Vegetable Brinji(Tamilnadu special)

Description:

Brinji, a special kind of rice dish which is very popular in TamilNadu,  made during weddings and special occasions.  Basically its a mixed vegetable pulao kind of dish…. where rice is cooked in thick coconut milk base with loads of veggies and  flavoured with special spices.
Brinji Bath / Mixed Vegetable Binji / Birinji / Brinji Rice / Brinji Biryani / Coconut Flavoured Rice / Pulav

Ingredients -1
5 nos	Bay leaves (small)
5 nos	Cardamom
6 nos	Cloves
3″ inch	Cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp	Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp	Cumin seeds
10 nos	Curry leaves
6 nos	Cashewnuts
2 tbsp	Ghee
2 tbsp	Oil

Ingredients- 2
2 nos	Onion (thinly sliced)
6 nos	Green Chili (small, slit open)
6 cloves	Garlic crushed
2inch	Ginger crished
1/4 cup	Fresh mint leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup	Fresh Coriander leaves (chopped)
1 no	Carrot (cubed)
1/4 cup	Green beans (chopped)
1 tbsp	Green peas
1/4 cup	Optional additionla veggies to addCauliflower/ Potato / Fresh Lima beans
2 tbps	Coriander leaves (chopped for garnish)
2 tsp	Salt (or to taste)
2 cups	Basmati Rice
2 cups	Thick Coconut Milk (grind 1/4 coconut)
2 cups	Water

Instruction:

Assemble all the fresh veggies, chop them and keep ready.  Typically carrot, beans, peas, potato and cauliflower are used for this recipe, with special added additions like fried bread pieces or soy chunks. The whole dish is spiced with just green chilies, absolutely no chili, dhania or turmeric powder in this recipe. Wash basmati rice and soak for 10 minutes.
Grate about 1/4 of fresh coconut and grind with water. Get the milk out by straining and discard the fiber.

Heat ghee and oil in  a pressure cooker pan, temper with all the spices from table-1 , starting with cashews and then followed by curry leaves, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for few seconds.
Then add the green chilies, mint leaves and corainder leaves. Let them become crispy. Now add the sliced onions, garlic and ginger followed by all the veggies. Let them fry for 2 minutes.

Now add soaked and drained rice to the spices and saute for few seconds. Add salt, water and coconut milk and stir everything together.  Check for salt, add if necessary to adjust your taste. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles and switch off.  You can also use the same recipe for making it in a rice cooker.  When the pressure release, slowly open the lid and garnish with coriander leaves and drizzle some ghee if you wish.

Do not stir while its still hot, transfer the cooked content to a wide pan or tray and let it cool a bit and then mix gently. serve hot with creamy vegetable kurma and onion raita.  This is how its usually served, i like mine with either paneer masala or butter chicken.

Notes:

Yield: 3-4 adult servings.
This dish taste really good with fresh coconut milk but if you cannot find then substitute with coconut powder or store bought coconut milk.
If you wish slightly grainy rice then fry the rice in little ghee before adding. For mushy texture add 1/2 cup extra water while cooking.

Veg biriyani

Description

A simple recipe to make mixed vegetable biryani. (Mixed vegetable Briyani /Vegetable Briyani)

Ingredients
1 cup	Assorted veggies (diced)
2 nos	Onion (finely chopped)
2 nos	Tomato (finely chopped or crushed)
2 tsp	Ginger garlic crushed
2 nos	Green chilli
1 tsp	Dry mint leaves
4 stks	Coriander leaves (finely chopped)
2 nos	Bay leaf
2 nos	Cloves
2 no	Cinnamon stick (small)
2 nos	Cardamon
½ tsp	Cumin seeds
½ tsp	Fennel seeds
¼ tsp	Turmeric powder
½ tsp	Red chilli powder
2 tsp	Coriander /dhania powder
1 tsp	Salt (or to taste)
6 tsp	Oil
2 cup	Basmati rice
3 tsp	Ghee
3½ cup	Water
½ cup	Curd / yogurt

Instructions

Take a wide sauce pan, heat oil or ghee (or take half of each), add all dry spices bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamon, cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Toast them for a while, the add slit green chillies, dry mint leaves and finely chopped coriander leaves. Fry them until they turn crisp. Now add chopped onions, fry till golden, followed by crushed ginger garlic. Saute for couple of minutes, then add chopped tomatoes along with turmeric, chilli powder and coriander/dhania powder. Let the tomatoes cook till soft and then add the veggies along with salt.  Wash and add basmati rice at this stage.
1. If using a pressure cooker, just add 1/2 cup curd and 3 1/2 cup water to the gravy and cook for up to 2 whistles. Wait for the pressure to release then add a tsp of ghee(optional) and garnish with coriander leaves and mix carefully without breaking the rice.
2. If using a rice cooker, just add 1/2 cup curd and 3 1/2 cup water to the gravy and let it cook. When done sprinkle coriander and little ghee for taste which is again optional, mix carefully and serve.

Notes

Assorted veggies  You can use carrots, beans, green peas and potatoes, These are quite friendly and  does not stick much.
Basmati rice can be washed, drained and slightly toasted with little ghee seems to avoid the rice sticking to one another. This is optional, you can just wash and add directly to the gravy. Some Basmati rice needs to be soaked and some don’t.
The above recipe is made with Swad Basmati rice, which needs to be soaked for 10 minutes.
Any kind of mint leaves can be used, the above dish is made with dry leaves, which has very strong flavor, so using.. just a tsp goes a long way. If using fresh leaves use about 5 to 6 stalks.