VEGETARIAN RICE DISHES FOR LENT

SOME VEGETARIAN RICE DISHES FOR THOSE FRIDAYS IN LENT AND OTHER TIMES AS WELL
Some easy recipes for one pot rice dishes which could be eaten for lunch with a vegetable side dish or just a salad and some pickle
All these recipes are featured in my Cookery Book VEGETARIAN DELICACIES
1. A SIMPLE MIXED VEGETABLE PALAO
Serves 6 Time Required: 45 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice or any other raw rice
3 onions sliced finely,
1 cup ground coconut / coconut paste
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
½ cup oil or ghee
2 green chilies chopped
2 teaspoons chillie powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder / all spice powder
2 cups assorted vegetables such as carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower etc cut into medium size bits
2 tablespoons chopped mint
Salt to taste
Heat oil in a suitable pan or vessel and fry the onions till brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the chopped vegetables, mint, chillie powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and salt and stir-fry for a few minutes.
Add the coconut and fry till the oil separates from the mixture.
Add 4 cups of water and bring to boil.
Add the rice and mix well.
Cook on medium heat till the rice is cooked and each grain is separate.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

2. MASOOR DHAL PALAO (RED LENTIL PALAO)
Serves 6 Time Required: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 cups raw rice wash and keep aside
½ cup masoor dhal (Red Lentils) wash and keep aside
3 cardamoms, 3 cloves, 2 pieces cinnamon, 1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
2 teaspoons chillie powder
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons oil or ghee
2 tomatoes chopped finely
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 tablespoons mint leaves
3 boiled eggs shelled
Heat oil in a suitable pan or vessel and fry the whole spices and Bay leaves for 2 minutes.
Add the ginger garlic paste, chopped tomato and chillie powder and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the washed raw rice and dhal and stir-fry for a few minutes.
Now add the coriander leaves, mint, salt and 4 cups of water and cook till done.
Garnish with the boiled eggs on top
Serve with curds or any curry and pickle.

3. PEAS PALAO
Serves 6 Time Required: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice or any raw rice - wash and keep aside
½ cup green peas,
3 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 onion sliced finely
2 tomatoes chopped
2 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 2 pieces cinnamon, 2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder / spice powder,
4 green chillies slit lengthwise
½ cup coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Heat oil or ghee in a vessel and fry the spices, bay leaves and onions till golden brown.
Add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies, garam masala powder, cumin powder and cook till the tomatoes turn to pulp.
Add the rice, green peas, salt and chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
Add 4 cups of water and cook on medium heat till the rice is cooked and all the water dries up.
Serve with salad and any curry.

4. TOMATO PALAO
Serves 6 Time Required: 1 hour
Ingredients

4 large tomatoes chopped finely
3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 large onions sliced finely
2 cups basmati rice
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons chillie powder
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
2 cloves, 3 cardamoms, 3 pieces of cinnamon, 1 bay leaf
4 or 5 tablespoons oil or ghee
2 teaspoons chopped mint leaves
2 green chillies chopped

Heat oil in a pan or a rice cooker and sauté the spices, bay leaves, onions and green chillies till the onions turn golden brown.
Add the tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and chillie powder and fry for a few minutes till the tomatoes turn pulpy.
Add the rice, salt, mint leaves and coriander leaves and fry for a few minutes.
Add 4 cups of water and cook on medium heat till the rice is done.
Simmer on low heat for a few minutes then turn of the heat.
Serve with salad and any curry of your choice.

5. CARROT AND ROASTED PEANUTS RICE
Serves 6 Time Required: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice
2 onions chopped finely
1 cup of finely cut carrot
2 tablespoons oil
2 small pieces of cinnamon, 2 cloves
4 or 5 whole pepper corns
1 bay leaf, 2 cardamoms
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon ground pepper / pepper powder
2 tablespoons roasted and crushed ground nuts
2 teaspoons chopped coriander leaves
Heat oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, pepper corns and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown.
Add the carrots and stir fry till the carrots are cooked but still crunchy.
Add the cooked rice, salt and pepper and mix well.
Simmer on low heat for a few minutes then remove from heat.
Garnish with the crushed groundnuts and fried onions
Serve with any sauce.

6. CORIANDER LEAVES PALAU (GREEN MASALA PALAO)
Serves 6 Time Required: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 cups rice wash and keep aside
½ cup cashew nuts fried in ghee,
4 tablespoons ghee or oil
1 onion sliced finely
2 tomatoes chopped
2 tablespoons grated coconut
2 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 2 pieces cinnamon, 2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons ginger and garlic paste,
1 teaspoon chillie powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 green chillies
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Grind the Green chillies, coriander leaves and coconut together to a paste
Heat the oil or ghee in a vessel and fry the cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaves and onions till golden brown.
Add the ground paste, ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomatoes, chillie powder and cumin powder and stir fry for about 2 or 3 minutes
Add the rice and salt and mix well.
Add 4 cups of water and cook on medium heat then on low heat till the rice is done and all the water dries up.
Garnish with a little chopped coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts.
Serve with any curry or raita.