Leftover Delight--Rich and Creamy No-Cook Rice Pudding

Tea time gossips sometimes end up being very constructive. Few days back, I was having some chit-chat over some tea and snacks with my cousin from India  who was visiting us and she mentioned the Anniversary celebration of one of our close relative back in India. The menu and the food was totally awesome and the most worth mentioning was the dessert. It turned out that the dessert was a super easy no cook Rice Pudding which was the showstopper. My cousin did not have the recipe with her but vaguely told me what could have been the ingredients and since then it was stuck in my mind. Today when I saw that big bowl of leftover rice from lunch, I immediately got into action and prepared this delightfully easy pudding purely based on my instincts. I haven't tasted the one which was served at that party but I am sure, it would have been as yummy as this.

                                         

Ingredients

2 cups leftover cooked rice

100 ml cream 

300 ml evaporated milk (if you do not have access to this, you can just boil 600 ml full cream milk and reduce it to half)

100 ml condensed milk (or as per taste)

1 tsp vanila essence

Fistful of raisins and cashews each

Direction

Evaporated milk is readily available here and so my pudding is a purely no cook version. However, I am including a stove top version too for those who do not have evaporated milk available in their nearby supermarkets.

No Cook Version

Whiz the cooked rice in your food processor until smooth. Now add the evaporated milk, cream, vanila essence, and condensed milk and pulse further until mixed well and reaches a smoothie texture. Fold in the raisins with a spatula. The mixture should be thick and grainy, with no traces of individual rice grains. It should be of drop consistency and not pouring. Transfer the pudding to a serving dish and garnish with chopped cashews. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Stove top Version

Boil 600 ml full cream milk and add the condensed milk. Reduce the flame and keep stirring at regular interval till the mixture reduces to half. Now add the cream and stir for 5-10 minutes more and remove from heat. Let it cool. Now add the pureed rice to this cooled milk and mix well. Fold in the essence and raisins. Garnish with chopped cashews and refrigerate until served.

            

                                       

Fish Biryani

Biryani in itself is a scrumptious and feasty meal, considering the  amount of effort and spices that go into its making. Serve it with some freshly whipped raita and you have some happy faces around, be it family or friends. While the most popular among biryanis are the chicken, mutton, and vegetable variants, there are some lesser known siblings such as this Fish Biryani. Some people find the smell and taste of fish a little offensive and owing to that this form of biryani hasn't got its due. However, for fish lovers this is an ultimate change from those regular curries and grills. The spicing is moderate and the procedure simple, which makes this dish even more amazing. The best part of this dish is that it gives you the liberty to cook it with any kind of fish that you have and still taste equally awesome. Deboning the fish is preferable so as to enjoy an uninterupted meal but that is left totally upon your preferance. I made this dish for a guest who does not eat chicken and I am glad that he doesn't as otherwise I would not have been able to experiment and share the results with you all. Lastly, I would like to thank Fauzia of Fauzia's Kitchen for this amazing recipe. 

                                     

Ingredients

3 cups long grain fragrant basmati rice (good fragrance will balance the smell of sea fish, if using, which some people find offensive)

Whole spices for using during the initial cooking of the rice (you can use whatever spices you have at hand like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, mace, etc.)

About 5 cups of warm water for cooking the rice 

Few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp cold milk

Finely chopped coriander and mint leaves

Deep fried onions (about 2 small onions crispy fried)

1-2 tbsp ghee as per preference (optional but recommended)

For the fish masala

600 gms boneless fish cut into 2 inch cubes (boneless is preferred though not mandatory; you can use any fish as said earlier; I used a beautiful white snapper fillet)

3 medium onions thinly sliced

2 tomatoes finely chopped

3-4 tbsp tomato puree (I prefer store bought which lends a better color)

1 big tbsp ginger garlic paste

2-3 tbsp coriander finely chopped

1/2 cup yogurt whipped

1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2-3 green chillies chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder, non spicy

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste

Oil as needed

Marination

1 tsp red chilli powder

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 cloves garlic minced

Direction

In a bowl, mix all ingredients listed under marination and add the fish cubes. Coat the fish evenly with the marinade. Cover and keep aside for a minimum of 1-2 hours and upto overnight.

Meanwhile, wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Then bring the water to a boil and add the soaked and drained rice, whole spices, and a bit of salt (I skipped) and cook till the rice is just 3/4th done. I cooked the rice in my electric cooker. 

Now heat oil in a pan and fry the fish cubes little at a time just until slightly golden on high flame. They need not be properly cooked at this point but just firm enough to hold their shape in the biryani. Discard the marinade. Keep the fried fish cubes aside until further use.

In the same pan, add some more oil if required and heat. Now add the sliced onions and fry till golden. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till soft and mushy. You can cover and cook to expedite the process. Now add the puree and the spices and fry till oil starts appearing on the sides. Add the nicely whipped yogurt and continue frying till the water is absorbed and a thick gravy with oil coming out from the sides is formed. Now add the fried fish cubes and gently stir taking care not to break the fish. Check for seasoning and adjust. Add the coriander leaves and mix. Remove from heat.

