What is Mexican Rice? As such traditional Mexican Cuisine didn’t feature rice on their menu. Corn was the staple at that time till the Spanish Colonizers introduced rice in Mexico around the 1520s. It was prepared in a similar way to the Spanish Rice but instead of saffron, cumin and red chili were used. Thus the main difference in the rice is the colour, while Spanish rice is yellow, Mexican rice is orange reddish. These days Mexican rice is served as a side dish with tacos, enchiladas, quesadilla, chili con carne, as stuffing for burritos, with soups,etc. Main ingredients for a Mexican rice are onion, garlic and tomatoes. This rice dish that I have prepared is more from the Tex-Mex Cuisine. Popularly known as red…
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Continue ReadingRecipe: Lemon Rice Lemon rice or Chitranna as it is known in Kannada, is the easiest but yummiest rice dish. With spices and lemon, this spicy tangy rice is best enjoyed with some some rice papad. Makes an excellent lunchbox or travel food option as it tastes equally good whether hot or cold. The other good thing about this rice dish it that you can use leftover plain rice. Refreshingly Lemony The first appealing thing about lemon rice is the lovely fresh yellow colour and secondly it definitely the lemony taste. Eat it alone, hot or cold, have it with sambhar or yogurt it tastes yum. A good way to create a new dish with leftover rice. Simple ingredients make it tasty. Memories The first…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH RECIPE: THEPLA – GUJARATI FLATBREAD Thepla – Gujarati Flatbread is a popular savoury, delicious flatbread that is enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or even as a part of a main meal. Mention thepla to anyone and the first few words they will utter is ‘Gujjus love their theplas.” And yes we do! Thepla is a versatile food item for Gujaratis. Take it for picnics, carry with you as travel food, pack it in lunch boxes or make it to enjoy with some curry instead of normal roti, naan or paratha. Leftover thepla taste equally good even when they are cold. We love them so much that I also make Farali Theplato have during fasting days. These gluten free version…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: ONE POT WONDERS RECIPE: MUJADDARA – LENTIL & RICE PILAF What is Mujaddara? Mujaddara is an inexpensive, gluten free, vegan, healthy, flavorful and filling main dish. The main flavour of this rice dish comes from the caramelized onions. It is usually served with a salad and some yogurt, hummus or tahini sauce. Mujaddara is a lentil and rice preparation or dish that is usually enjoyed as a main meal. Mujaddara in Arabic means “pockmarked” as the pilaf resembles pockmarks. Without meat, it’s considered as a poor man’s meal. Meat was added to the pilaf only during celebrations. Mujaddara is a popular dish all over the Middle East. However, there are variations depending on the area or region. The variations can range…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #277 ONE POT WONDER RECIPE: VANGI BATH/EGGPLANT RICE What is Vangi Bath/Eggplant Rice? Vangi Bath/Eggplant Rice is a tasty, filling and easy to make rice dish which is very popular in both the cuisines of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The difference comes from the spice mixture added to the rice dish. Vangi is the Kannada and Maharashtrian word for Eggplant (aubergine or brinjal) and bath is rice. There are many variations of recipes, some add cooked rice to the stir fried eggplant, while some cook is together. I prefer to make it as a one pot meal, adding raw rice to the stir fried eggplants and allowing both to cook together. Vangi Bath/Eggplant Rice – Maharashtrian Style Making Vangi Rice has…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #252 CHANA TIME DISH: KABULI CHANA BIRYANI/CHICKPEA BIRYANI Kabuli Chana Biryani or Chickpea Biryani is a vegetarian biryani that is deliciously spicy, aromatic, flavourful and perfect as a meal on a lazy Sunday. Serve it with a side of raita and a salad. How did I decide to use Kabuli Chana? Finally, the local ISKCON temple (Mombasa) opens up its restaurant for takeaway only, after having been closed for 2 months because of the Covid 19 pandemic. Last Saturday, my neighbor placed an order with the temple restaurant for Sunday Lunch and I jumped for joy as I’m fed up with daily cooking. It was a much-required rest from the kitchen for a while at least.For hubby and me he ordered…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #240 COOKING WITH RICE Rice Storage in Olden Days Long ago, the time of my great grandparents and grandparents, rice was stored in huge earthen pots (that could easily fit a man in it) for the whole year. Back then rice was a seasonal crop and there were no facilities to vacuum pack them or store them in plastic bags. The huge pot would have a hole just about 4-5 inches above the bottom part which would be closed off with a scrunched up cloth. Whenever, rice was required, the cloth was removed only a bit for the rice to pour out. My aunts, at both the paternal and maternal villages would store the rice in a smaller tin or dabba so…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: MIZO CUISINE The Seven Sister States have been a challenge where the cuisine is concerned. All these states depend on locally grown vegetables, fruits and herbs. So far we cooked from the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and now its Mizoram. Still got two more to go Nagaland and Tripura. The states we have covered so far tend to use quite a bit of meat for their everyday meals. Mizoram is no exception. Mizo Vawksa made from pork, Misa Mach Poora, made from shrimps, Paanch Phoron Torkari is a veg and non veg dish, Bai a dish whereby pork and veggies are mixed, Swahchiar a rice dish cooked with meat, fish or chicken. Koat pitha is popular in…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: MEGHALAYA CUISINE Megha means clouds and thus this North Eastern State is known as the ‘Abode of the Clouds’. True to its name, its receives plenty of rainfall. The state comprises of Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills. Majority of the population are Christians. The neighbors are Assam to the north and Bangladesh to the south. The Nohkalikai falls near Cherrapunji is the highest plunge waterfall in India, 1115 feet. Till 1972 Meghalaya was a part of Assam. The hills have many caves which fast is making Meghalaya a famous destination for cave exploration activities. Meghalaya has many living bridges, roots that are old span waterbodies to form suspension like bridges. Coming to the cuisine of Meghalaya, the staple diet consists…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY THEME: MANIPURI CUISINE Search for Manipuri on the internet and you’re going to learn about some herbs and vegetables that are not commonly found in the market. The reason being that Manipuri cuisine depends largely on the seasonal ingredients. Have you heard about jelly ears, water spinach, roselle leaves, bitter beans to name a few? I hadn’t known that they existed till I was reading up on Manipuri Cuisine. Use of hot chillis is common as opposed to garam masala in the Manipuri cuisine. Manipur is known as the Jewelled Land because of its natural beauty. The numerous hills and peaks means that one has to consume food that provides strength and agility. Staple diet consists of rice, vegetables and fish.…
