Beetroot Poriyal (Detox Mondays)

With my maid still not back from her vacation, I am loath to doing much cooking. A simple dal-rice with stir fries or some snack items like dosa-chutney/idli-ghuguni have been dominating the menu last week.

While trying to finish off any remaining vegetables from last week, I discovered this beetroot still sitting in the
fridge. And thought of making a quick and healthy 'poriyal' for dinner. As I have mentioned earlier, beetroot is considered to be a very powerful blood purifier and hence vital to every detox diet. That is the reason I have started consuming this vegetable only recently. If you find it repulsive in the raw form, this is pefect for you.

With this recipe, I am flagging off a 'Detox Series' wherein I will be posting about some detox recipe/information/tips on Mondays. Great start to the week, isn't it ?? Read on for the first recipe of this series :

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Preparation Time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 large beetroot ( chopped into small pieces )
• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 pinch asafoetida
• 2-3 tsp whole urad dal (skinless)
• 2-3 green chillis (cut into long pieces)
• a pinch of turmeric
• 1/4 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
• 2 tsp coriander laeves (for garnishing)
• salt to taste

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.

After the curry leaves have wilted a bit, add the urad dal and asafoetida. Fry till the dal turns a few shades dark.

Add the green chillis and fry for 1 minute.

Add the beetroot pieces alng with salt and turmeric. Mix the contents of the wok. Cover and cook till tender. (Stir 2-3 times in between. Add a bit of water in between if you find it getting too dry)

Finally add the grated coconut, mix in and switch off flame.

Remove from wok. Sprinkle lemon juice and coriander leaves.

Serve with rotis or rice and rasam/dal/pappu kura.

Note : You can also add a bit of chilli powder/grated ginger/finely chopped garlic during the cooking.

Thalassery Biriyani (Malabar Biriyani/Kerela Biriyani)

Thalassery Biryani is the famous biriyani served at Muslim weddings in Kerela. It was originally made from a short grained and flavorful rice variety called Jeerakasala but now people has started using Basmati rice as well. While I came across a lot of variations on internet, some using curry leaves, other had coconut milk and still others used rose attar, this one seemed authentic. It is taken from a local TV channel called Amrita TV.

It does not use any red chilli powder, only green chillis. And the gravy made for chicken does not use any oil in it. Only the fried onions called 'Bista' are added to the gravy to deepen its flavor. Read on for the recipe.

Preparation Time - 1 hour ( and some more standby time )

Ingredients - (serves 2)

• 400 gm Chicken pieces (medium sized)
• 2 1/2 cups Jeerakasala rice ( or Jeera Samba rice )
• 3 large Onions (finely sliced in circular/semi-circular shapes)
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1 inch long ginger
• 4-5 green chillis
• 2 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 1 cup mint leaves (chopped)
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 lemon
• Salt to taste
• Ghee + Oil for frying the onions

For the Biriyani Masala Powder

• 3 cloves
• 1 1/2 inch cinnamon
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 petal Mace
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds 
• a pinch of Nutmeg

( Some recipes also have a little bit of aniseed and shahjeera added to this masala. But the one I tried was quite good

in itself. )

For cooking the rice -

• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 star anise
• 2-3 cardomoms
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and marinate the chicken with salt and turmeric.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok for frying the onions.

Fry onions in small batches on medium heat and take each batch out of the oil for a few second during frying. This makes them crisper as it allows the water content of onions to turn into vapour.

Dry roast all the spices (except nutmeg) mentioned under Biriyani Masala. Allow to cool down a few degrees. Then grind into a powder in a mixer/coffee grinder. (Add a little bit of coarse salt when using a mixer, it helps to get a fine powder )

Roughly grind the ginger, garlic and green chillis.

Cook the rice in a pressure cooker along with the ingredients mentioned under 'For cooking the rice'. After levelling the rice with a spatula, add water in sufficient quantity so that it stands nearly 1 1/2 inch above the rice. Close lid and cook for 1 whistle. Remove and open after steam escapes. Fluff up with a fork.

Heat a thick bottomed vessel (we will be using it for the DUM process later on, so it should be really thick). Add the chopped tomatoes with a little water. Cook till soft and mashy.

Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and cook till raw smell goes off.

Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the powdered masala and chopped mint leaves. Mix well and cook till chicken is 80 percent done.

Add 3/4 th of the fried onions at this stage. Mix well and cook till chicken is tender.

Add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well and switch off flame.

Layer the cooked rice over the chicken. Add remaining fried onions and dot with the saffrom milk.