                              

Time for the final step. There are two ways of doing it. You can either do it on stove top or in the oven.

For stove top, take a deep bottomed non stick vessel (preferably) and apply a generous amount of oil or ghee at the bottom. One step further, you can also line the bottom with a layer of sliced potatoes. Now arrange one layer of the rice evenly followed by the fish masala reserving just about 4-5 tbsps for the top. Now sprinkle the finely chopped mint and coriander and some fried onions. Drizzle a little ghee. Top it up with the leftover rice and followed up with the left over fish masala in the center. If any rice is still left you can sprinkle on top of the fish masala. Garnish it some more fried onions, the soaked saffron, and mint and coriander and another tbsp of ghee. Cover the lid tightly and place the vessel on a tawa or griddle and cook on slow flame for 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can arrange the layers as mentioned above in a oven proof dish and cook covered with aluminium foil at 180 degree celsius for 10-15 minutes. Make sure your oven is pre heated. You can also get the layers arranged and keep it ready and cook the final stage just 30-45 minutes prior to serving to enjoy steaming hot biryani. Serve it with some cucumber raita and enjoy!

                                

                               

 

Bengal Special Mishti Pulao (Bengali Sweet Rice)- No Onion No Garlic

As the days of no onion no garlic are nearing to a completion, I am trying to prepare and present some favourite dishes of my in-laws and go the final extra mile to keep them happy and satisfied. Today's recipe is a hot favorite with most Bengalis, especially the old school and also my grandma-in-law's most favorite dish of the whole of Bengali Cuisine. I did not know this until she sat down to eat and I was really glad it turned out exactly the way she likes it. This Pulao is a little on the sweeter side and to balance the sweetness, Bong's usually serve it with some spicy Mutton or Chicken curry. Since it is pure vegetarian in my household these days, I served it with some spicy tangy Allahabadi Aaloo Dum. The potato curry goes best with Indian bread but tasted equally good with the rice as well. All in all an effort well paid for!

Ingredients

2 cups gobindobhog rice (or any fragrant small grained rice)

1/2 cup combination of cashews and raisins

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Few strands of saffron soaked in 1 tbsp milk (optional)

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt or as per taste

2 each of cloves, cinammon, cardamom, and bay leaf

2-3 tbsp ghee (I know it is a lot but the taste of this dish lies in this. You can substitute half with oil though)

Direction

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Just before beginning the cooking process, drain the water and keep the rice in a colander.

Heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashews and raisins until fragrant. Remove from pan and keep aside. Now in the same pan add any more ghee if required and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Now add the rice, turmeric powder, saffron if using, salt, sugar, and fried cashews and raisins and continue frying on a medium to low heat until the rice is transparent. Now add water in 2:1 (water:rice) proportion and stir and close the lid tightly and let it cook till done, forking in between for even cooking. Alternatively, transfer the contents to a electric rice cooker and cook till done.

                                            

Kashmiri Rajma with Saffron Rice-- No Onion No Garlic

It has been a whirlwind of cooking and sightseeing in my household for the past two weeks with my in-laws visiting us and more importantly my husband's Grandmum. My husband was hardly around during their stay and so the entire responsibility of the household starting from groceries to sightseeing lay with me.  While it was fun at times with my baby especially enjoying the increased attention, it was quite taxing and stressful at others. Nevertheless, now it's hardly a week before they leave and so I am all geared up to make their stay memorable, food wise. 

Today's recipe is a wonderful combination from the valleys of Kashmir with keeping the no onion no garlic restriction intact. Kashmiri Pundits mostly do their cooking sans onion and garlic and yet churn out superbly yummy dishes which leave a lingering taste on your palate. So go ahead and surprise yourself and your family with this yummy delight!

                                        Aa

Ingredients

For the Rajma

1 1/2 cup rajma or red kidney beans, soaked overnight or at least for 6-7 hours

2 bay leaves

3 big tomatoes or 4 small, eyes removed and made into a puree in the blender

2 big tbsp coriander leaves

1 tbsp ginger grated

1 tsp red chilli powder

4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida or heeng

7-8 green cardamoms (skin removed), 5-6 cloves, 2-3 small pieces cinammon all ground to a fine powder. (Alternatively, you can also use 1 tbsp good quality garam masala)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

For the Saffron Rice

2 1/2 cups long grain basmati rice

2-3 generous pinch saffron

2 tbsp cold/warm milk (I used cold milk)

2 each of cloves, cinnamon, and cardamoms

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

4 cups warm water (be sure to use the same measurement as you used to measure the rice)

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil (ghee gives it a taste lift)

Salt to taste

Optionally, you can use paneer cubes lightly sautéed (I did not have at hand)

Direction

For the Rajma

Wash the soaked rajma thoroughly and pressure cook with fresh water and the bay leaf until done. Keep aside and let it cool. 

