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Showing posts with label Black Rice recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black Rice recipes. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Black rice and Seafood salad

Salads are becoming a regular feature during lunch these days. I am absolutely smitten with 'one bowl' meals and what better than a gorgeous salad to fill up one of these. But with my husband and kid preferring some 'real khana' and my schedule more packed than usual, i have to throw together whatever I can lay my hands. As a result, sometimes the salad turns out to be just plain 'meh' and at other times it is just 'wow'.

Black rice is one of my usual suspects as it is packed with nutrients and delicious to boost. However I have to say that it is an acquired taste. While the nuttiness works really well for desserts, one takes a little time to get used to the savory dishes. Another ingredient that works really well with black rice is seafood. Think shrimps, octopus or even squid. However since I only had shrimps in stock, I made the salad using shrimps and a really amazing gourmet sauce. It turned out really well and hence it is eligible to make it to the blog. 

Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 15 mins ( I had cooked black rice in stock else add another 15 mins of cooking time )

Ingredients -

  • 1 1/2 cup cooked black rice ( firm to touch )
  • 1/2 cup shrimps
  • 1 red onion (finely sliced)
  • 1 1/2 tsp ginger juliennes
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • sea salt
  • 2 tsp Sprig Mango Jalapeno Gourmet sauce (or as required)

Preparation - Toss shrimp with a bit of olive oil on a hot skillet till it turns pink.

Prepare a dressing with the thinly sliced red onions, SPRIG Mango Jalapeno gourmet sauce, ginger juliennes, lime juice and a dash of olive oil.

Take the cooked rice and the shrimps in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the dressing and season with sea salt . Toss everything together.

Serve at room temperature.






Sunday, January 8, 2017

Black Rice On a Platter(share) !!

Image source : Plattershare.com
















It's the latest superfood on the block. Nutty tasting, low in GI and loaded with anti-oxidants. black rice has been around for ages. But the world is just waking up to it's goodness.

Oriyarasoi and Plattershare.com bring you a collection of the most exotic black rice recipes. Click on to know everything that you would want to know about this amazing ingredient -


Black Rice - Is it still forbidden ? Enjoy 9 Healthy and Easy Black Rice Recipes 

Some of the recipes at a glimpse -















Thank you team Plattershare for the feature !!

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Black Rice Sushi ( Welcome 2017 )

A fresh new year. New hopes. And new beginnings. Without any doubt, it is that day of the year when we are at out optimistic best. The more superstitious among us would like to put the events unfolding on this very day as the harbinger for the rest of the year. But it is important to believe that while cosmic events do influence our life, we too are an integral part of the universe. And the vibes (both positive/negative) given out by us are ultimately adding to the energies that surround us.

Apart from the 'positive thinking', 'eating healthy' happens to be one of my top resolutions for 2017. While it is true that I did not actually wait for the year to commence to get on with my resolutions, I plan to stick to it with greater diligence this year. It includes cutting down on meat and fish to introducing more of superfoods like broccoli, black rice, quinoa, chia seeds in my everyday diet. Plus there will be greater focus on native superfoods like amaranth, spinach, gooseberry, turmeric, alsi (flaxseeds) and subza(basil) .

Starting the year on a healthy note, the first post of 2017 is a super healthy 'Black Rice Sushi' with a filling of tofu, avocado, carrot and cucumber. This is one recipe that can easily be made a part of one's lunchbox. I am skipping the Nori sheets as I want to keep it completely vegan. Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 35 mins

Ingredients -
  • 1 cup sticky Black rice
  • 1 small carrot (cut into long pieces)
  • 1 small cucumber (cut into long pieces)
  • Tofu (cut into long pieces)
  • avocado (cut into long pieces)
For the Sushi rice vinegar or 'Tezu' -
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar ( use rice vinegar if you have it )
  • a drops of soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp water
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • salt taste

Preparation  - Soak the black rice overnight.

Steam the carrot pieces till tender.

Mix the ingredients for the 'Tezu' in a cup.

Cook the black rice till it is slightly mushy. Add the tezu and mix it in. Allow to stand till it cools down and is just bearable to touch.

Take a aluminium foil and spread some of the black rice in a rectangle shape keeping about 1 1/2 - 2 inch space from the margins.