Cover the vessel with a cloth and put on the lid. Allow to sit on lowest possible heat/flame for 15-20 mins. (I did this process using an induction cooker.)

Remove the lid and cloth. Mix the layers a bit.

Serve hot with raita and coriander coconut chutney.

Gulkand and Kesar Milkshake

Superhero Panda is all exhausted with the enormous task of saving the planet. He goes to meet Dr. Panda. The latter advises him to drink two glasses of milk everyday. But our Superhero hates the white stuff.

Doc Panda calls up his Mama. "You know Mama has a solution you everything", he tells to our Superhero.
So, Mama comes up this refreshing rose and saffron flavored drink.

Superhero gulps it down in no time. Doc Panda suppresses a smile when he sees Superhero back on his feet.

Read on for the recipe of Superhero's energy potion :

Preparation Time - 5 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 glass cold milk
• 2 tsp gulkand or rose jam
• a pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• 2-3 ice cubes (optional)

Preparation - Soak the saffron in 3 tsp of warm milk for 10 mins.

Add all the ingredients to a mixer jar. Buzz for a few seconds. Yummy milkshake is ready.

Pour in a glass and serve.

So, our Superhero Panda is all recharged and is back on his mission to save the Planet.

Posto Patua

Posto or poppy seeds is very commonly consumed in the western regions of Odisha. Infact, it is used as a substitute for mustard seeds in quite a few curries. Its cooling properties make it an ideal addition to the summer diet. This is a very simple recipe that goes great with hot rice as well as 'Pakhala', the famous watery rice dish from Odisha.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 12-15 mins

Ingredients -

• 5-6 tbsp poppy seeds (posto)
• 1 small onion, chopped into medium pieces
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green chillis
• 1 tsp coriander stems (use whites only)
• 2 pinches of pancha phutana
• 1 dry red chilli
• 2 pinch turmeric
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Dry grind the poppy seeds to a coarse powder in the chutney jar of a grinder. Add a little salt, garlic cloves, green chillis and coriander stems along with a little water to the same jar. Buzz for a few seconds. ( If it is too dry to be ground, add water little by little)

Heat the oil in a wok. Add broken red chillis along with pancha phutana.

Once spluttering starts, add onions. Fry till translucent.

Add the poppy seeds paste along with 1/4 cup water, turmeric and a bit of salt (if required).

Cook till constant stirring till most of the water dries up and the poppy seeds paste does not taste raw anymore. Remove from flame.

Serve hot with white rice and toor dal.

Soya nuggets manchurian

So, my maid is on extended leave and hubby has to attend a dinner tonight. Not much cooking on the cards today. A wholesome pongal and stir fried beans for lunch, and panner paratha for dinner is sure to keep little one happy. Only I am in a mood for something spicy (and effortless at the same time). Too lazy to do the dishes later.

Quickly rummaging though the cupboards, I discover a box of Nutrela soya nuggets staring balefully at me. 'Oh! I did not know we had soya at home', I exclaimed. Quickly turning it over, I check the date on the packaging. Still good. Maybe I got it just after coming back from BBSR and it has been lying unused all the while. A quick recipe demonstrated by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor on 'Khana Khazana' is still fresh in my mind. So, 'Soya Nuggets Manchurian' it is got to be.

Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup soya nuggets
• 1/2 of a small capsicum
• 2 tbsp spring onions chopped
• 1 small onion
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp soya sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp corn flour
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tsp chilli sauce
• 2-3 green chillis
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 3 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking - Cook the soya chunks in a pressure cooker on HIGH flame for 1 whistle. Remove, allow steam to escape and open lid. Drain off the water and wash 2-3 times in fresh water. Squeeze out all the water.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add the soya nuggets. 

Add salt, 1/2 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp chilli sauce and salt to taste.

Carefully sprinkle 1/2 tsp of corn flour uniformly over the nuggets and add just a sprinkle of water.

Toss well to coat all the nuggets. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the chopped onions and fry till a little translucent.

Add chopped ginger and garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes till they darken a bit.

Add the soya sauce, chilli sauce, vinegar and tomato sauce along with 1/2 cup water.

Once it gets to a boil, add the soya nuggets. Boil for 2 minutes.

Add chopped capsicum and half of the spring onion whites.

Dissolve the cornflour in 1/3 cup water and add to it. Allow the gravy to thicken/reduce as you prefer it.

Adjust salt. 

Garnish with spring onion greens . Serve hot with white rice.

Note - Add more cornflour if you want thick gravy.  Similarly, increase the amount of tomato sauce for more sweetness.

