Broccoli Rice Dish / Vegetarian Broccoli Recipes / Broccoli Rice Recipe

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Broccoli Rice Dish / Vegetarian Broccoli Recipes / Broccoli Rice Recipe

Hi friends, today's recipe is another dish with broccoli. I have already posted a recipe of Broccoli - a basic stir fry with capsicum. Broccoli rice dish is a quick lunch box recipe which comes in handy during any busy day.
This flavoured rice is not so spicy. Its mildly flavoured with the typical Indian spices that go very well with broccoli. The addition of sweet corn makes it sweet and delicate. Overall, the broccoli rice is a neat and clear recipe with no much of preparation beforehand.

I have prepared this vegetarian broccoli rice in a pressure cooker making the task much more easier and faster. I have used the normal rice and not the basmati rice which I generally use  for flavoured rice, pulavs and biryanis. However, this broccoli sweet corn recipe is an exception. Now this rice dish is just an idea of preparing these kind of dishes, but you can always modify the recipe to suit your and your family's tastes and likes. 

You can also try other rice dishes like

Carrot Fried Rice

Coriander Coconut Pulav 

Mango Rice

Sprouted Channa Palak Rice

Amaranthus rice in coconut milk

Vaangi Bath Recipe

Methi Peas Pulav

Spinach Rice

Preparation

Chop the veggies into chunks and get them ready. Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker.

Add cumin seeds along with the spices namely dalchin ( cinnamon ), bay leaf, cloves, black pepper and cardamom. Do add the cashews also and sauté for a few seconds.

When the cashews turn light brown in colour, add sliced onions and slit green chillies.

Allow the onions to become transparent. Now put the ginger garlic paste.

Mix thoroughly and add the methi leaves.

Fry until the leaves wither. Now add the broccoli, carrot and sweet corn.

Mix well and add the diced tomatoes. Tomatoes are optional. If you wish, you can just skip them and add a little curd.

Saute for a few seconds and add the washed rice and biryani masala powder.

Add sufficient water and salt and cover with the lid.

Cook for 3-4 whistles. Serve hot with any raita of your choice. Or pack for lunch box.

Ingredients

Oil  1 tbsp 
Ghee  2 tbsp.
Bay leaf  1
Black pepper corns  13 - 15 corns ( in number )
Cloves  3
Green Cardamom  1
Cinnamon Stick  1"
Cumin seeds  1tsp
Cashews fistful
Onions 1 big
Green chillies  2
Ginger garlic paste 1 1/2 tsp
Methi Leaves  1/2 cup
Broccoli  1 cup
Sweet corn  1/2 cup
Carrot  1/2 cup
Tomatoes  1 big
Rice  1 1/2 cup
Biryani masala powder  1tsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil + ghee in a pan and add the spices along with cumin seeds and broken cashews. 
2. When the cashews are coloured, add the sliced onions and slit green chillies.
3. Add the ginger garlic paste when the onions turn translucent. Saute for a few seconds. 
4. Now add the finely chopped methi leaves. Cook until they wither. 
5. Add the broccoli, carrot and sweet corn and mix. 
6. Add the tomatoes, washed rice, biryani masala powder and salt. 
7. Add enough water and cover with lid. Cook until 3 -4 whistles.
8. Serve hot with any raita or plain curd.

Notes

• You can always increase or decrease the amount of veggies in these kind of dishes. I love to have more veggies in every bite, hence add more veggies. 
• You can use any kind of veggies like beets, paneer, beans, etc,. as per your availability. 
• Addition of mint leaves will also give a unique flavour and aroma from the dish. 
• You can skip the tomatoes and add 5 tbsp. of curd .

  

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carrot fried rice / healthy carrot recipes

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Carrot Fried Rice / Healthy Carrot Rice

Today´s dish is a very simple and routine recipe that comes in very handy during a busy schedule. Carrot rice - though it is very easy and simple to prepare, yet it is very healthy and tasty dish that can be served in no time. We all know that carrots are very good for all ages, but do we know that carrots help in reducing the risk of cancer? They are also very helpful for our skin. Carrots which are rich in Vitamin A protects our skin from harmful sun rays. It also helps prevents wrinkles on our skin and keeps us young with an even skin tone. Carrots are also said to help in the growth of the hair. So friends, do not take carrots for granted. Always have them in plenty and keep yourself refreshed.

I always include carrots wherever possible. I have carrots in all the rice varieties possible like palak rice and in curries as well. I have included carrots in curries like mixed veg curry. Carrots are always present in my upmas as well. Whenever carrots are available at cheaper prices, I bring them in big quantities to make carrot kheer, carrot halwa, carrot cake, etc..,.This carrot rice is also such a dish that was prepared when I had loads of carrots waiting for me in the fridge.

