Anniversary – A Year of Blogging !

First of all, a big thanks to all my fellow bloggers who take the time to read and comment on my posts here. Thanks you all for also having showered with awards, for sending recipes for events and friendships !!!
I certainly can’t believe, its been a year now, having started the food blogging. Lot of reasons why  I started blogging and one of them certainly was to record the ingredients of the recipes. Even though I’ve been cooking since school days, I can’t cook the same dish twice, the very reason why I had to write down the amounts of ingredient that goes into a dish. So this blog is a record of my experiments in the kitchen to create the regular healthy dishes and to share with you all readers !!

SE

Mexican Cilantro Lemon Rice

Rice cooked with cilantro and lemon !

If you happen to travel a lot, at which place/food joint do you find your closest comfort food? For me, I sure head out to the chipotle’s for a bowl of vegetarian burrito..love the rice and beans, the closest it can get to my comfort food. While working up in MA, I had to change train/bus on my way to MD, and so religiously I made sure to get a pack of the rice and beans from nearest chipotle.
So here’s what was for lunch, a zesty, lemony cilantro rice with beans. The recipe is just for the rice and one can combine this with different beans curry. For a moment you’ll not realize that its a Mexican recipe, its almost like an Indian meal !

Ingredients:
1 full cup rice
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 small green chili, chopped
1/2 lemon juice & zest
1/2 cup cilantro
salt to taste

Preparation Method:
1. Soak the rice in a enough water for 5 – 7 minutes. Then drain the water.
2. Heat oil in a deep vessel, add the green chili, onions and sauté till translucent.
3. Add the rice and lemon zest and stir for few minutes. Add lemon juice and 2 1/2 cups of water.
4. Add salt and cilantro and let it cook.
5. When done, garnish with some more cilantro and lemon juice and give a stir. Serve with beans

Preparation Time: 20 mins
Serves: 2 - - 4

Ambadi/Gongura Bhaji – Red Sorrel Leaves Side Dish

Recipe: Cooked red sorrel leaves tempered with garlic and peanut powder !

Here, I am back after more than a month, having missed a lot of your posts. I am waiting to see lot of yummy recipes which have been posted. I’ve got a 10 day break before I start by fall semester, so hopefully I make best use of my free time now.
I had prepared this curry/sabzi a while ago, finally it gets its due by getting it published. This Ambadi/Gongura also know as Red Sorrel Leaves is one of the famous and my favorite leafy vegetables. The leaves are tangy and mildly acidic,although has a lot of medicinal properties. It helps cool the body and is also used in reducing fever, an ideal greens during summers to take off that extra body heat. There are lot of other health benefits which you can read here.
There are lot of recipes using these ambadi/gongura leaves, and this one is my favorite cooked in combination with little rice and coarse peanut powder.

Ingredients:
Boil:
1 large bunch of ambadi/gongura leaves
1/4 cup raw rice
3 –4 green chilies or according to taste
Tempering
2 –3 tbsp oil
5-6 big garlic cloves – minced
1/4 cup peanut power (coarsely ground)
pinch of asafetida
salt to taste

Preparation Method:
1. Rinse the sorted the leaves. Add these leaves and rice in a vessel with boiling water. Let it simmer for 10 –12 minutes. Once the rice get cooked, drain. Collect the water if you like to use it in a curry or rasam/soup.
2. Heat oil in a vessel. Add the minced garlic and saute.
3. Add asafetida and peanut powder and roast for few seconds.
4. Add the cooked drained ingredients and mash. Add salt and turmeric. Cook for few minutes and then turn off heat.
5. Garnish with a 1/2 tsp of oil and chili powder
6. Serve with bhakri/chapati or bread.

Preparation time: 10 –12 mins boiling
5 – 6 mins preparation

Serves: 2 - 4