In a pan, heat the oil and crackle the cumin seeds. Now lower the heat and add the heeng and grated ginger. Fry for 1-2 minutes and add the puree. Continue frying until the raw smell of the tomatoes disappear. Now add the chilli powder and coriander powder. Mix thoroughly and stir till oil starts coming out from the sides. Now with a slotted spoon, take out about 1/2 cup boiled rajma and mash it in a bowl. Add this to the gravy and stir well. Now add the remaining rajma reserving the liquid. Mix all the spices and the rajma well. Add the fresh coriander and the reserved liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the gravy to your desired consistency. Now add the ground garam masala and stir. Remove from heat and serve hot with the yummy Saffron Rice.

                                          

For the Saffron Rice

Wash and soak the rice for about 1/2 an hour. Thereafter, drain the water and keep the rice in a colander. Soak the saffron in the milk for about an hour and crush the strands a bit in order to infuse maximum color and flavor.

In a tight lid pan, heat the ghee and splutter the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Add the turmeric powder and the drained rice and stir for a min till the turmeric raw smell disappears. Now add the saffron milk, paneer pieces (if using), salt, and water. Close the lid tightly and cook on a medium flame until the rice is cooked. Fork the rice in between to ensure uniform cooking.

Alternatively, you can transfer the entire contents onto an electric rice cooker and cook till done. Enjoy with the yummy Rajma or curry of your choice. 

                                        

Leftover Delight--Rice Bread

Leftover rice is not a very wonderful sight when you open the fridge. While there are a few options when it comes to recycling the rice, but fried rice or tikkis do not always appeal the palate. So here is one interesting option which I am sure none of you have tried before. Its a bread made with leftover rice. The texture is same as regular white bread with a bit of stickiness due to the rice. The stickiness enhances the taste and softness of the bread and tastes best when lightly toasted. Have it with your favorite chicken or veg burger patty and enjoy this wonderful bread!

                                    

Ingredients

1 cup bread flour (all purpose flour can also be used)

1 cup leftover cooked rice (room temperature or cold)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp flaxseed or sunflower seed (optional)

1 1/4 tsp instant active dry yeast

100 ml warm water

Sesame seeds for sprinkling

2 tbsp milk for brushing

Little butter for brushing

Direction

In a bowl, mix the warm water and sugar and dissolve the yeast. Let it stand for 10 minutes until foamy. 

Now, mix the flour, rice, flaxseed, and salt. Now slowly add the yeast mixture and start getting the dough together. Halfway through, add 1 tbsp oil and continue kneading until a smooth dough is formed. 

Lightly oil the dough and cover with a clingwrap and keep in a warm place to rise until doubled, about an hour. 

                                        

Now grease a loaf tin and keep it ready. Take out the dough and gently punch it down 3-4 times to release the air. Now make a rectangular shape and put it in the greased loaf tin, stretching and spreading it evenly on all corners. Return it to the warm place for the second proofing, about 45 mins to an hour. 

                                       

Meanwhile, pre heat the oven at 200 degree celsius for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds generously on the top and gently press it down. Now brush some milk on top for the glaze and bake in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes until the top is golden and sounds hollow when tapped. 

Remove from oven and brush the top with butter. Cool on a wire rack.

                                        

Leftover Delight III- Crispy Rice Cakes

Leftover rice is an issue in every kitchen. Especially among Hindus, rice is considered as Goddess Lakshmi and to let it go waste is unacceptable. However, to make the exact quantity of rice for the family is something which even our seniors cannot achieve at times. The result is a bowl of rice most commonly found in the refrigerator, sometimes a day old or sometimes a week. When in India, I used to use the leftover rice to feed the birds. However, I am not left with that option anymore in Singapore. So while surfing on the net for some interesting bake recipes, I chanced upon this recipe which was so simple and can be given numerous interesting variations. 

Ingredients

2 cups leftover rice, at least a day old

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 inch piece ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp flour

2 tsp cornflour

1 egg (vegetarians can omit this)

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves, chopped

1+1 tbsp olive oil

Direction

In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add the onions, ginger, and garlic and fry till golden brown. Add the rice and stir till there are no lumps and the oil has coated the rice properly. Add the dry spices and salt and fry for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

In a bowl, beat the egg and add the flour, cornflour, and mix well till no lumps are formed. Add the rice and mix well. The mixture will be lumpy. With the back of the spoon, mash the rice a bit, if not completely. Add the coriander leaves and mix. In a pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil and put spoonfuls of the batter into the pan. Flatten with the back of the spoon like a cake and fry till golden brown on both sides. Drain excess oil on paper towels and serve hot with your favorite chutney or ketchup. 

                                       

                                       

This recipe is my entry to Cooking with Seeds (CWS) event - Rice

http://priyaeasyntastyrecipes.blogspot.co.uk/p/cws-host-lineup.html