Corn n Capsicum Pulao

This is a hand me down recipe from my sister and I find it as a great option for comfort food days..it's even a great substitute for the painstaking task of preparing a veg biryani.I happened to make this today after a long time and when I opened the cooker I was transported back to sweet home memories before my sister left for University and the one-odd days that she would get into her full cooking mood. And after eating her food and my husband's, I am of the confirmed opinion that people who cook rarely make the most delicious food :) well now my sister is an expert in her own right and ends up teaching me a thing or two ..
Once you read the recipe you might notice that I have used a lot of chilli (3 types actually) but that's because this pulao tastes great spicy and hot..you can tone down as per your taste preference. 

Ingredients

1 cup rice,washed and saoked for 15 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bayleaf
1 teaspoon jeera
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon chopped green chilli
1 onion,chopped finely
1 large tomato , chopped finely
1 cup sweet corn
1 capsicum, chopped
1/2 teaspoon haldi powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon jeera powder
2 tabelspoons pav bhaji masala
1 1/2 cups water
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander, to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the bayleaf and jeera and cook till spluttering.
2. Add the garlic and green chillies and fry for a few seconds.
3. Add the onion and cook till soft.
4. Add the tomato and cook till dry.
5. Add all the masalas and salt , fry for a minute.
6. Add in the corn and the capsicum and cook for another minute.
7. Add the rice and the water . Cover the lid and put the cooker on high flame. After one whistle, let it sim for 5-6 minutes.
8. Turn off the gas and open the cooker only after the steam has been released
9. Serve hot garnished with corainder..I added a dollop of butter for some extra love :))

Brinjal Crisps

This one is on special request from a dear friend in the Army who has asked if I could post some recipes keeping the vegetables he gets in the ration :)) My dad was in the Navy and just reading the word 'ration' brought back so many memories..the fixed days for ration,sometimes standing in the queue with my dad,sorting the stuff,my mom wondering what to do with so much cheese and butter,the maid's joy on getting all the extra ration..sigh! if only time can be rewound to enjoy some simple pleasures a wee bit longer..
Well so on his list was baingan a.k.a brinjal/aubergine/eggplant and I find it has so many names as it lends so easily to so many cuisines..this recipe works great as a side dish with a boring dal chawal or even as a chatpata starter . I used the big baingan varitey , the kind used for bharta and I feel the mustard oil does lend it a different flavour so try not to substitute it ...it's a great oil for the winters anyway :)

Ingredients

1 brinjal, cut into thin slices

2 tablespoons mustard oil
Pinch of heeng
1 teaspoon ajwain seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (white khus khus)
1 tablespoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon haldi powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon amchoor powder
2 tablespoons besan (gramflour)
Salt

1. Sprinkle a little salt on the brinjal slices, spread on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes.
2. In a broad pan, heat the oil. When it is smoking hot ,add the heeng and the ajwain and poppy seeds. When crackling add all the powders and fry for a few seconds. Then add the besan and let the mixture roast on a slow flame for a 2-3 minutes.
3. Add little salt (as the brinjal slices were already salted) and toss in the brinjal. You can sprinkle a few drops of water if the paste has stuck to the pan and let it coat the brinjal slices.
4. Leave to crisp for 4-5 minutes .
5. Serve hot with coriander leaves.