Amba Panaa ( Raw mango drink for Holi / Odisha style Aam Panna)

This is a special drink prepared in Oriya households on the occasion of Holi or Dola Yatra as it is commonly known. Small processions of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha ensconced in a 'Doli' or 'palki'  do the rounds of the city. They visit peoples homes where prasad is offered to them.

In keeping with the tradition of offering seasonal produce to the Gods before consuming it, the first mango of the season is offered to Lord Krishna and his consort when they visit someone's house in Odisha. While some people offers the green mangoes itself, others prefer to make a sweet drink out of it. As it is made primarily for offering to God, it is a rather simple drink without too many ingredients. And the green mangoes are neither roasted nor boiled like they do it for the 'Aam Panna' consumed mostly in north.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Ingredients - 3-4 tsp raw mango paste, 2-3 tsp powdered jaggery, 2 pinch pepper powder, a few sweetened boondis, 250 ml water.

Preparation - Mix the raw mango paste, jaggery and pepper powder with water. ( Use a mixer/blender for quick results)

Garnish with the sweetened boondis. Add a few ice cubes if you like.

Serve.

Note - This version of the Amba panaa is offered as Prasad to Lord Krishna during Holi. However, if you making it on a regular day, add some roasted cumin-chilli (jeera-lanka) powder and black salt to enhance the flavors. Also, it tastes best when made with semi-ripe mangoes but they are difficult to come by before the month of April.

Chicken Kofta Biriyani

Sorry about not being able to share any special non-vegetarian recipe on Sunday. To make up for it, I am posting one mid-week.

So, here I am with yet another Biryani recipe. This time it is a special biryani from Awadh. Also known as the 'Pearl Biriyani', this has chicken koftas mixed with flavorful Basmati rice. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time -40 mins

Ingredients - Chicken breast ( 1 no), basmati rice (2 cups), onion (2 large, finely sliced), tomato (1 large + 1 medium, finely chopped), GG paste ( 2 tbsp ), yogurt ( 1/2 cup), whole spices ( 4 cloves, 1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace), kashmiri chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, turmeric powder (1/2 tsp), a handful of mint leaves, 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, oil (2 tbsp), ghee (2tbsp), a generous pinch of saffron, 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup caramelized onions, salt to taste.

For the kofta - 1 tsp cornflour, 1 egg white, 1 small onion (finely chopped), 1-2 green chillis (finely chopped), 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped), 1-2 tsp coriander leaves (finely chopped), a pinch of garam masala, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Preparation - Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Boil with 2 cups water and a little salt till tender. Remove, strain and keep aside to cool. (do not throw away the water)

Shred the chicken breast and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients mentioned under 'For  the Kofta' except for the oil and egg white. Mix together and add the egg white little by little, taking care to prevent it from getting too watery. Make small balls out of the mixture and keep aside.

Soak the saffron in warm milk.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok for deep frying. Add the koftas in small batches. Fry evenly till golden, remove and keep aside.

Add 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed vessel. Add the whole spices and fry till fragrant. (Do NOT burn)

Add the sliced onions and fry till translucent. Add GG paste and cook for till raw smell goes away.

Add all the powdered masalas and fry for 1 minute.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or till tender. Oil should start leaving the sides of the vessel by now. Add the mint and coriander leaves and just mix in.

Add the yogurt and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the washed and drained rice. Add 2 cups of warm water, and close the lid. Cook for 1 whistle.

-Remove and keep aside for 10 minutes. Open the lid.

Meanwhile grease a thick bottomed vessel with ghee. Add 1/3 of the cooked rice to it and spread evenly with a spatula. Add 1/3 of the koftas, some caramelized onion and a little of the saffron milk.

Repeat with the remaining rice, koftas, caramelized onions and saffron milk. Put a thick cloth over the mouth of the vessel and then cover with a heavy lid.

Heat a heavy tawa on a low flame. Place the vessel over the tawa and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes.

Remove and open the lid. Fluff up and mix the layers with a fork.

Serve hot with raita.

+8+

Chattua Panaa

'Panaa Sankranti ' or 'Mahavisubha Sankranti' which falls on 14th April signals the beginning of the Oriya new year. On this day, a special drink is offered as prasad and is also widely consumed by the masses. Various regions within Odisha have their own localized version of this drink, but the two most popular ones happen to be the 'Chattu Panna' and the 'Bela Panaa'. While the former has a base of roasted gram dal (sattu in Hindi/chattua in Oriya) along with fruits, the latter is made from the pulp of the fruit of the Elephant apple tree. This tree is more commonly referred to as the 'Bel' tree and is sacred for most Hindus, particularly the Shaivites (devotees of Lord Shiva).

