Mouti Matter Pulao

Last Friday some unexpected guests knocked at our door ( yes .. it still happens) and since it was about to be the dinner time my mother told me to cook something for dinner.This was the perfect time and situation to PANIC but a quick peek into the freezer made me not to.So with the help of the pressure cooker,pre - made koftas, pre - made curry sauce and a chicken I was able to cook a nice dinner in one and a half hour flat.Our guests enjoyed Mouti Matter Pulao,Namkeen Gosht,Chicken Curry and Sabot Mash ki daal along with Shammi Tikya , salad and raita .. Mission Accomplished :)

I am sharing Mouti Matter Pulao with you using the  Koftay I made earlier.Its Kind of a kofta Pulao but since the size of the koftas are smaller than the usual like beads or pearls hence the name Mouti Matter Pulao.( I love how the name turns a simple dish so exotic and interesting that you just want to eat it , don’t you ?)



What you Need:

• Rice : 3 cups ( wash and soak for half hour) 
• Onions: 2 medium ( finely chopped) 
• Sabot Garam Masala: 1 tsp ( use 5 cloves, 7 pepper corns,3 green cardamom,1 inch piece of cinnamon and 1 black cardamom)
• GG paste : 1 tbsp
• Green chilies: 2 - 3 ( up to taste)
• Yogurt : 1/2 cup
• Peas: 1 cup
• Pre - made Koftas balls : 1.5 cups
• Salt : 1.5 tsp ( up to taste )
• Oil : 1 cup
• Water or stock : 6 cups

How To :

1. Heat oil in a pan add sabot garam masala, let cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add onions and GG paste and sauté to a pleasant caramel or  golden brown colour. ( pic 1a & 1b )
3. Add in yogurt,salt,peas,green chilies and koftas,sauté till the oil floats on top.( Pic 2a & 2b)
4. Add water or stock and let boil. ( pic - 3 )
5. After a boil ,throw in the soaked rice (after draining ),Mix in once and let cook on medium flame. ( pic - 4 )
6. When the water starts to dry up ( pic - 5 ), and you can see water holes in the rice ( pic - 6),turn down the flame to the lowest possible ,cover the pan and let cook till the water completely dries out.( it might take around 5 to 10 minutes depending on the heat and amount of water left to dry out on dam)
7. Mouti Matter Pulao is ready to be served. ( pic - 7)

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Moong Daal Palak

Spinach ( palak) is not only supper rich in iron ( remember Popeye eating palak and getting extra strong ),but supper versatile too.There are a large number of recipes to enjoy palak from creamy soup to yummy combos with veggies,daals ,meat and chicken.

Although thanks to freezers palak is available year round now but fresh palak taste absolute divine despite the fact that weeding,cleaning,washing ,chopping and boiling palak is quite a task.

Since winter is the best time to enjoy the freshest palak here is Moong daal palak which is one of the many yummy ways you can have this iron rich and healthy vegetable as the two perfectly compliment each other.



What You Need:

• Moong Daal : 1 cup ( wash and soak in water for at least an hour)

• Palak : 2 cups ( boiled)

• Onion : 1 medium ( chopped finely)

• Tomato: 2 small ( chopped finely)

• Salt: 1 tsp ( up to taste)

• Red Chili: 1 tsp ( up to your tolerance level)

• Turmeric : 1/4 tsp

• GG paste: 1 tbsp

• Water: 1.5 cup ( more if you want it a bit mushy)

• Oil: 1/2 cup

How To:

• Heat oil in a pan and sauté onions till golden brown. ( pic - 1 )
• Add in GG paste along with all the dry masala,cook for a minute. ( pic - 2 ) 
• Throw in tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy and you end up with a clingy gravy with the oil floating. ( pic - 3a and 3b )
• Add in the boiled palak ( pic - 4 )and sauté till the water dries out. ( pic - 5 )
• Finally add soaked daal and two cups of water.Mix well and let the water boil. ( pic - 6)
• As soon as the water start boiling ,lower the heat to medium ,cover and let cook till the water dries out.At this point the daal should be tender enough to eat and you should be able to see the oil oozing around. ( pic - 7 )
• Moong Daal palak is ready.
• Serve with plain boiled rice or buttered chapatti , a simple onion – tomato salad and raita. Enjoy!

Notes:
1. We like our Moong daal palak a bit mushy as you can see from the picture.. if you like it that way just increase the amount of water say 2 cups instead of 1.5.

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