Kaalu Pulav - Field Beans Cooked With Rice And Spice

KAALU PULAV 

When my children were still in school, Christmas holidays were filled with great fun and excitement. Inspired by the pleasant weather my husband came up with sudden picnic ideas which thrilled the children. Some times it would be to a definite picnic destination, and some other time it used to be a pleasant long drive on the state high way where in we explored new places of our own for picnicking. Though we liked carrying various Christmas goodies from Nilgiris, and a crate of Fanta from B.G.C.,we always preferred home cooked food for the main course. Since Kaalu was always handy during that season, many a time Kaalu pulav with a raita was voted for as our  picnic lunch.

 INGREDIENTS 

Basmati Rice - 2 cups 

Field beans/Kaalu - 1 cup 

Salt - 1 tsp 

Onion ( peeled and chopped lengthwise)- 2 tbsps 

Green chillies ( Slit )- 2

Fresh ginger ( Peeled and chopped lengthwise ) - 1 tbsp 

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Pepper - 1/4 tsp 

Cinnamon 1'' stick  - 2 numbers 

Cardamon - 2 

Cloves - 6 

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch 

Sesame oil - 2 tbsps 

Curry leaves - a few 

Finely chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsps 

Finely chopped mint leaves - 2 tbsps 

METHOD 

1. Wash and drain the rice and keep it aside. 

2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed kadai. 

3. Add cumin seeds, pepper corns, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and fry till they pop up. 

4. Add curry leaves, chopped onion, slit green chillies and ginger and saute till onion becomes pink in colour. 

5. Stir in  Kaalu. 

6. Add turmeric powder and then the washed and drained rice and fry till the rice starts sticking to the kadai. 

7. Add salt and 4 cups of water to the fried ingredients and stir well. 

8. When the water starts to boil, cover the kadai with a lid and reduce flame to sim/low. 

9. Open the lid after 15 minutes and stir the Pulav carefully (without mashing up the rice) for the even distribution of Kaalu  and cover it again. 

10. Switch off flame after five more minutes and your fragrant Kaalu Pulav is ready in 20 minutes. 

11. Shower the Kaalu Pulav with finely chopped fresh coriander and mint leaves just before packing/ serving. 

Enjoy the flavoursome Kaalu Pulav with onion and tomato raita.

Kaalu Paruppadai - Field Beans And Lentil Pancake

KAALU PARUPPADAI  

 Paruppadai has become our regular breakfast dish because of its low G I. Onion Paruppadai,  Cabbage Paruppadai  or Paruppadai with  fenugreek leaves taste delicious when savoured hot. One Adai is sufficient to sustain my husband till he finishes one round of his 18 hole golf game. Since it is Kaalu season Paruppadai with kaalu has become a regular feature on our breakfast menu. 

INGREDIENTS 

Field Beans/Kaalu - 1 cup ( cooked ) 

Bengal gram dal - 1 cup 

Split yellow pigeon peas/ Tur dal - 1 cup 

Split black gram dal - 2 tbsps 

Salt - 1 tsp 

Ginger - 1'' piece 

Red chillies - 4 

Chopped onion - 1/2 cup 

Cumin seeds - 2 tsps 

Asafoetida - 1 pinch 

Curry leaves - a few 

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsps 
Sesame oil - For cooking

METHOD

1. For an early breakfast soak Bengal gram dal, Tur dal, Black gram dal and red chillies overnight. 

2. Next morning drain and grind the soaked ingredients with salt, asafoetida and peeled fresh  ginger into a very coarse and thick  batter with out adding water. Add cumin seeds and run the mixer for half a  minute more.

 3. Mix chopped onion, precooked Kaalu, Chopped coriander leaves and the curry leaves into the batter. 

4. Heat a greased tava and place a ball of batter on it. 

5. Using your wet fingers pat the batter gently and spread the Adai into a thick circle. 

6. Make a hole in the center and add a drop of oil into the hole. Dribble little oil around the Adai and cover it with a lid. 

7. Cook on medium flame for two to three minutes, open the lid and check if the batter looks cooked on top. Lift it up lightly and check if the bottom of the Adai has turned golden brown. 

8.Flip the Adai and cook for one more minute dribbling few more drops of oil around it.
9. Remove when done and serve immediately.

Take time to chew the delicious Kaalu Paruppadai and enjoy it with coconut chutney or any gojju. My friend loves to relish Paruppdai with Avial

 I prefer it as it is  with a blob of butter on top of it !

Paal Kozhukattai / Thengai Paal Kozhukattai for Two Years of Blogging | Indian Sweet Recipes

Happy New Year everyone! For me 2013 is not the only reason to celebrate. This is Kavin's first new year and also my humble blog just turned 2 in December. Nothing is more special when it comes to celebrating with a sweet which is close to your heart. I celebrated our new year with this delicious Paal Kozhukattai. This is my favorite sweet and grandma makes it every time we visit her. True, it