Lemon Rice is a classic South Indian dish that provides a real punch of flavor without requiring too many ingredients. “Lemon Rice” is also called “Chitranna” in Kannada or “Nimmakaya polihora” in Telugu. This one is serious comfort food in many South Indian homes. I’ve most commonly had Chitranna when visiting temples and restaurants. Rice is… Continue reading Chitranna (Lemon Rice)
Mushroom biryani is an easy, one-pot vegetarian meal, perfect for a weekday dinner. A well-made biryani is fragrant and spicy. The balance of flavors and various textures make for a satisfying meal. This version uses mushrooms to obtain the texture and umami balance of traditional biryani. For the most part, mushroom have not historically been… Continue reading Mushroom Biryani
Indian fried rice is called “Vagharelo Bhaat” in Gujarati or “Fodni Bhaat” in Marathi. Fried rice is a great way to reheat leftover rice, completely transforming it into a delicious meal. I make it with leftover rice and a simple Gujarati vaghar. Many other regions of India would make it similarly. It is the simple… Continue reading Vagharelo Bhaat (Indian Fried Rice)
Rice Pilaf is ubiquitous across most of the world’s cuisines. This is probably because it is such a great dish for large gatherings. Making a large pot of rice pilaf is not much more difficult than making a small pot.
Puja taught me how to cook basmati rice many years ago but I was never completely happy with it because whenever we would go out to a restaurant the rice seemed so much better to me. It was a problem that lingered with me for years until I finally decided to sit down and figure… Continue reading How to Make Restaurant Perfect Basmati Rice
