Brown Rice Pongal

Have been trying to incorporate either brown rice or cracked wheat (daliya) into my diet at least 4 times a week. While I have got the hang of daliya, brown rice is still not my cup of tea ( or grain ). I find it tough to like brown rice but I still keep trying various recipes. This one however is something that I really loved. A typical Ven Pongal made with brown rice, the flavour of ghee, curry leaves, asafoetida and jeera is just sufficient to mask that unappealing smell of brown rice. The heat from the chilis is also a plus. Hopefully I can now stick to having brown rice twice a week without failing.

Read on for the easy recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/3 cup yellow moong dal
• 1 broken red chili
• 1/2 green chili
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 pinch carom seeds
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 2 generous pinch asafoetida
• 1 1/2 tsp ghee
• salt to taste
• 3 cups hot water

Cooking - Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker.  Add red chili, green chili, cumin, carom seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Fry for 30 seconds.

Wash and add the brown rice and moong dal. Fry for 2-3 minutes or till a fragrance comes.

Add the hot water and salt. Close lid and cook for 4 whistles.  Allow steam to escape before opening.

Serve hot with roasted papad and yogurt.

Brown Rice Pulao

Its 'World Health Day' today on the 7th of April. Time to get a clear perspective on our health and eating habits. So let us all take a pledge on this day to eat right and eat healthy.

Nothing more apt than a brown rice dish enriched with lots of vegetables and packed with soya protein for lunch/dinner on this day. I had this packet of brown rice lying around for sometime and I was reluctant to use it. When I finally prepare the pulao, it tasted better than what I imagined. Just give it a try if you haven't and you will not regret it!!

Read on for the easy recipe -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1 1/2 cup mixed vegetables ( carrots, cauliflower, green peas, french beans, potaoes, onions )
• a handful of soya chunks
• 3 tsp oil
• 1 tsp ghee (optional)
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/5 tsp garam masala
• a bit of star anise
• strand of mace
• a pinch of nutmeg
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 1/3 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste

Preparation - Soak the soya chunks in boiling water for 15-20 mins. Squeeze out the water and wash 2-3 times in fresh water.

Soak the brown rice separately in warm water for 1 hour.

Cooking - Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add all the vegetables and soya chunks. Fry on medium high flame for 5-6 mins. Remove and keep aside.

Add the remaining oil into the same cooker. Add the cumin seeds and whole spices (except nutmeg). Fry for 10-12 seconds.

Add the washed and drained brown rice. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add 2 1/4 cups boiling water to the cooker. Add the fried vegetables, soya chunks, chilli powder, coriander, garam masala, salt and turmeric. Mix well.

Drizzle the ghee and nutmeg powder on over the contents of the cooker. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 whistles or till done.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid.

Serve hot with some cooling raita and onion slices.