashewnuts broken                        6-8 nos
chopped ginger                              1 tbsp
cumin seeds                                   1/2 tsp
haldi powder                                  1/2 tsp
Hing                                               1/4 tsp
Curry leaves a few
Salt to taste.
Method
Put dal in a pan and roast till golden brown.
Wash the rice and dal together.
Put about 4.5 cups of water in a pot, add rice and dal,salt and tumeric and cook till the whole mixture is soft but not mashy.There would be a lovely aroma to it by then.
Heat ghee in a pan, add hing, all the spices,cumin and cashewnuts.Saute till golden.
Add the ginger and curry leaves and saute.
Pour it on the pongal , mix and serve hot with ghee if you like.

Broccoli and cheese rice casserole

     I had been thinking of making a good one pot rice dish which had strong flavors. After a lot of lazing around,today I decided to make one with 2 broccolis staring at my face.My son'd birthday gave me one good incentive to be innovative and make a dish JUST for him. He loved it and I has thrilled. So here I share it on my blog.
Ingredients
Boiled rice                                     2 cups
Broccoli cut into chunks                1 no
Sliced onions                                1 no
Chopped garlic                             2 tbsp
crushed red chillies                       1/2 tsp
Chopped olives                            1/2 bowl
Prepared white sauce                    400 ml
Italian herbs                                  1 tsp
Pepper powder                             1/4 tsp
olive oil                                        1 tbsp
Grated cheese                              100 gms
salt to taste                          
Method
Heat oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and saute.
Add the onions and saute further till translucent.Put in the crushed chillies.
Put in the broccoli and salt and cook for 3-4 mins.Leave them crunchy.
Add the spices and pepper powder.
Put in the white sauce and mix well.
Put in the rice now.Make sure the rice is not overcooked, should be a bit underdone.
Mix well and spread in a buttered dish.
Cover it all with generous helping of grated cheese.
Bake in a hot oven at 200 deg till the cheese turns golden.Serve hot with a good summer salad.