Cooking Matta Rice in Rice Cooker

A couple of my working friends have asked me how to cook matta rice in a rice cooker. So here is an easy and zero-hassle way to prepare the rice. The important thing here is to get the measurement of rice and water correct. This is my tried and tested way to get the rice cooked just right - not too dry nor too soft.

Note : My cup measures 160 ml and came along with my rice cooker.

Method of Preparation

• Take 3 cups of rice, wash and drain.
• Add this rice into the rice cooker and add double the cup of water. So here we need to add 6 cups of water.
• Add the desired amount of salt and switch on (Cooking Mode).
• My rice cooker has 2 modes - Cooking and Keep Warm.
• When the water dries up, the cooker goes into Keep Warm  mode.
• Open the rice cooker, stir the rice and add as many cups of water as the rice. So now we add 3 cups of water.
• Switch to Cooking Mode.
• When the cooker goes into Keep Warm mode, take it off the plug.
• Let it stand for about 5 minutes.
• Open and your rice is perfectly cooked.
• In case its too dry for you, add one more cup of water and cook.
• Tip : You can use any measuring cup. Just take care to use the same cup for measuring both rice and water.

Carrot Beans Thoran with Egg

This thoran is a brilliant way to get kids eat veggies. The egg adds just that touch. This is mostly how I get my daughter P to each veggies along with rice.

You Need :

• Beans  - 2 handful, chopped
• Carrot - 1 no, chopped
• Egg - 1 nos
• Onion - 2 nos , finely chopped
• Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - To Taste
• Water - 1 cup (160 ml)
• Oil - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Method of Preparation

• Wash and chop the beans and carrot into fine cubes.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard and cumin seeds.
• Add chopped onions, beans , carrot , salt and curry leaves.
• Mix well and add 1 cup of water.
• Cook covered for about 6-7 minutes. Then cook uncovered until it becomes dry.
• Switch off flame.
• Meanwhile in a separate pan, heat oil and scrable the egg, by adding salt.
• Switch off the flame and mix the eggs with the carrot-beans mixture.
• Serve hot. This is a good accompainment for rice.

Vellarikka Ittu Kaachiya Moru / Curd Curry with Yellow Cucumber

 

You Need :

• Yellow Cucumber - 1 no, small, cubed
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 seeds
• Onions - 2 nos, finely chopped.
• Green Chilly - 1 nos , slit
• Dry red Chilly - 2 nos
• Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
• Garlic - 6 pods
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Kayam/Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
• Water - 3 glasses
• Curd - 1 glass

Method of Preparation

• Wash, peel and cube the cucumber.

• Heat oil in a deep pan and splutter red chillies, mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds.
• Add chopped garlic, green chillies , and curry leaves.
• Saute these until a nice aroma is emitted.
• Add the chopped onions, cucumber , kayam and salt.
• Saute them together until the onions turn transparent.
• Now add turmeric powder and saute.
• Add water and let it boil until the cucumber pieces turn translucent.
• Switch off flame and allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.
• Beat the curd with some water in a blender.
• Pour the curd to the cooked mixture and stir well.
• Test for salt and kayam. Add more if you feel so.
• Tip : Add more turmeric if you want a rich yellow colour.

Egg Roast / Mutta Roast

 

You Need :

• Eggs - 3 nos, boiled
• Onion  - 6 nos , finely chopped
• Green Chillies - 2 nos , split
• Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger - 1 inch piece, minced
• Garlic - 6 pods, minced
• Tomato - 1 nos chopped
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 nos
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Kashmiri Chiily powder - 2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Whole Spices to dry grind
• Perumjeerakam/Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Karambu/Cloves - 1/2 tsp
• Patta/Cinnamon - 2 nos
• Elakka/Green Cardamon - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves - a handful.

Method of Preparation

• Heat water in a pan and add the eggs for boiling. Once done, remove the shell and set aside.
• Meanwhile in another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds.
• Now add chopped onions, green chillies , salt and curry leaves.
• Saute till the onions turn translucent.
• Add the minced ginger and garlic pastes.
• When they start emitting aroma, add the chopped tomato.
• When the tomato turns mushy,  add the powdered spices.
• Saute for a minute and add turmeric powder.
• Saute for a minute and add coriander powder.
• Saute for a minute and add red chilly powder.
• Switch off flame, add the boiled eggs and mix together.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
• Goes well with chapattis or appam.

Raw Banana Thoran / Pachha Ettaka Thoran

 

You Need :

• Raw Banana - 4 nos, finely cubed
• Onion - medium sized - 2 nos, finelly chooped
• Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder
• Dry Red Chilly - 2 nos
• Oil - 2 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Method of Preparation

• Wash and peel the skin off the raw bananas.
• Cut them into small cubes and leave them in a bowl of water until you need them.
• Finely chop the onions.
• Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard and jeera seeds.
• Add the chopped onions and dry red chillies.
• When the onions turn pink, add the curry leaves.
• Now add the raw banana cubes and turmeric powder.
• Add salt and some water.
• Cook covered until done.
• Keep stirring in between.
• Switch off heat and serve hot