You might be wondering as to the timing of my post. Well, it has started getting a little hot and we are drinking a lot of juices/liquids these days. So, when it came up during a recent discussion that India has such a huge variety of drinks to offer, we tried to do a verbal recall of the stuff that we have tried till date. Now even my husband found it hard to recall that we have this 'delicious 'Panaa' to Odisha's credit. Hence an attempt to bring the focus back on this special drink that is both healthy and filling. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Ingredients - 3 tsp chattua ( roasted gram dal flour ), 1 small banana, 1/2 of one apple, 2 tsp yogurt, 3 tsp chenna ( panner ), 1 tsp sugar or 1.5 tsp powdered jaggery, a pinch of cardamom, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tsp freshly grated coconut for garnishing.

Preparation - Chop the banana and apples into small pieces. Lightly crumble the chenna/paneer.

Transfer everything into a grinder jar. Buzz for a few seconds till the sugar gets dissolved.

Check the consistency. While it is generally kept thick, you can add a little more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Pour into a glass and garnish with grated coconut. (Add 2-3 ice cubes if desired)

Serve immediately.

Quick Kesar Kalakand (Holi Special)

Kalakand is a classic Indian dessert that requires hours of slogging in the kitchen to prepare a single batch and undoubtedly years of practice to perfect it. But the crumbly melt-in-the-mouth goodness more than makes up for the effort. It was quite by chance that I came across this quick version of 'Kalakand' when leafing though Tarla Dalal's cookbook. First, I was not looking for a dessert. Secondly, while I had seen the recipe pics earlier, I had not even glanced at the time required to prepare it. But this time when I noticed that it would take less than 20 minutes to get a batch ready, I promptly added it to my 'Holi Special' menu.

The only thing that we need to take care of is the quality of the paneer.  It should be fresh (no frozen ones allowed) and soft ( Check out the Delhi Panner at Total Superstore or Hypercity) . Also do not overcook the mixture. I have a confession to make. I would never have dared to prepare this dessert had it not been for Tarla Dalal's recipe. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 3/4 cup finely grated paneer, 1/2 cup fresh cream, 1/4 cup sugar, 8 tbsp milk powder, 1/2 tsp cornflour, a generous pinch of saffron, 4 tbsp milk.

Preparation - Soak the saffron in 2 tbsp warm/hot milk.

Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tbsp of milk at room temperature.

Cooking - Heat a wok. Add grated panner, fresh cream, sugar and milk powder to it. Mix everything and cook on a low flame.

Add the saffron milk after 2 minutes.

Cook till the mixture starts coming together and leaving the sides of the wok. (continuous stirring is required throughout the process)

Add the cornflour mix at this time. Cook for another 2 minutes and remove from flame.

Spread uniformly on a flat vessel or thali into a layer of about 1.5 cm thickness. Keep it in the fridge for half an hour to set the mixture. Remove and cut into cubes.

Garnish with a few strands of saffron and nuts and serve.

Note - I have used Kesar or saffron as the flavoring. One can also stick to cardamon flavor as mentioned in the original recipe or experiment with a range of flavors like chocolate, mango and even pineapple.

Stuffed Dahi Vada

Another Holi special recipe from my kitchen. Dahi vadas are a hit with almost everyone. From the tiny watered down version popular in Odisha to the huge ones immersed in a thick gravy of sweet and spicy yogurt, this snack has got quite a few varieties throughout India.

I have stuffed the vadas with a potato and veggie mixture to make them more filling. Serve these dahi vadas with a hidden twist to your friends/guests. Do make some extra as they will surely be asking for seconds. Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time : 20-25 mins


Ingredients: Urad dal ( 1 cup ), green chillis (chopped), onion ( 1 small, finely chopped ), curd ( 1 1/2 cup ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), amchur powder ( 1/3 tsp ) , baking powder ( 1/3 tsp ), semolina ( suji , 1 tbs ), black salt( kala namak ) , salt, oil ( for frying ), coriander leaves (optional ).

For the stuffing - 1 cup boiled and mashed potato, 1 cup chopped vegetables ( corn, carrots, beans, green peas, beetroot - any 2-3 will do ), 1 small onion ( finely chopped), 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder, salt to taste, 2 tsp oil.

Preparation: Soak urad dal for 3-4 hours. Grind into a smooth paste. Add salt and allow to stand for 5-6 hours.

