Around The World On Your Plate

Ingredients: 1 grated apple (optional) 1 onion finely chopped 1-2 teaspoon garlic minced 2 cups diced potatoes, bell pepper, sweet potato,  carrots etc Salt to taste Oil as needed Roux: 2 tablespoon vegan butter 2 tablespoon flour 1/4 cup water 1-2 teaspoon Japanese curry powder Red chilli powder and garam masala to taste Method: Heat a nonstick pan on low and melt butter, add flour and mix using a spatula or a whisk until well incorporated and cook until its light brown, next add water and mix well.  Add the curry powder and red chilli powder along with garam masala and mix well.  Keep stirring on low heat until aroma wafts from the pan.  Turn off, the roux is ready. In a separate pan, heat oil and saute onion and garlic until light golden in colour.  Next, add all the vegetables and saute.  Add the roux and desired amount of water and mix well.  If you find this spice blend to be spicy, a grated ap...

Ingredients: Seasoning: 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon urad dal 1 teaspoon channa dal 1/8th teaspoon asafoetida 1 sprig curry leaves 2 teaspoon oil Others: 2 cups cooked rice 3/4 cup chopped bell peppers (green, yellow, red, and purple) 1 green chilli chopped Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish 1 teaspoon lemon juice Method: Heat oil on medium in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them pop, next add urad dal and channa dal and asafoetida along with curry leaves a saute for 20 seconds. Add in the green chillies and chopped bell pepper and saute. Once the bell peppers are just cooked, not too mushy, turn heat to low and add the cooked rice along with salt to taste and mix. Turn off heat and before serving some lemon juice and mix and garnish.

Ingredients: 2 cups cooked rice 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup diced mushrooms 1/4 cup chopped carrots 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped onions 2 Green chillies slit (optional) 2 tablespoons green curry paste 4 tablespoon thick coconut milk Salt to taste 1 teaspoon soy sauce Thai basil and scallions to garnish Method: Heat oil and add garlic and green chillies and saute. Next, add all the vegetables one by one and saute on medium heat. Add rice along with soy sauce, coconut milk, and green curry paste and adjust salt to taste. Mix everything until well combined. Garnish with basil leaves and scallions and serve hot.

Ingredients: 2-3 tablespoon of oil 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds 1/8th teaspoon of asafoetida 1 sprig of curry leaves 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 2 cups cooked rice 1-1/2 cup tomatoes chopped 2-3 green chilies slit Lemon juice as needed Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish Method: Heat oil and add mustard seeds and let them pop. Next add asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies and saute for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and some salt and cook them until tender. Next add turmeric powder and mix well. Once the tomatoes are soft, add cooked rice and salt to taste and mix everything well.  Turn off the heat and add some lemon juice to taste and mix well.  Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Notes: You can even garnish with freshly grated coconut.

Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes 1 cup garbanzo beans, soaked and cooked 1 medium onion chopped 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste 1-2 green chilies slit 1 cup crushed tomato 2 tablespoon of oil Water as needed Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish Spices: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon red chili powder (optional) 2 teaspoon coriander powder 4-5 cloves 6 pepper corns 1 small piece of cinnamon 1 teaspoon cumin seeds Method: Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes, then drain water. Heat oil in a high sided skillet and add the whole spices.  Sauté for a minute or until aroma wafts from the pan, next add onion, green chili, ginger and garlic paste and sauté until onion turns translucent.  Add turmeric powder and coriander powder and mix well. Next add the tomatoes and cook for a minute.  Next add the garbanzo beans along with rice and mix everything together....

Ingredients: 4 cups cooked rice 3 scallions sliced, (whites and greens separated) 1 tablespoon minced ginger and garlic 1-2 tablespoons of oil 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 carrot chopped 1 cup mushroom sliced 1/2 cup green peas 1/2 cup green beans salt to taste Sauce: 1 tablespoon chilli sauce 1/2 teaspoon vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup Method: Mix all the sauce and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and saute scallions white along with ginger and garlic for a minute.  Next add all the vegetables one by one and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add salt to help cook the vegetables.  Do not over cook the vegetables. Next add rice and all the sauces and mix everything well. Adjust salt to taste and garnish with scallions green and serve hot with your favourite sauce.