Place the tofu and the vegetable slices in the center of the rectangle. Lightly moisten the edges of the rice.

Gently grabbing the foil from the sides and using your fingers, roll it over keeping the vegetables in the center. Roll over a few times .

Remove the aluminium foil

Take a very sharp knife, moisten it and cut the sushi into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces.

[ Do check the video at the bottom of this post to learn the tricks of making a Sushi. ]

Serve it with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce.






How to roll a sushi without using a Nori sheet -






Friday, December 30, 2016

Thai Black Rice and Coconut Pudding ( Vegan Recipe )

Black rice. There is something magical about this ingredient that goes beyond it's qualities. Yes, it is highly Instagram-worthy. And cooked the right way, it can induce nothing less than a a food-orgasm. Plus it is one of the most versatile ingredients that I have worked with. Very filling and a little quantity goes a long way. Given a chance I could go on and on about my sentiments for this wonder ingredient but for now, I can just about summarize it as a mixture of love bordering on obsession.

Back to this 'Sticky Black rice and Coconut Pudding' recipe, I fell in love with the very sound of it. Caught it for the first time while surfing on television and looked up the recipe on the web. But since I had no access to black rice at that point of time, it was relegated to some corner of my memory. Only recently did it pop up once again when I was collating all the black rice dishes that I have worked on in the last few months. I realized that I had missed out on the very first dish which had triggered my interest in this wonderfully exotic ingredient.

A native Thai recipe made with the short grained glutinous black rice, I have not made any major changes to it . Except for substituting the Thai rice with another short grained variety cultivated in India. Original recipe is taken from - thekitchn.com . Don't mistake it for the Kavuni Arisi Payasam (from Chettinad) or the Amubi (from North East India ) .

Read on -

















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -
  • 1 cup black rice 
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup thin coconut milk
  • 4 heaped teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • thin coconut slices for garnishing

Preparation - Wash and soak the black rice in 3 cups of water. Let it stand overnight.

Cooking - Transfer the soaked rice along with the soaking water and the thin coconut milk to a thick-bottomed saucepan, Bring to a boil on low heat.

Once the rice is about 3/4th done, add the brown sugar and salt. Let it simmer till all the liquid dries up. (The last 3-4 mins are crucial and one has to be careful not to burn the pudding.)

Around the same time, dry roast the coconut slices on a iron skillet. Take care to keep the heat low else they tend to burn. Once they are light brown , remove from the flame and keep aside.

Garnish with the roasted coconut slices. Serve warm.





























Thursday, December 29, 2016

Black Rice And Pumpkin Soup ( My experiments with Ambila )

 IMP - Black Rice And Pumpkin Soup is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


Ambila. Sweet, sour and with a hint of chilli, this traditional soup from Odisha is a hot favorite during the winter months. It has quite a few variations in terms of the vegetables used and the choice of souring ingredient. While availability of certain ingredients is definitely an important factor, the major influence lies in the preference of the local populace. Though dried mango is the most popular souring agent used, tamarind or even sour curd is preferred by certain people. The sweetness also varies as per personal preferences. Strangely enough, the absence of any sweetening agent is enough to label it as 'Kanji', another close cousin of the ambila.

While both these traditional recipes are quite popular in my home, I picked the 'Ambila' for a makeover because of the 'sweet' component. The strong earthy flavor of black rice pairs rather well with coconut and jaggery, both of which are integral to the 'Ambila'. The deep hue (anthocyanins) of the black rice adds a whole new appeal to this traditional recipe.

Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 35 mins ( plus 30 mins soaking )

Ingredients - 

  • 1/2 cup sliced pumpkin
  • 3-4 tbsp black rice ( coarsely ground )
  • 4 tsp jaggery ( or as per taste )
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 1-2 dried mangoes pieces
  • 1/2 tsp pancha phutana 
  • 1-2 dry red chilis
  • 1 1/2 tsp canola/rice bran oil
  • a  pinch of turmeric
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Soak the coarsely powdered rice for 30 mins in 1/2 cup. 

Soak the dried mango pieces separately in 1/3 cup water

Cooking - Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a deep vessel. Add the pumpkin slices along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the soaked rice and let it boil for 15 mins.

Stir in the jaggery and grated coconut. Boil for 5 mins.

