I’m hardly a great cook, but I make pretty good steamed rice. Which is why it always amazes me when friends who actually are wonderful cooks, are wary of cooking rice, resort to rice cookers or generally bemoan their steamed rice lot. I’m wary or trying to create the perfect rule-book on it here. I mean what if next time I loose my powers or fail completely!? So, since lots of my recipes say casually, ‘serve with hot steamed rice’, I found some pretty interesting links, – try these ….

How much water to rice? Use the tried-but-true Chinese method: Put rice in pot and add enough water to come up the first joint of your index finger, with the fingertip resting on the top of the rice. Otherwise, as a general guide:…. more

… So here it is: the simple oil-free way to get nice, fragrant, separate rice that’s perfectly cooked. (more…)

I had this yesterday at a friend’s place and it was worth taking the recipe of. Wholesome Kafuli comes from the Garhwal hill people of Uttaranchal in Northern India. It makes for a good side or a filling meal over rice.
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KAFULI Serves 6
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Ingredients

2 bunches Spinach
1/2 bunch Fenugreek leaves (methi)
5 Green chilies
1 tbsp Rice powder
2 tbsp Yoghurt
1 inch piece Ginger
5 cloves Garlic
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
1 pinch Asafetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil (preferably mustard)
Water

PREPARATION
Tear, don’t chot, the washed spinach and fenugreek leaves under running water. Set in a large bowl to boil in water with a teaspoon of salt till tender.

Chop the green chilies fine and add them to the boiling vegetables.

When cooked mash it with a spoon in the the utensil it has been cooked in. The result should be a coarse puree. Don’t use a blender, – that would make it too smooth.

Meanwhile finely pound ginger and garlic. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add garlic and ginger. When the garlic and ginger are browned, add the cumin seeds and Asafetida.

Add them to the spinach – fenugreek puree. Add the turmeric powder, dry coriander powder and more salt if required.

Add another cup of water to the mixture, add the rice powder to thicken it and bring to boil.

Cover and cook for on a slow flame till the gravy is thick, – about 10 minutes. You can add another cup of water if it seems to get too thick or too dry.

Turn off the flame, add the yoghurt, stir.

Garnish with a teaspoon of pure ghee and serve hot with roti or steamed rice.

More spinach recipes

Kande Poha (beaten rice with onion) is a speciality of Maharashtra. It’s eaten as breakfast, a snack or as a full meal, and the test of a good cook is whether the other women approve of her Kande Poha. Is it too dry, too moist, does it have too much onion or too much potato, – you can tell by the twitch of their noses.

I don’t recall the poha at Shree Datta having potatoes, but all the people I checked with swore by it. So since I don’t have that chef’s secret recipe, try this. I love potatoes anyway.

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KANDE POHA Beaten Rice with Onions Serves 6
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INGREDIENTS
6 cups poha (beaten rice)
1 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
2 green chillies slit lengthwise
3 onion, chopped fine
2 medium potatoes, cubed small
Handful of unsalted peanuts (skins removed)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 lime, juiced
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped coriander to garnish
2 tbsps oil

PREPARATION
Put the potatoes to boil with one teaspoon of salt.

Put the poha in a sieve and wash under running water. Transfer to a bowl and fill with enough water to just cover the poha and set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame and add the mustard seeds, and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves and green chillies.

When the spluttering stops add the onion. Fry till soft and translucent.

Add the peanuts and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Drain the potatoes thoroughly and add. Cook for 5 minutes.

Drain the poha completely to remove all water and add it to the above mix. Add the turmeric powder and stir well to blend all ingredients.

Cook for 5-7 minutes. Turn off the fire. Pour lime juice over the poha and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

A great favourite with almost any hot Indian snack, use as dip for crudités, or spread in cucumber and tomato sandwiches.

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GREEN CORIANDER CHUTNEY
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INGREDIENTS
1 cup coriander, chopped fine
5 green chilies, chopped fine
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon, juiced
Salth to taste

PREPARATION

Grind together all the ingredients till they form a smooth paste.

Serve with almost any hot Indian snack, use as dip for crudités, or spread in cucumber and tomato sandwiches. Enjoy.

Try more dips