I had forgotten how at that age (talking of Ariana again) the more friends you make, you are also inviting a bigger variety of boogers into your nose hahaha!! In short we have had an adventurous week with a huge range of shades of green oozing out of a tiny little nose.
You anyways don’t feel like eating much when you have a tummy bug, or can’t smell anything, and especially with a toddler, in such circumstances, tempting her to eat anything is a herculean task.
Luckily, palak has been one of Ariana’s favorites, and I have to make it in a variety of dishes, some that look beautifully green while some that have a secret hint of it.
She takes after my father when it comes to eating a mountain of rice. And what better than to make her a nice mild, yet yummy palak rice to soothe her stomach and not annoy her about she not being able to taste anything, thanks to the guests in her little nose.
To break the monotony, or the super-healthy quality of this dish, I had to add some paneer to it. She did have a ball of a time trying to hunt for it and chomp on it with all the relish.
Bon appetite!
You anyways don’t feel like eating much when you have a tummy bug, or can’t smell anything, and especially with a toddler, in such circumstances, tempting her to eat anything is a herculean task.
Luckily, palak has been one of Ariana’s favorites, and I have to make it in a variety of dishes, some that look beautifully green while some that have a secret hint of it.
She takes after my father when it comes to eating a mountain of rice. And what better than to make her a nice mild, yet yummy palak rice to soothe her stomach and not annoy her about she not being able to taste anything, thanks to the guests in her little nose.
To break the monotony, or the super-healthy quality of this dish, I had to add some paneer to it. She did have a ball of a time trying to hunt for it and chomp on it with all the relish.
Bon appetite!
PREP TIME COOKING TIME TOTAL TIME SERVES | 10 - 15 minutes 30 minutes 40 - 45 minutes 4 |
INGREDIENTS Oil Cumin Seeds Bay Leaves Cinnamon Cloves Peppercorns Cardamom Red Chili Powder Turmeric powder Spinach Leaves Onion Tomato Garlic Rice Cottage Cheese / Paneer OR Chicken | QUANTITY 2 tbsp 1 tsp 2 - 3 1'' stick 8 - 10 8 - 10 3 - 4 1 - 1.5 tbsp, Kashmiri Chili Powder 1/2 tsp 1 large bunch 1 large 1 large 2 - 3 cloves, large 1.5 cup 200 gms OR 2 breasts, boneless |
RECIPE
In a medium pot, bring water to boil. Add a pinch of salt to it.
Once the water starts boiling, add the plucked and washed spinach leaves to it, stir them well. Switch off the flame, and cover the casserole and set aside for 5 - 10 minutes.
In a medium pot, bring water to boil. Add a pinch of salt to it.
Once the water starts boiling, add the plucked and washed spinach leaves to it, stir them well. Switch off the flame, and cover the casserole and set aside for 5 - 10 minutes.
After the 10 minutes of cooking are done, drain the spinach in a sieve, and sprinkle it with cold water. This stops the spinach from over cooking and preserves its fresh green color too.
Once the spinach has cooled, pure it in a blender to make a nice smooth paste. Till the other preparations are done, cover and keep this puree, as it would turn darker if left open.
If using frozen paneer / chicken, de-frost it and cut it into cubes.
Thinly slice onions and tomatoes and garlic.
Keep all the spices and the powders ready.
Wash and drain the rice.
If using frozen paneer / chicken, de-frost it and cut it into cubes.
Thinly slice onions and tomatoes and garlic.
Keep all the spices and the powders ready.
Wash and drain the rice.
I prefer cooking most of the meals directly in a pressure cooker as it not only reduces the cooking time, but also saves a lot of energy.
In a large pressure cooker, pour the oil and allow it to heat. Add all the dry spices / whole garam masala to it, and allow the masala to crackle and cook for a minute or so. Do not keep the flame high, as the spices don't take too long to start burning.
The sign that the spices are cooked is that they will give out a beautiful fragrance.
In a large pressure cooker, pour the oil and allow it to heat. Add all the dry spices / whole garam masala to it, and allow the masala to crackle and cook for a minute or so. Do not keep the flame high, as the spices don't take too long to start burning.
The sign that the spices are cooked is that they will give out a beautiful fragrance.
Once the spices are cooked, add the sliced / chopped garlic to the cooker and stir it, allow it to cook well with the spices. Then add the sliced onions and stir well again. Allow the onions to cook and become translucent / light pink.
Once the onions are cooked, add the turmeric and the red chili powder to this, and stir well, allow it to cook with the rest of the ingredients.
Turn the flame to high, and add the tomatoes to this. Stir well, making sure the tomatoes are sizzling. Keep cooking the tomatoes on a high flame till the water is evaporated and they ooze a bit of oil.
Cooking the tomatoes on a high flame, cooks them faster without making a pulp out of them, and still retaining their shape. Also the sizzling imparts a beautiful smoky taste to the dish.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the spinach puree to the cooker, and stir it well, mixing all the ingredients together and allowing the spinach puree to cook well with the rest of the ingredients.
Cook the whole mixture for another 2-3 minutes, till the puree thickens, and doesn't give out a raw smell from the spinach leaves.
Cooking the tomatoes on a high flame, cooks them faster without making a pulp out of them, and still retaining their shape. Also the sizzling imparts a beautiful smoky taste to the dish.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the spinach puree to the cooker, and stir it well, mixing all the ingredients together and allowing the spinach puree to cook well with the rest of the ingredients.
Cook the whole mixture for another 2-3 minutes, till the puree thickens, and doesn't give out a raw smell from the spinach leaves.
Then add the washed and drained rice to this, stirring well, to coat the rice evenly with the spinach mixture. Then add the paneer / chicken cubes to this and stir well again.
Add 1.5 cups of water, the same quantity as that of the rice to the cooker, adjust the salt, stir well to mix all the ingredients evenly, and cook for 15-20 minutes or till the cooker has given off 2 - 3 whistles.
This rice prep tastes delicious with a huge plate of sliced onions, a big squeeze of lemon, and a bowl full of fresh yogurt.
This surely is one of out once-a-week patent meals.
Bon Appetite.
This surely is one of out once-a-week patent meals.
Bon Appetite.