'' Servings: 1 Ingredients: 1 cup left over rice 1-2 teaspoon oil 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/8th  teaspoon   asafoetida  1/2  teaspoon  urad dal 1/2  teaspoon  peanuts 1-2 green chili slit 4-5 curry leaves 1/4th  teaspoon  turmeric powder 1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste Salt to taste Cilantro to garnish Method: Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Next add asafoetida along with green chili and curry leaves and saute for a minute. Add urad dal and peanuts and stir fry for a minute until urad dal turns a light golden color. Add rice, turmeric powder and salt and mix everything well and stir for a minute. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice and mix.  Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Notes: Can garnish with freshly grated coconut as well. 

Serves: 2-3 Preparation time:  15 min Soaking time:  30 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup Basmati rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes) 1 medium onion sliced lengthwise 1/2 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste 2-3 green chilies, slit 1 tablespoon of oil A pinch of saffron dissolved in 3 tablespoons of milk 1 teaspoon clarified butter (optional) Salt and sugar to taste Cilantro and mint to garnish Cashew and raisins to garnish Spices: 2-3 Cloves 2 green cardamom 2 bay leaf 1" cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon Shahjeera Method: Wash and soak Basmati rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Heat oil and add whole spices with slit green chilies and stir fry for 30 seconds or until aroma wafts from the pan. Next add onion and ginger and garlic paste and saute  until onions turn translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Add rice and water along with salt and sugar and cover and cook until done on medium heat.    Meanwhile, r oast cashew...

Servings: 2-3 Total cooking time:  20 minutes Ingredients: 1 cup rice, washed 2 cups water 1 tablespoon of oil 1 cup of kala channa or chole channa soaked overnight 1 medium sized potato chopped 1 medium onion chopped 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic minced Salt to taste Spices: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 small piece of cinnamon stick 2-3 cloves 3-4 pepper corns 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 teaspoon of channa masala Method: Heat oil in a pan and saute cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves and pepper corn for a minute.   Next add onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Next add the potatoes and channa and mix everything well.  Add rice and twice the amount of water and mix.  Add the turmeric powder along with channa masala and salt to taste. Cover and cook on medium until its done.  Fluff with a fork.  Add some lemon juice and garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Notes: You can even ...

Serves 4 Total time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 3 cups cooked rice 2 scallions chopped (white and greens separated) 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 tablespoon of oil 1-1/2 cup mixed vegetables of your choice like  cabbage, carrots, peas 1/4 cup shiitake mushroom chopped fine 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce salt to taste Method: Heat oil in a pan and saute scallions (white) and garlic for a minute. Next add rice.  I am using left over rice for this recipe.  Break down the rice and fry for a minute or two.  Add soy sauce and mix well. Once the rice is nicely coated with soy sauce, add the chopped vegetables and mix everything well.  Add the 5 spice powder along with shiitake mushrooms and stir fry for a minute. Adjust salt to taste.  Garnish with scallions (green) and serve hot.

Serves: 2 Total time:  12 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups left over rice 2 scallions chopped (white and green separated) 1/4 cup red onion chopped 2 garlic cloves minced 1/2 cup shiitake mushroom chopped 1 cup red and green bell pepper diced 3 tablespoon of oil (divided) Salt to taste Black and white pepper to taste Sauce: 1 tablespoon broad bean chili sauce (Doubanjiang) 2 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon vinegar Method: Heat 1-1/2 tablespoon of  oil   in a pan and saute scallions (white) along with onion and garlic. Next add rice and break it down well and stir fry it for a minute. Add soy sauce and vinegar and mix well. Take the rice out in a separate bowl and heat the remaining oil. Saute all the vegetables and mushroom well.  Add the broad bean chili sauce and mix well. Do not over cook the vegetables. Mix rice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with scallions (greens) and serve hot. ...