I liked the flavour of this carrot rice which is very unique and flavourful with the mild spices that are added to this dish. Not too spicy nor too mild, perfect with the crunchiness of the capsicum and cashews. I especially love the colour of the dish - a lovely saffron colour with hints of green. Umm..lovely!

Preparation

Cook rice until fluffy and allow it to cool. Keep aside. You can also use any leftover rice to prepare this yummy dish. Grate the carrots and keep aside. Add oil and ghee in a pan.

When the oil is hot enough, add mustard and cumin seeds.

When they crackle, add broken cashew pieces. You can also add whole cashews, but I like small pieces of cashews in each bite. 

When the cashews turn light brown in colour, add onion and green chillies.

Sauté until the onions turn pink in colour. Now put in the ginger paste. I did not include garlic with ginger. But if you like the flavour of garlic, then you can add garlic as well. Cook until the raw smell of ginger vanishes.

Put in the grated carrots along with turmeric and salt.

Mix well and cook covered for 3-4 minutes. Now add black pepper powder and Garam masala powder.

Mix well. Throw in the chopped capsicum pieces.

Mix it well and sauté till the capsicum pieces are cooked but still retain their crunchiness. Now add the cooked cooled rice and gently mix the rice. Take care not to mash the rice. Mix very carefully. 

Check for salt and spice and switch off the flame. Serve hot with any raita or dal tadka or dal makhani. I have served with dal tadka and it perfectly went off for my man´s lunch box.

Ingredients

Grated Carrots  4 cups

Onion  1 small

Ghee  2 tsp

Oil  1 tbsp

Mustard seeds  1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds  1 tsp

Cashews  2 tbsp. ( or more as per your liking )

Green chilies  2

Ginger paste  2 tsp

Turmeric powder  1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Black pepper powder  1 tsp

Garam masala powder  1/2 tsp

Capsicum  1 

Rice  1 1/2 cups

Method

1. Cook rice and allow to cool. Grate carrots and set aside.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
3. Do the tempering with mustard and cumin seeds.
4. When they splutter, add cashews.
5. Once they turn golden in colour, add onion and green chillies.
6. When the onions turn pink, add ginger paste.
7. After 2 minutes, add grated carrots, turmeric and salt. 
8. Cook covered for 3-4 minutes. 
9. Add black pepper powder and Garam masala powder.
10. After sautéing for 2 minutes, add capsicum. 
11. Once the capsicum is cooked ( retaining its crunchiness ), add the cooked rice and mix well.
12. Check for seasoning and switch off the flame. 
13. Serve with raita or any dal variety.

Notes

• You can also include grated beetroots.
• Basmathi rice can be used for the preparation of this healthy carrot fried rice. 
• You can add eggs also to make it more flavourful and tasty. 
• Addition of Garam masala powder gives a unique flavour which is neither too strong not too light. 
• Cashews go very well with this carrot rice, so do not skip on them. 

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pulihora making / pulihora recipe

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Pulihora rice / Tiger Rice

For the first day of Navrathri I have posted carrot kheer which tastes heavenly. For the second day of this Navrathri I am posting the most popular and famous yet simple dish of South India - Pulihora. Pulihora also known as tamarind rice in English is a must for any festival in South India especially in the Telugu states of Andhra and Telangana. Almost every household prepares this pulihora for any auspicious or festive occasions.

In my childhood days, my friends used to call this rice as tiger rice. Because puli means tiger in Telugu, hence the name. It indeed sounds very funny. My kids call it yellow rice. They always give names to the dishes with the colours they associate with. For example, they call palak rice as green rice, coriander rice as light green rice, beetroot rice as red rice, carrot rice as orange rice, etc.,.

This tamarind rice is very simple and easy to prepare. Cook rice, do a little tempering and mix. That is it. Your dish is ready in minutes. The most important and crucial part of preparing this dish is the tempering. If the tempering is good, then only the dish will be perfect. You will not even ask for a side dish if the tempering is done well.  Pulihora is also one of the best lunch box idea recipes.

There are various versions of preparing pulihora. The version that I am presenting today is the most simple and easiest recipe. There are no masalas or spices that are added to this dish except that of ginger and garlic paste. There are other versions where you can add methi powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, etc.,. I will be discussing those recipes in another post. There is also a different version of preparing the temple style pulihora which I will be posting soon. But for today, I am finishing off with the most simplest version of preparing the yellow rice.

Preparation

Cook rice in a pressure cooker. Once the pressure is off, transfer the rice into a wide plate and allow to cool. Add 2 tsp of oil and gently mix without mashing the rice.