Finally add the dried mango along with the water used for soaking. Adjust the salt. Keep boiling for 5 mins.

In another small pan, heat 1 tsp oil. Add the broken red chili and pancha phutana. Once it starts spluttering, pour it over the ambila.

Serve hot.
























Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Black Rice Modak ( Sijha Manda gets a Makeover )

IMP - Black Rice Modak  is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.



In Odisha, we have a very famous proverb which goes like 'bara masa teyra parba'. It means that the number of festivals that we celebrate outnumbers even the number of months in a year. And 'pithas' are a very important part of most Odia festivals. Traditionally made with rice, they are usually stuffed with a sweet coconut / chenna filling. A 'Pitha' is not very sweet like a dessert. Since most 'pithas' are usually served with a lentil curry or even warm milk, just a hint of sweetness is enough.

Sadly, semolina (suji) or maida/atta usually replacing rice in most 'pithas' these days. As people increasing view rice as a villain which causes weight gain, rice is being edged out from these traditional recipes. But while the 'pitha' made with semolina or refined flour may taste better, it can hardly be termed as an healthy choice. Switching to a better grade of rice seemed the most plausible decision. Being a food blogger, one is not only aware of current food trends but also the nutritional values of most ingredients. Hence, when I decided to keep it healthy as well as tasty, black rice turned out to be the top contender among all other ingredients.

Sijha Manda or Sukla Manda is one of the most popular 'pithas' from Odisha. It is an integral part of all the Lakshmi pujas. It can be described as a steamed rice dumpling with a sweetened stuffing. Hardly surprising that it was one of the first few recipes that came to my mind when I wanted to experiment with black rice as an ingredient in a traditional Odia dish. 

Read on for the recipe - 


















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients - 

  • 1 cup black rice
  • 2 tsp semolina
  • 2 tbsp almond meal ( powdered almonds )
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut
  • jaggery as per taste ( 3-4 tbsp )
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 2 pinch cardamom
  • 2 pinch salt

Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 1 hour.

Strain and spread out the rice grains on a flat surface. Let it dry in the sun for 2 hours or till surface moisture is no longer perceptible. 

Grind into a fine powder.

Cooking - Boil 2 cups of water in a pan. Add the jaggery, ghee, coconut and almond meal.

Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, add the powdered rice in small batches while stirring continuously. Take care to avoid the formation of lumps.

Cook on low flame for about 10 mins. Then add the semolina and cook for another 5 mins till everything forms a tight dough. Remove and keep aside to cool it down.

Once the temperature is bearable, rub a little ghee on your hands and knead the dough for 5 mins.

Divide the dough into 10-12 portions . Give a desired shape to each portion.

Steam the dumplings for 10-15 mins.

Serve warm.



Thursday, December 22, 2016

Fried Forbidden Rice ( Easy Chinese Fried Rice recipe with Black Rice )

Fried rice with black rice ! I could almost imagine a pair of slit eyes fixed on me in a stern stare even as the 'Fu Manchu' mustache quivered ever so slightly in anger. I barely suppressed a laugh as I imagined the receding hairline that lay hidden beneath the Imperial crown. Would he have lunged at me and snatched away my delectable meal ? Or would he have ordered the royal guards to behead me ? After all, I was relishing the 'Forbidden rice' which was exclusively meant for the Chinese emperor.

No, I am not referring to a certain Timur/ Taimur who is once again hogging the limelight after all these years. Nor do I have anything against his infant namesake who might end up being the butt of all kinds of 'lame' jokes. For those who missed the humor, the original Taimur was actually lame as suggests his nickname 'Timur-e-Lang'. The guy is rumored to have perished while trying to get past the great wall so it must have been someone from the Ming dynasty who forbid the peasant class from consuming  black rice. But anyways, the point is that this strikingly beautiful hued rice was once the exclusive forte of the royals. And for a good reason !

Those who have been following my blog religiously must be quite aware that I have been smitten with it for sometime. And though this one is yet another of my experiments with the nutty flavored rice which turns a deep purple once cooked, it made me fall in love with it once again. For the umpteenth time .

Quick, easy-to-prepare and heavenly in taste, this one is a must-try. Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

  • 2 cups cooked black rice
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar ( or rice vinegar )
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (heaped) brown sugar
  • 3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves 
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot pieces 
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped spring onions 
  • 1/4 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Take the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili powder, 2 pinch salt and 3 tsp water in a cup. Mix well.

