Spinach & Aubergine Rice / Variety Rice / Lunch Box Recipes

Spinach Aubergine Rice is a healthy and innovative combination recipe in which aubergines were cooked in a spinach paste with the addition of garam masala and mixed with cooked rice. Addition of lemon juice is to balance the taste of spinach and aubergine and also gives a yummy flavor to the rice. It is a Perfect lunch box recipe and can be served  with raita and chips. Simple and healthy recipe for kids too....

Ingredients :

• 1 Cup Rice, Cooked
• 1 1/2 Cup Chopped Spinach leaves
• 1 Onion, Finely Chopped
• 4 Green chillies
• 5-6 Aubergines / Brinjal / Kathirikai, chopped into 4 pieces lengthwise
• 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• 3 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp Channa dal

Method :

• Cook rice and keep aside.

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add chopped spinach leaves and 2 green chillies.

• Saute for a minute and remove from the flame.

• Cool and grind into fine paste.

• Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan and add the chopped Aubergines / Brinjals.

• Fry them for couple of minutes in a medium flame and remove. keep aside.

• Now add the remaining oil to the same pan and add mustard seeds.

• Once it starts spluttering, add channa dal followed by chopped onions.

• Meanwhile, slice the remaining green chillies and add it to the pan.

• Saute for a minute and add the lightly fried aubergines followed by spinach paste.

• Add garam masala and salt. Mix well and cook  for 6-8 minutes in a medium flame or till the spinach mixture turns dry.

• Once done, add the cooked rice and mix well. 

• Simmer it for couple for minutes and switch of the flame.

• Add lemon juice and mix slowly without breaking the rice.

• Serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with Onion Raita and chips.

Notes :

• Groundnuts and cashews can also be added along with mustard seeds and channa dal.

• Adjust green chillies according to the spicy level.

Linking this recipe to "Healthy Diet Event" Hosted by Fullscoops and Priya's Versatile Recipes.

Sending this recipe to "100 Kids Lunch Box Recipe Book" Event !

Sankara Meen Kuzhambu / Red Snapper Fish Curry

Tangy and aromatic flavor of the curry along with a delicious taste of fish, when served with hot rice gives a joyous feeling for a FISH LOVER like me ;) This four letter word makes me drool any time and love it in any form of cuisine.
Generally Meen Kuzhambu is served with hot rice but it tastes more delicious and yummy when served with Hot steaming Idlis for the next day. The more the time, fish swims in the curry, the taste increases. Flavor of the Fish gets blend well with the curry and enhances the taste and aroma, when served it for the next day. 
Sankara fish has its unique taste and flavor and personally, I feel it gives delicious taste when prepared as kuzhambu than fry. Even few Restaurants started serving "Nethi Vacha meen Kuzhambu and Idli" in their menu.  

Are you a Fish Lover ?? Then get ready to Drool ;)

Ingredients :

• 1/2 Kg Sankara Fish / Red Snapper Fish, Cleaned and Washed
• 2 Big Onions, Finely chopped
• 2 Medium sized Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
• 3 Green chillies, sliced
• 8 Garlic pods, crushed
• Orange Sized Tamarind, soaked in water
• 3 Tbsp Chilli - Coriander powder / Kuzhambu Milagai powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tsp Turmeric powder
• Few curry leaves
• 3 Tbsp Gingelly oil
• 1 Tsp Methi seeds / Vendhayam
• 1 Tsp Jeera  

• 2 Tsp Vadagam can also be used instead of Methi and Jeera

Method :

• Heat oil in a mud pan or kadai and add methi seeds followed by jeera. ( Vadagam can also be added instead of Methi and Jeera).

• Add curry leaves followed by garlic pods and green chillies.

• Saute for few seconds and add the chopped onions.

• Fry till it turns translucent and add the chopped tomatoes.

• Mix well and cook till the tomatoes turns soft.

• Now add chilli- coriander powder, Turmeric powder and salt.

• Extract Tamarind juice from the soaked Tamarind and add it to the Onion - Tomato Gravy.

• Add extra water and adjust salt, if necessary.

• Close and cook for 10 minutes in a medium flame.

• Now slowly add the fish one by one and close the pan.

• Cook it for 5-6 minutes in a low flame or till the fish gets cooked and remove from the flame.

• Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve with Hot Rice.

Veggie Tart with an Indian Twist

Tart is a baked dish which is filled with sweet or savory with a open top (i.e not covered with the pastry ). Instead of the regular and traditional tart, I had prepared it with an Indian touch with the leftover chutney and masala for June month "5 Ingredient Fix Challenge". The ingredients for the last month challenge was "Flour", "Sugar", "Salt", "Butter" and "Milk" and any variety of innovative tart should be prepared. 

Here is the recipe....

Ingredients :

For Tart :

• 1 Cup / 100 gms All Purpose Flour / Maida
• 50 gms Butter, cold and chopped into cubes
• 1 Tsp Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Milk
• Water as needed

For Filling :

Mint Chutney :

• 1/2 Cup Mint / Pudina Leaves
• 1/4 Cup Coriander leaves
• 2 Green chillies
• 1/2 inch Ginger Piece
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• Water as needed

Veggie Masala :

• 2 Onions, Finely chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, Finely chopped
• 3 Potatoes, Chopped into cubes
• 1 Capsicum, chopped 
• 2 Tsp Chilli powder
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• Water as needed
• 1 Cup Cheese, grated

Method :

For Tart :

• Add flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix.

• Add cold butter and mix well with the fingers to form a crumble mixture.

