Yum! Yum! Yum!

When ever there is left over rice, Pulihora (Lemon Rice) happens with out any second thought at our home as it is our family's favorite. Sometimes i get bored and usually try  variety rice recipes, today I have tried this Hydrabadi Bagara Rice that goes well with Chicken Fry or Stuffed Brinjal (Gutti Vankaya) recipe. The recipe is so simple and you can convert left over rice to exotic rice dish.  Here is the recipe, Njoy!

Ingredients:

Cooked White Rice - 2 cups

Oil - 1 Tbsp

Ghee - 1 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 10

Onion - 1/2 (sliced vertically)

Green Chili - 2

Cilantro - 1/4 cup

Salt - 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder  - 1 tsp

Cashew Nuts - 6 (whole)

Method:

1. Heat kadai on the stove, add Oil, once it is hot, add cumin seeds followed by mustard seeds and curry leaves. 
2. Once curry leaves start spluttering, add sliced green chili and onions. Saute until onion becomes translucent. 
3. Add Red Chili Powder and infuse the oil with spices. Add cashew nuts and mix with spices. 
4. Add cooked white rice to the Kadai and mix well with onion and spices. stir-fry on high flame. 
5. Add salt now to the rice and mix well. taste and adjust the salt and seasoning. Add chopped cilantro to the rice. Finally top with 1 tbsp Ghee and mix well. 
6. Bagara Rice is ready, transfer to serving bowl and serve hot immediately with gravy dish.

Quick Mexican Rice
Coriander / Cilantro Rice
Chicken Masala Rice

This year (2022) I have started trying new fish varieties on our recent Florida Trip. I always have desire to try many sea food recipes, as they are considered lean meat and rich in omega 3 fatty acids which is rear to get in any veggies. But i can't deal with being to Fish Market to buy fish, as it sounds very Fishy to me. So mostly my easy avenue is Tilapia Filets either i get from Sprouts or Costco. Recently during my visit to Farm2Cook store, I was surprised to see many fish varieties that are neatly packed and organized. They have King Fish, Red Snapper, Pomfret, Tilapia etc, at last found a store where i don't have to deal with any fishiness in buying Fish. With that note, I will be bringing many Fish Recipes this year, so stay tuned, for today I am settling with this King Fish, it is called Vanjaram in Telugu. This recipe takes less than 30 minute from prep to cook to serve. Why late, make it today and impress your family, here is the recipe, Enjoy!

Ingredients:

King Fish - 2 Filet ( 1/2 kg)

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Onion, Cilantro, Lime Slices - for garnish

For Masala

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1 Tbsp

Peppercorns (whole) - 2 tsp

Pink Salt - 1 Tbsp (adjust to your needs, if you eat less salt)

Red Chili Powder - 1 Tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 2 tsp

Kashmiri Chili Powder - 2 tsp (this gives nice color)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbsp

Lime - 1/2

Preparation:

• First grind Fenugreek, Fennel, Peppercorns in small mixie jar until it becomes coarse powder. Then add Salt, Turmeric, Red Chili Powder and grind again into fine powder. Add Kashmiri Chili powder, Ginger Garlic Paste, 1/2 Lime Juice and grind again until it becomes thick paste and set aside. Marinade Masala is ready.
• Wash Fish filets gently under lukewarm water. Apply this paste on both sides of filets, cover with lid and marinate for 15 min.
• Cut Red Onion, 1/2 Lime in circles and chop cilantro for Garnish. 

Method:

1. Heat wide heavy saute pan on the stove. Add 2 Tbsp oil to it. 
2. Once the oil is hot, add marinated fish filet gently and cook them on medium for 5 min. 
3. Add cilantro on top, turn them over and cook for 5 min on other side. And again repeat this step one more time until the filets are cooked on all sides. You will notice it becomes soft and flaky. If you want charred effect, roast on high for 2 min. (that's what I did)
4. Transfer each filet carefully to serving plate and decorate with onion/lime garnish and serve immediately as an appetizer.
5. Or you can break the pieces gently and saute them again in the pan for 5 min, until all sides of pieces get charred effect and transfer to a plate and serve with white rice. 

Notes:

• Kashmiri Red Chili Powder adds nice color. If you already have bright red chili powder, then you can skip this in masala.
• Making this masala fresh is the secret of the success for this recipe. I suggest always make this masala fresh when you are making this recipe. It is very easy and quick to make. No need to roast the spices for this masala.
• This might be little spicy for kids, serve with Ghee Rice for kids. Grown-ups at our home thoroughly enjoyed the spicy version as it is as an Appetizer. 

                                

This Orange Beet Ginger Juice a simple yet very refreshing juice that you can make in the morning. The color is beautiful and it tastes so yum!