Cooking - Heat a skillet. Add the sesame oil.

Once oil is hot, thrown in the garlic and let it release it's aroma.

Add the vegetable and saute on high for 2 mins.

Add the sauce and cook for a minute.

Stir in the cooked black rice. Stir fry on high for 2-3 mins.

Adjust salt.

































Remove from the flame and serve hot with some fried tofu.























Check Out more Black Rice Recipes. 

Friday, December 9, 2016

Pumpkin, Black Rice and Sun Dried Tomatoes Salad ( Christmas Special Colab )

These days there is a slight nip in the air, a certain spring in my steps, a smile on my lips and a rather familiar melody keeps playing in my head at all times of the day. And all this is making me feel more generous than ever. Little wonder that they also call Christmas as the 'season of giving'. No prizes for guessing that it is none other than 'Jingle bells' that's been on my mind all this time.

And I suspect that everyone who has been brought up in the sleepy little town of Rourkela also feels the same way about this festival. Giving the thriving numbers of the Christian community in our place, most of us were blessed to have a very special christian friend. For me, Christmas was all about hogging on cakes and more desserts at my special friend's house. And walking through the rows of shops selling all those glitzy stars and baubles! Of course living near a church and studying in a convent meant that those carols too had become an integral part of those days. No wonder Christmas makes me feel so nostalgic !

Coming back to the food, while it is the cakes, breads and pot-roasts which occupy center-stage during the Christmas festivities, the sides are equally important in my opinion as they help in balancing out the entire meal. And with the sugary stuff tipping the calorific scales, a filling salad is all I can ask for. Keeping it vegan is a personal choice though. While I prefer rice or pasta, feel free to use ricotta or feta cheese as a substitute (though I would rather not call it so as the former is carbs while the latter is all protein). And with this being a collaboration post, there are more such savory recipe ideas to help you out with a Christmas lunch/brunch/dinner.

Read on for my rather simple and yet wholesome recipe that boasts of a melange of flavors ( imagine the earthy flavor of spinach, the nuttiness of the black rice, the sweetness of the caramelized pumpkin and the tartness of the sun-dried tomatoes ) that have just been brought together in a manner that invokes sheer delight. And I bet you would calling for the seconds instead of reaching out for that rather sinful cheesecake -

















Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients - 

  • 1 cup cubed pumpkin
  • 1/3 cups black rice
  • 1/2 cup spinach (blanched)
  • 7-8 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tsp EVOO
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • freshly ground pepper
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Toss the pumpkin cubes with some of the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle salt and put in the oven. Roast at 180 C till it shows signs of browning / caramelization. 

Cook the black rice separately till it is cooked yet slightly firm to touch.

Mix the olive oil, honey, orange juice and remaining vinegar in a bowl.

Take the black rice, roasted pumpkin, blanched spinach, chopped sundried tomatoes in a bowl. Sprinkle the dressing all over it. Toss together.

Season with salt and ground pepper.

Serve warm. Or slightly chilled ( letting it sit in the fridge also allows the flavors to come together which makes it taste better ).

































And there is more to be discovered as my amazing blogger friends share some of their delectable Christmas recipe !! Scroll down for more drool-worthy discoveries - 

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Black Rice Truffles with Coconut Custard ( The Vegan Attakali )

IMP - This is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 


At times, when I look at food, my thoughts begin to wander far and wide. How would a dish look like if it were to be prepared in a different realm or even in a different era ? That inspires me to take a very mundane everyday dish and give it a makeover. For me a makeover is all about preserving the very soul of a recipe while mutating it into something very different. And that is exactly what I have done with the 'attakali', a traditional Odia dessert. Of course, this recipe is a late Teacher's day tribute to Masterchef Vikas Khanna for it is his show 'Twist of Taste' that really inspires me to take on such mammoth challenges.

For the uninitiated, 'attakali' consists of rice balls immersed in a rice custard (more like a phirni). It is quite low in calories as compared to other desserts and is usually prepared on certain festive days. In my recipe, I have used two varieties of rice. The black or purple rice from Manipur is used to create the rice balls and the sweet smelling Gobindo bhog from Bengal is cooked in coconut milk to create a vegan custard. The nuttiness of the black rice complements the sweetness of the Gobindo bhog to build a unique flavor. This is a vegan version of the 'attakali'.