• Now add milk and water little by little and knead well to form a dough.

• Cover the dough with cling foil and refrigerate for an hour.

• Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add Mint leaves followed by Coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies.

• Saute for couple of minutes in a medium flame. 

• Remove, cool and grind into fine paste by adding salt and little water.

• Once done, transfer into a small bowl and keep aside.

• Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a kadai or pan and add the chopped onions.

• Saute till it turns translucent and add the chopped tomatoes.

• Saute and cook till the tomatoes turns soft and mushy.

• Add the veggies and mix well.

• Now add chilli powder followed by Turmeric powder, Garam Masala and Salt.

• Mix well and add required water.

• Cover and cook till the veggies gets cooked in a medium flame and the veggie masala should be dry.

• Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside.

• Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator and knead well again.

• Roll the dough using rolling pin and place it in a tart tin.

• Remove the excess dough and roll it again to prepare another tart.

• Now spread Mint chutney in a tart and fill the tart cups with veggie mixture.

• Sprinkle grated cheese and bake it for 15-20 minutes at 180 degree C in a pre heated oven.

• Remove and serve hot.

Linking this recipe with  Lakshmi's "5 Ingredients Fix Challenge"

Broccoli Rice Using Maggie Noodles Masala

Broccoli is one of the healthy veggie which is high in Vitamin C and Fiber. Earlier it was a very expensive veggie and used to find only in super markets but nowadays, even small veggie shops has such type of healthy n unique veggies. Lots of delicious recipes can be prepared using Broccoli like Rice, curries, soups and parathas etc.

 Broccoli Rice is one of the easy and healthy recipe which can be prepared using leftover rice and no extra spices required for this recipe. Just a small packet of leftover maggie Noodles masala will enhance the flavor of the rice and gives unique taste. Adding lemon juice is to balance the taste and flavor. I have used maggie masala but any noodles masala can be used for this rice. Perfect Lunch box menu and can be served with Tomato sauce, chilli sauce or any Raita.

Want to make it more healthy?  Just add veggies of your choice !

Ingredients :

• 1 Cup Rice, cooked
• 15 Broccoli Florets
• 4 Garlic, crushed and finely chopped
• 1 Maggie Noodles Masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Fresh Red chillies, chopped
• Few Spring Onions, for garnishing

Method :

• Cook Rice and keep aside ( Do not cook rice very soft ) or Use leftover rice for the recipe.           

• Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped garlic.

• Saute for half a minute and add chopped fresh red chillies. ( Green chillies can also be used )

• Add Broccoli florets and saute for couple of minutes in a medium flame.

• Add Maggie Noodles Masala and Salt. Mix well.

• Cover and cook it for 4-5 minutes in a simmer flame.

• Now add the Cooked Rice or Leftover Rice and Mix well without breaking the rice.

• Close the lid and keep it for couple of minutes in a simmer flame. 

• Switch off the flame and add lemon juice.

• Mix well and adjust salt at this stage.

• Garnish with chopped Spring Onion leaves and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with Tomato Sauce, chilli sauce or Raita.

Sending this recipe to "100 Kids Lunch Box Recipe Book" Event !

Oats Veggie Kuzhipaniyaram Using Leftover Dosa/Idly Batter

Everyone must be familiar with the Health facts of Oats coz of media Advertisement related to Beta glucan and nowadays it has become one of the must buy thing in monthly grocery lists. Apart from  Porridge, Oats can be used to prepare lots of delicious recipes and personally I  use powdered Oats to substitute bread crumbs while preparing Fried goodies. And coming to Today's recipe, Oats and Potato was the two secret Ingredients given in "Shhhh Secretley Cooking Challenge" hosted by Priya Suresh from "Priya's Versatile Recipes". 
I had included Carrot and Potato in this recipe but other veggies can also be included like peas, grated cabbage etc. These yummy balls can be served with Tomato Chutney, Coconut chutney or Sambhar and it's a perfect breakfast recipe to start a day with lots of energy. This can also be served as Evening snacks for kids.

Here is the recipe....

Ingredients :

• 1/2 Cup Idly Batter / Dosa Batter
• 1 Cup Oats
• 1 Onion, Finely Chopped
• 2 Carrots, Grated
• 2 Potatoes, Grated
• 2 Green chillies, Finely Chopped
• Small piece of Ginger, Grated
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste
• Few Curry leaves
• 3 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tsp Mustrad Seeds / Kadugu
• 1 Tsp Urad dal / Uzutham parupu
• 1/2 Tsp Jeera / Cumin seeds

Method :

• Mix Oats and Idly/Dosa Batter in a bowl and keep aside for 1/2 to 1 hour.

• Add water if the consistency is too thick.

• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

• Once it starts spluttering, add Jeera followed by urad dal and curry leaves.

• Add grated ginger and saute for half a minute.

• Now add the chopped onion and saute till it turns translucent.

• Add the remaining grated veggies followed by Turmeric powder and salt.

• Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes in a simmer flame.

• Once done, remove from the flame and add it to the Oats batter.

• Mix well and add water if necessary.

• Heat Kuzhipaniyaram pan and smear oil in all holes.

• Take batter in a spoon and pour them in all holes carefully.

• Cook for 4-5 minutes in a medium flame and flip the other side using Kuzhipaniyaram stick or fork.

• Cook for another 3-4 minutes and remove from the flame.

• Repeat the process for the remaining batter.

• Serve Hot.

Serving Options : 

Serve with Coconut Chutney, Tomato Chutney or Sambhar.

Sending this recipe to "100 Kids Lunch Box Recipe Book" Event !