Today I have tried a new version of Potato Uttaapam ( Savory Pancakes) that are perfect for LunchBox or for evening snacks. It takes only around 15 min to make these and made with minimalistic and simple ingredients. My kids and I loved these in Breakfast, LunchBox and as evening snack. One recipe fits in all the meals, here is the recipe, Njoy!

Potato Uttapam ~ Savory Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

Potato - 2 ( medium, i have used Russet)

Onion - 1/2 medium

Egg - 2

Green Chili - 1 optional

Cilantro - 2 Tbsp ( chopped)

Salt - 1 tsp

Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Taco Seasoning - 1 tsp

Crushed Red Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Pam Oil - for spraying the griddle

*yields - 4 servings

Method:

1. Peel and grate Potato (in small grate setting), Peel and grate Onion (in large grate setting), mix both in a medium bowl and set aside for 2 min. You see water gets oozed out from both veggies, drain the water that comes out ( don't do any squeezing, we need the left over moisture to reside in the veggies that helps to make the batter). 
2. In a medium bowl beat 2 eggs, and add all the spices and seasonings listed in ingredients (Salt, Black Pepper, Taco Seasoning, Red Pepper Flakes, Red Chili powder if using), add potato & onion grate, add chopped green chili and cilantro, mix every thing well, it turns out into batter consistency (no need to add any extra water)
3. Heat the pan on stove or electric griddle, spray with PAM oil, once the griddle is hot, add spoonfuls of batter in the small pancake size, spray with PAM again, cook these pancakes on both sides for 1 to 2 min until both sides are cooked evenly. Repeat until batter is done, it yields about 12 to 15 small to medium size pancakes.

Transfer to plate and serve as it is for Breakfast as it is savory,, or serve in Lunch Box as a side or serve as evening snack for kids retuned from school. 

In HER Lunchbox!

in HIS Lunchbox!

Checkout other related recipes:

Eggless Potato Pancakes

Instant Breakfast Recipes

LunchBox Recipes

Potato Recipes

Will be back with another easy recipe for Lunchbox, 

Stay safe and Happy until we meet here again

-Mythreyi

Recently we had a 7 day road trip to Colorado, where i have planned all the food options, menu planning so that we can eat healthy through out the trip and be able to do the activities as planned. This food planning was super hit, all the families (including, kids, grown-ups, picky eaters) enjoyed the food and menu options through the road trip. Mostly we have planned to Breakfast and Dinner to be home made and grabbed quick lunches (sandwiches or subs or salads) on the way. 

We have packed few Indian Spices, Oil and stuff, bought some breads/cakes from Costco. Bought Few Kids Snacks and single serving cereal at Walmart. Bought Eggs, Ground Chicken, Milk at the rental houses. We carried one ice chest, where we have kept some freezer items or left overs in the ice chest during the drive. That enabled us to have less food wastage. We have packed few cooking gadgets that are essential for Indian Cooking, like Pressure Cooker and IP etc. 

8 Day Meal Planning:

Here is the list of options that we bought and packed:

Here are the Daily Breakfast and Dinner Options we cooked during the trip:

Day 1 - Dinner:

We ate Breakfast and lunch at home and started driving by Noon. Packed Lemon Rice, Few Curries and Roti (ready made from Patel Brothers)

Croissants, Bagels, Cream Cheese, Coffee, Mango, Guava, Apple fruit cut-up

Rice, Dal, Pickles, Ghee, Curd, Mango - Yum and Full! :-)

Hot Oatmeal, Cereal + Milk, Pound Cake, Berries, Oranges, Apples, Guava

Noodles, Roti with Scrambled Eggs, Rice + Curd + Mango

Bread + Color Pepper Omelets, Banana, Strawberry

Rice, Chicken Keema Curry, Potato Fry, Curd, Mango

Avocado Toast, Strawberries, Cutie Orange Slices

Veg Pulao, Raita, Keema Curry, White Rice, Mango

Enjoyed cooking and eating Pulao at Cozy Cabin with Mountain Views.

Oatmeal with Dry Fruit + Nuts

Packed Nuts, Fruits and Fun Snacks for On the Go Breakfast for family.

Cheese Pizza, Veggie Lovers Pizza, Pasta and Mango

Tomato Rava Upma, Kaaram Podi, Lemon Pulihora, Strawberries, Blue Berries

White Rice, Mixed Veg Stir-Fry, Potato Tomato Curry, Left overs

Oatmeal, Avocado Toast, Apples, Cutie Oranges

Panner Tikka, Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Chicken

their Naans are pretty good. Chili Naan is spicy and special one here.

Hope this will be helpful and handy for you, when you are in need to pack food for travel or cook on road trip. 

Keep Smiling and Spread the Joy until we meet here again!

-Mythreyi