Read on for the recipe -




















Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

For the rice balls -


  • 1/2 cup Black (Manipur) rice 
  • 3-4 tsp jaggery
  • 2 tsp almond paste (optional)
  • a pinch of cardamom
  • toasted sesame seeds for garnishing



For the coconut custard


  • 3 tsp Gobindo bhog rice ( one can use Jeera rice instead ) 
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 2-3 tsp sugar 
  • 2 pinch white pepper powder
  • toasted charoli seeds

Preparation - Wash and soak the two rice varieties separately . 

Grind the purple rice into a fine paste without using too much water. Add the jaggery and grind it again. Keep aside

Grind the Gobindo bhog rice separately.

Cooking - 

For making the rice balls -

Boil about 1/4 cup water in a wok. 

Add the purple rice and jaggery paste. Cook on low to medium flame as it thickens. 

Once it starts to solidify, add the almond paste and the cardamom powder. Remove from the flame and keep aside it is bearable to touch the dough.

Rub a few drops of oil on the fingers and knead it again. Divide the dough into small portions and shape into balls by rolling between the palms. 

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on a plate. Roll these balls gently on the seeds.

For the coconut custard -

Bring the coconut milk and sugar to a gentle boil. Add the Gobindo bhog rice paste and keep stirring it till it thickens to a thin custard like consistency. 

Add the powdered white pepper and toasted charoli at this stage. Mix it in. Remove from the flame. Let it cool down before popping it into the fridge for 15 mins.

Serve the rice balls (at room temperature) with a dollop of the chilled coconut-rice custard. 


















Note - Want to look up the original 'Attakali' recipe ? Check out HERE.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Kiwi and Black Rice Phirni ( An exotic rice pudding )

Important - This is an original recipe and has been published for the first time. Please do not copy/reproduce without approval of the owner.

Thanks to my numerous food posts on Facebook and other social media, I keep getting bombarded with requests from foodie friends . "Kabhi hame khane par toh bulao" is the most common rant that I get to here on a day to day basis. So, when a special friend arrived last weekend, it was time to create yet another magical recipe just for him. Is there a better way of making someone feel special ? Not really when the person in question is a die-hard foodie.

So, did I pull on my thinking cap ?? Or scour the supermarket shelves for some inspiration ? No. I did not do anything of that sort. I had a Black rice Phirni waiting for me in the drafts. The timing seemed perfect to debut my special dessert. Now I had been planning to prepare it for sometime but the inclement weather in Blore had dulled my taste for all things sweet. But as the sun shone bright, it seemed that the weather Gods were in tandem with my wishes.

I used jaggery as a sweetener to bring out the naturally nutty taste of the black rice. Instead of using nuts of any kind, I decided to top it up with a fruit. Makes it healthier and the acidity in the fruit acts as the perfect foil to the sweetness of the phirni. Luckily, I had quite a few options stocked up but I decided to pick on the Kiwi as it makes for a lovely contrast with the lavender hues of the black rice .

Read on -
























Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -
  • 1 liter whole milk 
  • 4 tbsp black rice powder
  • 4 tsp jaggery or as per taste ( I used the light hued variety )
  • 2 kiwis ( for topping )
  • 1/2 cup cold milk for mixing with the rice powder

Preparation - Soak the black rice grains for 4 hours. Drain and spread on a plate to air dry. Once the surface moisture evaporates, grind it into a powder.

Mix the rice powder in the cold milk.

Cooking - Boil the milk till it reduces to half of the original volume. 

Pour in the rice mixture and keep stirring till it starts to thicken a bit. Once the consistency reaches that of a custard, mix in the powdered jaggery.

Remove from the flame and allow it to cool down a bit.

Pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours.

Just before serving, peel and chop the kiwi into thin half-moon slices.

Pour the phirni into dessert glasses. Top it up with the kiwi and serve.




































Note - Jaggery can cause the milk to curdle as it contains residual traces of alum. Hence I usually prefer to add it just before removing the phirni/kheer from the flame.


