This is a true definition of comfort food. Rice congee with sautéed mushrooms, kimchi, a slight drizzle of Sriracha and garnished with white sesame seeds and cilantro.
I have used red rice here which takes much longer to break down into a congee, but the outcome of this patience is just superb! Feel free to use white rice which cooks quicker. Leftover rice works great too to make this.
The recipe for sautéed mushrooms is here – Butter garlic & thyme mushroom I have only sliced the mushrooms and changed the seasonings. Feel free to play around with choice of herbs and seasonings.
If you are not fond of mushrooms, there could be a lot of other toppings for congee – Kimchi, Fried onions, spring onions, sautéed or pulled meat, boiled eggs, tofu, pickles of choice, cucumber salad, chilli oil, chutneys, roasted peanuts, sautéed jackfruit and more.
Let me know in the comments section below which one is your favorite.
Recipe – Serves 2
Ingredients –
1/2 cup red rice if raw, 1 cup rice if cooked.
6-8 cups water
1 cup homemade veggie stock (optional)
Salt to taste
Method 1 –
Put red rice, 2 cups water and salt in a pot on low flame.. Check in intervals and once the water lessens, add 2 more cups water and let it simmer. Continue this step until the rice breaks down into a porridge and comes to desired consistency. Keeping the flame at low at all times is the key here. It might take 45-50 mins or more if using white rice and a couple hours if using red.
Method 2 –
Pressure cook red rice, salt, water and stock if using to upto 7-8 whistles on medium low flame (a couple of whistles more if using raw red rice). Let the pressure settle naturally and check if the rice is broken to porridge consistency.
Use the desired toppings as mentioned above and dig in!
Enjoy!
Notes – If using white rice, reduce the water quantity and the cooking time.
This red rice congee is such a great meal when feeling under the weather. Do you have a go-to comfort meal too? Tell me in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram or Facebook handle.
Very few people love this veggie and I am one of those few who absolutely relish this. I will share some tips to reduce the bitterness of karela and I hope if you don’t like it already, you’d start relishing it too!
Recipe –
Ingredients –
200 gms Karela/ Bitter gourd
1 large onion – sliced
1 tbsp crushed peanuts
2 tbsp cooking oil – I used cold pressed safflower oil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp hing/asafoetida
1/3 tsp cumin seeds
1/3 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/3 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp coriander leaves – chopped
Method –
Tips on reducing bitterness –
* Scrape the skin and get rid of the bumps on the skin.
* Deseed the karelas and then slice them.
* Mix in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp turmeric and let it rest for 15 mins. Drain the water released by the veggie.
* Add in a pinch of sugar while cooking and always finish off with lemon juice.
* Taste the karelas after they are cooked and if it’s still too bitter to eat, mix in 1/4 tsp baking soda in water and add to the karelas. That will reduce the bitterness substantially (baking soda reduces bitterness from almost any cooked vegetable).
Prep the karelas as per the tips given above.
Heat oil and crackle the cumin and mustard seeds. Add hing and let it bloom too.
Sauté onions until they turn translucent. Mix in the karelas, a little salt and turmeric powder and cover and cook on low flame. Let it cook until the onions and karelas are cooked well.
Mix in the powdered spices, peanuts and sugar. Cook for another 2 mins. Switch off the flame, let the veggie cool down a bit and add lemon juice. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with phulkas and dal.
Enjoy!!
If you like this Karela Bhujiya | Bitter Gourd Stir Fry recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handle.
We as a family love our parathas and I usually love trying new flavour combinations. I have made this caramelised onion parathas a few times but adding a little cheese and raw onions gave it a whole different flavour and bite. Pair it with humble Indian pickles and chai and this makes a great and wholesome breakfast.
Recipe –
Ingredients – makes 2 parathas
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I get Sihor wheat locally milled)
Water to knead the dough
Ghee – enough to cook the parathas
Stuffing –
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp onions – finely chopped
2 tbsp cheese – finely grated – I used processed.
1-2 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves – finely chopped
Salt to taste – I used around 3/4 tsp
1/2 tsp – Red chilli powder
1 tbsp oil – I used cold pressed groundnut oil
Method –
Knead a soft dough using whole wheat flour and water. Let it rest for 15 mins. Rub a little ghee and knead it again.
While the dough rests make the stuffing –
Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and sauté until it begins to change colour. Add 1/4 cup chopped onions and salt and sauté until it turns pinkish brown (caramelises). Remove from the flame and let it cool to room temperature.
Mix all the other stuffing ingredients together and add the caramelised onions.
Now divide the dough into small balls. Take one and cover the rest.
Flatten the dough ball into 3 inch diameter, brush ghee (clarified butter) and spread the filling.
Close the edges forming a flattened ball again and press it gently with palms to flatten it further. Gently roll it to give a shape of roti/flatbread.
Roast on griddle/tawa with ghee from both sides.
Serve with curd, pickle, chai.
Enjoy!!!
If you like this recipe of onion & cheese paratha | pyaz paratha, I would love to hear from you in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagram or Facebook handles.
Last few months of travels and stay abroad, kept me away from the blog. But the good part is when you travel, you bring back variety of food culture learnings with you. I will try to re-create some of my favorite food which I explored and loved.
To start with is this vegetarian Reginetti pasta in buttery herb-y mushroom sauce. I love to explore and pick up local food and this pasta is sure a delight to cook with. Works perfect with any sauce! However, feel free to use any pasta of choice which you may have in your pantry.
Recipe – serves 2
Ingredients –
2 portions whole grain pasta
8-10 button mushrooms – cleaned and sliced
1 medium sized onion – chopped
7-8 cloves garlic – minced
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
For the sauce –
200 ml coconut milk/almond milk (i used coconut milk)
1.5 tbsp butter/olive oil
1.5 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup homemade veggie stock
2 tsp cornflour
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
Method –
Boil water to cook the pasta. Make that pasta water salty! Almost like sea water. Cook the pasta until al Dante. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
Heat butter and sauté onion and garlic until they change colour. Add in the mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms turn caramel brown colour on medium heat.
Mix all the sauce ingredients together and mix in the mushrooms (scrape the pan to deglaze, that would add a lovely flavour to the sauce).
Let the sauce simmer for 3-4 mins. Add reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
Mix in the pasta, chilli flakes and mixed herbs.
Garnish with chilli flakes and grated parmesan.
Enjoy!!!
Notes – I did not use any additional salt in this recipe except while boiling the pasta.
If you like this mushroom stroganoff reginetti pasta recipe, do let me know in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagramand Facebook handle.
Do yourself a favour, and make this salad. It’s lip smacking good, so moreish and perfect for summer meals. I could really eat a plateful of this all day long. The weather is so warm here in Pune right now that all I look for is light meals and salads to cook our eat out.
The lemony tang and the aroma of basil and fennel compliments the cool cucumber so well. The roasted groundnuts adds the perfect nuttiness to the salad. Drooling already? Try this recipe.
How to make this –
Ingredients –
1 large European Cucumbers
2-3 tbsp roasted groundnuts
Dressing –
1/3 cup basil
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
Method –
Slice cucumbers as per choice.
Blend together the dressing ingredients and pour it over the cucumber slices.
Sprinkle roasted groundnuts, garnish with a couple more basil leaves and dig in.
Enjoy!
If you like this recipe of Cucumber Salad With Basil Fennel Vinaigrette salad, please let me know in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handles.
A food stylist, photographer, and blogger. After leading Human Resources for several years in India and the US, my inner calling prompted me to work on a dream and a vision envisaged by my younger self many years ago. Being creatively inclined and with an interest in food, I decided to embark on my journey towards endless and limitless possibilities.