Add a little portion of the curd to some warm water in a mixing bowl. Add a little salt and mix well.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the chopped vegetables along with coriander powder and fry for 3 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes along with salt and chilli powder. Cook for 3-4 minutes, add roasted cumin powder and mix well. Remove from flame and keep aside to cool down.

Take the batter in a mixing bowl. Mix the suji and baking powder into the batter.

Take water in a deep vessel. Add 3-4 tsp curd and salt.

Heat the oil in a wok.

Put a ladle of the batter on a plastic sheet ( used milk packets are ideal ). Add a spoonful of the stuffing in the center. Fold and close the plastic sheet to bring the ends of the batter togather. Carefully slide the stuffed vada  into the oil. Fry till it turns brown . Remove the fried vadas and add to the curd water.

Allow to soak for 1-2 hours.

Beat the rest of the curd in a mixing bowl with salt, cumin powder, amchur, black salt and chilli powder. Add a little water if needed.

Remove the soaked vadas from the curd water and transfer to a plate. Add the beaten curd over it. Sprinkle the onions, green chillis, coriander leaves, cumin and chilli powder over it.

Note - You can stuff the vadas with a mix of raisins and dry fruits also if you prefer a richer (and calorie high) version of the recipe.

Chettinad Veg Biriyani

So, its a Sunday. And I am back with a special recipe. But this time it happens to be a vegetarian one. The last week was a little hectic and we ended up eating out/ordering food on most days. As I have not really done much cooking, did not get the chance to prepare any non-veg dish at home.

In fact, I was wondering about my Sunday special post when I came to know that some guests would be coming over. And with them being vegetarian, I thought of making this biryani. (One pot meals like this are a life-saver when you are running short on time) Read on for the recipe:

Preparation Time - 45 mins - 1 hour

Ingredients - Button mushroom ( 400 gm ), paneer ( 200 gm ), chopped carrot ( 1 cup ), green peas ( 1/2 cup ), chopped cauliflower ( 1 cup ), finely chopped tomato ( 2 nos, large ), thinly sliced onion ( 2 nos, large ), basmati rice ( 3 cups ), green chillis ( 3 nos ), ginger garlic paste ( 2 tbsp ), 1 cup chopped mint leaves, 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves, 6 cloves, 1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 3 marathi moggu, 1 mace, 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 3 1/2 tbsp ghee, 2 tbsp oil, salt to taste.

For the marinade - 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder, 3-4 tsp (heaped Chettinad masala, salt.

Preparation - Take the yogurt, chettinad masala, salt and both chilli powders in a mixing bowl. Beat lightly so that all the spices are mixed and no lumps remain.

Clean and cut the mushrooms into half.
Transfer the mushrooms along with the chopped cauliflower, carrots and green peas into the marinade bowl. Mix thoroughly. Keep aside for 1 - 1 1/2 hour.

Chop the panner into cubes. Put into hot water in which a little salt and turmeric have been added.

Cooking - Heat the oil and 2 tbsp ghee in a wok. Add the sliced onions and slit green chillis. Fry till onions turn translucent.

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 4 minutes or till raw smell goes away. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric and chilli powder. Fry for 1 minute or less.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook till soft. (Cover with a lid to make it quick)

Add the chopped mint and coriander. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the marinated vegetables and cook alternately on HIGH and MEDIUM flame. The excess water from the vegetables and mushroom should evaporate but without turning them too mushy. ( a little bit of water is OK )

Add the panner 1-2 minutes before switching off the flame. Keep aside.

Wash and drain the basmati rice. Keep aside.

Heat the remaining ghee in a 5 liter pressure cooker. Add the whole spices like bay leaf, crushed cardamon, cinnamon, mace, star anise, cloves and marathi moggu. Fry for 30 seconds.

Put half of the vegetables into the pressure cooker and spread into a even layer with spatula. Layer half of the rice over it. Then put another layer of the vegetables followed by the final layer of rice. Carefully pour 3 cups of warm water over the rice and vegetables without disturbing the layers too much. Sprinkle salt and a little ghee (optional).

Close the lid and put on the weight. Cook on high for 4 minutes and then on a very low flame for 10 minutes. (You might get 2-3 whistles during this period).

Remove from flame and keep aside (undisturbed) for 20 minutes. Open and fluff the rice with a long-pronged fork.

Serve hot with a simple raita.

Note - Even when cooking in a pressure cooker, layering helps to distribute the spices and condiments uniformly throughout the rice. However if you just mix the rice and vegetables, the latter have a tendency to come to the surface after the addition of water.