Extract juice from tamarind pulp and keep aside. Take a pan and add oil in it.

Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and methi seeds.

When the mustard seeds splutter, add peanuts and roast for 1 minute.

Now add the split urad dal. I have used to urad dal with the skin on it. You can use the normal ones which doesn’t have any skin on it. You can also add channa dal and moong dal as per your preference.

When the peanuts change to a light brown colour, add red chillies.

Fry for a minute and add hing and curry leaves.

Sauté for a minute and put the green chillies.

Give a nice mix and add the ginger garlic paste.

Mix well and put the turmeric powder.

Sauté for a minute and add tamarind juice and sugar. Also add salt and mix well.

Bring it to a boil. Cook until you see oil floating on the top.

At this stage, switch off the flame and pour it on the cooled rice.

Mix gently taking care not to mash or break the rice. If by any chance, lumps are formed in rice, mix with your hand breaking the lumps gently. 

Check for seasoning. If the sourness is not sufficient for you, you can add the juice of lemon. Else cook some more tamarind juice and add to the rice. Adjust salt and spice as per your taste and transfer to a serving bowl. This is served to God as Naivedhyam and can be enjoyed with family and friends. 

  

Ingredients

Rice 2 cups

Oil 3 tbsp.

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp

Peanuts fistful

Split urad dal 1/2 tsp

Red chillies 3

Hing 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves few sprigs

Green chillies 4-5

Ginger garlic paste 2 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Tamarind  Juice extracted from the size of 2 lemons 

Salt to taste

Sugar 1 tsp

Method

1. Extract juice from tamarind and keep aside. 
2. Cook rice and transfer to a wide plate to cool.
3. Take oil in a pan for tempering. 
4. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. 
5. Once they splutter, add peanuts and urad dal. Any kind of lentils can be added according to your desire. 
6. When the peanuts change colour, add red chillies and hing.
7. Sauté for a minute and add curry leaves. 
8. Cook for a minute and add green chillies. 
9. Mix well and add ginger garlic paste. 
10. Saute for 2 minutes and add turmeric powder. 
11. Mix well and finally pour the tamarind juice with salt and sugar. 
12. Cook until you see oil floating on the top ( uncovered ). 
13. When you see oil floating, switch off the flame. 
14. Pour this tempering on the cooled rice.
15. Mix gently without breaking or mashing the rice. 
16. Adjust salt, spice and sourness and take it into a serving bowl.
17. Serve hot with plain curd, raita or any masaledaar curry.

Notes

• Tempering should be done very well for the best taste of pulihora.
• Any kind or all kinds of lentils can be added according to your likes or availability. 
• Adding sugar will enhance the taste of the pulihora cutting out on the sourness of the tamarind. 
• Salt, spice and sourness should be perfect for the dish, else you will have to compromise on the taste.
• Other versions of pulihora will be discussed very soon. Watch this space for more.

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coriander coconut pulao / pulao recipe

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Coconut Coriander Pulav

I love pulavs - let it be of any version. They taste awesome with all the flavours of masalas bursting out along with the goodness of all the veggies included in the rice. These kinds of pulavs or flavoured rice are very nice for our tummy especially during the monsoon or winter days when we want to have all spice in our foods. These spices like black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and garlic actually

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Lemon rice / Nimmakaya annam

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Lemon Rice / Nimmakaya Annam

There will be many mornings when we feel very lazy and unenergetic. But still, we have to get up and prepare lunch for our kids who go to school or for our husbands who have to rush for their offices. Today´s recipe is an idea to overcome such situations. Lemon rice - this is a very common, popular and very simple dish to prepare. The ingredients used are also easily available in our pantry or kitchen. Though it is very easy to prepare,

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Mango rice / Raw mango rice

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Mango Rice / How to make raw mango rice

Mangoes are available in abundance in the summer season. There are different varieties of mangoes in the market - some of which are very sour, some which are less sour and some which have a sweetish sour taste. My daughter, Pari, loves to eat the sweetish sour kind of mangoes. Just slice them and sprinkle some

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Sprouted Channa Palak Rice / Molakala Chanagala Annam

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Sprouted Channa Palak Rice / Molakala Chanagala Annam

I had some sprouted channa lying in my fridge waiting for me to cook them. I initially thought of preparing curry and I had just began that I

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Amaranthus Rice Cooked in coconut milk / Kobbari Palu Tho Thotakura Annam

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Amaranthus Rice Cooked in coconut milk / Kobbari Palu Tho Thotakura Annam / Thotakura Pulao / Amaranthus Pulav with Coconut Milk

 After cooking a bunch of amaranthus leaves in dal, I had another bunch of amaranthus leaves left in my fridge. I initially thought of preparing the

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