Monday, July 11, 2016

Black Rice Risotto ( Comfort food takes a Vegan turn )

Khichdi for the Indians. Risotto for the Italians. Comfort food can take any name but ultimately it is all about conveying the feeling of sheer happiness. The feeling of being connected to everything dear yet the euphoria of soaring in the clouds without any strings attached. That's the magic of comfort food. It makes you feel alive all over. Again and again.

And that's precisely why we go seeking for our grandmother's or mother's recipes when we are feeling low. It triggers all those childhood memories of being held in a warm embrace, being rocked to comfort and then being pampered silly with the dish of our choice. Of the phenomenal taste of all those slow cooked recipes that only love and patience can achieve. And lots of patience is what it takes to cook up a risotto. Especially when you are making it black rice.

Unlike the traditional variety that calls for the use of wine and cheese, I made one without using either. I added a touch of vinegar to get that acidity and used some almond milk towards the end for that creamy texture. Cooked it in a open shallow pan by adding just enough liquid at regular intervals. And loved the way it turned out. Nice, rich, creamy and nutty. 

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 90 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1/2 cup Black rice
  • 8 almonds 
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 1 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups vegetable broth ( optional , I use water )
  • salt to taste
  • parsley for garnishing


Preparation - Wash and soak the black rice overnight.

Soak the almonds separately.

Peel the almonds and grind into a fine paste . Dilute with 1/2 cup water and grind for another 30 seconds. Strain the almond milk.

Cooking - Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onions and garlic. Saute till the onions just start to caramelize.

Add the drained rice and give it a gentle stir.

Add 1 cup broth/water along with the vinegar. Sprinkle some salt. Let it cook uncovered till the liquid is almost absorbed/evaporated.

Add another cup of liquid and let it cook. Repeat the process till the rice is mushy and the risotto looks creamy.

Add the almond milk and the coarsely ground pepper. Stir it in . Adjust the salt if required.

Remove from the flame .

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.





Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Chaak Hao Tann ( Or my version of the Black Rice Pancakes from North-East )

A feeling of 'deja vu' overcame me when I first stumbled upon this recipe on the internet. Was it because of an uncanny resemblance to the Arissa pitha? Or was it something else that triggered that sensation ? I am still not very sure apart from the fact that these pancakes had a very solid first impression on me. And that new-found love further intensified when I bit into them for the first time. Of course I tweaked the recipe a little bit keeping my taste buds in mind, but still the results were sensational. For now, I claim to have become a black-rice convert !!

Chak Hao or black rice is a aromatic rice variety that is native to Manipur ( or maybe small pockets in the entire north-east region but I am not too sure of that ). So special is this variety that an Emperor in China had banned the cultivation of this rice for the masses. Hence it came to be known as the 'Forbidden Rice'. This variety of rice contains gluten and hence people with Celiac diseae should not consume it. But for others, this the best variety of rice for a number of reasons.

Black rice has a very high proportion of antioxidants which is crucial to the prevention of cancer and Alzheimer's . Its high anthocyanin content is very much capable of lowering the risk of heart attacks and controlling high cholesterol levels. Plus it is grown organically which results in higher nutrient value and zero exposure to chemicals.

Read on for the recipe ( Sourced from HERE ) -



















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup Black rice
  • 1/2 cup Atta (flour)
  • 3 tbsp powdered jaggery
  • 1 tsp fennel (coarsely powdered)
  • 2 tsp ghee


Preparation - Wash and soak the black rice overnight. Drain the water and transfer to a grinder jar.


















Grind the rice into a smooth paste. (If it feels dry, use some the water that we had drained earlier)

Add the powdered jaggery and grind again.

Transfer the batter into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup flour and the powdered fennel seeds.

Mix everything to get a firm dough. If it feels wet or stick, add a little more flour to make it firm.

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.

Rub a little ghee on the hands and roll each portion into a ball. Then flatten it into a disc of about 4 mm thickness.

Cooking - Heat a skillet or tawa. Grease with a little ghee.

Place the discs on the skillet and drizzle more ghee on the sides.

Cook on low flame till one side is done. Then flip it over and add a little more ghee. Both surfaces should get a layer of crispness while the center should remain moist. Remove and keep aside.

Allow it to cool down before serving.



















Should stay fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge ( not tested yet as mine got over on the same day ).


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