Ingredients: 2 cups cooked rice 2 medium sized potato peeled and cubed 1/2 cup green peas 1 tablespoon kasuri methi 1 -2 teaspoons red chili powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder Salt to taste 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon mustard 1/8th teaspoon asafetida (hing) Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium and add mustard seeds and let them pop.  Next add a pinch of hing. Next add the cubed potatoes and saute well.  Add turmeric powder and red chili powder and mix well. Next add green peas and kasuri methi leaves and mix well. Adjust salt to taste and add water to cook the vegetables.  Once the vegetables are cooked, add rice and mix until everything is well incorporated. Turn off the heat and add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice.  (optional) Tips: This works well with left over rice and as an easy lunch box recipe. You can skip adding red chili powder if making for kids.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoon of oil 1 medium onion sliced 2 cloves of garlic minced 2 Thai green chili pepper slit (optional) 2 scallions chopped 1/4 cup of red & green bell pepper & carrots sliced 1/2 cup tofu cubed 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon Thai chilli sauce Salt and white pepper to taste 2 cups cooked rice Method: Heat oil in a pan and begin to saute onions, scallions, and garlic along with the slit green chilli.    Once the onion is translucent, go ahead and add the vegetables and tofu and saute well. Make sure not to overcook them. Next adjust salt and white pepper to your taste.  Also do remember that soy sauce is salty so, do not add too much salt. Add rice and mix gently until well coated with the sauce and turn off the heat. Garnish with scallions (greens) and serve hot.   You can also garnish with roasted peanuts. Tips: If using a wok, coat it evenly with oil before you begin to cook. Use of gree...

Cooking time:  About 20 minutes Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 cup rice  (washed and soaked for half an hour and drained) 2 cups of water 1-2 tablespoon of oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick 3-4 pepper corns 4 cloves 2-3 green chillies slit 1/4 cup each of green peas, bell pepper, and carrots salt to taste Method: Heat oil in a pan on medium and saute all the spices and green chillies. Next add the vegetables and saute for a minute.  Season with salt. Next add the water and bring it to a boil. Now add rice and mix well. Cook on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Once done, fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon oil 1-2 green onions sliced (whites and greens separated) 2 cloves of garlic crushed 2 cups of chopped vegetables of your choice like cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower etc. 1/2 cup of green peas and corn 2 tablespoon of soy sauce  Salt to taste Black pepper to taste White pepper to taste 2-3 cups of rice Method: Heat oil on medium high and saute green onion (whites) and garlic, next add in all the vegetables one by one and saute them. Do not over cook the vegetables.  Next add soy sauce and mix well. Add rice and mix well and adjust  salt and pepper. Garnish with green onions and serve hot with your favorite serving sauce. Notes: * Left over rice works excellent with this recipe. * If you like, you can add some scrambled eggs as well. * If you like this to be spicy, you can add some sriracha or hot sauce, although the authentic fried rice does not contain any hot sauce.

Ingredients: Ingredients: 2 spring onion sliced (whites and greens separated) 1 medium bell pepper diced 1/4 cup green peas (fresh or frozen) 1 medium carrot sliced 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (either fresh or canned) (see  notes below) Salt to taste White pepper and black pepper to taste 1 tablespoon oil 2 cups rice cooked (see notes) 1 tablespoon soy sauce Method: Heat oil and saute some green onions (white), next add in the bell pepper and green peas, along with some carrots. Once the vegetables are soft, add the pineapple chunks and saute. Next add the cooked rice and soy sauce and mix well.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Garnish with scallions (greens) and serve hot. Notes: For this recipe, I used canned pineapple and after removing the chunks, I reserved some of the water to use in cooking the rice. This recipe works well with using left over rice too, just make sure to add at least a quart...