COOKING KHICHDI

In Nepal , when someone is ill or recovering from illness, then dalia and moong dal khichdi are often served to him/her. even doctors recommend khichdi to patients. in ayurveda, moong is one lentil which is recommended for balancing all three doshas (kapha, pitta & vata). even plain mung dal khichdi sans any seasoning or spices is consumed as part of a detox diet.

i already have two more moong dal khichdi recipes on the blog but both are no onion no garlicrecipes. moong dal khichdi recipe made for ganesh chaturthi festival and bengali moong dal khichdi(bhaja muger khichuri) for durga puja celebrations.

in this moong dal khichdi, onions & tomatoes are added and thats how i make a simple basic khichdi at home on regular days. moong beans are healthy and easy to digest. so when your stomach is upset then it is best to have khichdi. it can also be served to small babies, since it is easy to digest.

i usually prepare khichdi in the pressure cooker. if you do not have a pressure cooker, then make the khichdi in the pot. you will have to add some more water when cooking in a pot.
you can serve moong dal khichdi with curd or an accompanying raita or papad. i also like to drizzle some lemon juice on the khichdi and prefer with some finely chopped vegetable salad. also don’t forget to top the khichdi with a spoon of ghee while serving

here is a variation of a khichdi recipe that is slightly spicy and includes mix veggies. warm, comforting and nutritious.

i started cooking this particular recipe many years back and still do. it is one of our favorite rice-lentils based one pot recipe. any khichdi recipe is quick to prepare in a pressure cooker and so is this veg masala khichdi. thus a better cooking option after a tiring day.

usually the veggies that i add in this khichdi are the usual mix of carrots, capsicum, cauliflower, peas, potatoes and french beans. however, i also add one more veggie and that is brinjal or aubergines. so whenever there are brinjals in the fridge, i add them to the masala khichdi. in the recipe post, i have not added brinjals. but if you do have them, then do add. they give a very nice taste in the khichdi. you can just add veggies you like or the ones you want to use up quickly.

depending on the amount of water added, you can make a porridge like consistency or keep a pulao like consistency in the khichdi. so choose whatever you prefer. the entire recipe has been made in a pressure cooker. though you can also make this khichdi in a pan. just soak the rice+mung lentils in water for 30 minutes before cooking.

how to make the recipe:

1. take rice and moong dal in a bowl. rinse with water for a couple of times. drain and keep aside. also chop the veggies and keep aside.
2. heat 1 tbsp ghee or oil in a pressure cooker.
3. add the following garam masala or whole spices - ½ tsp cumin seeds, 1 small to medium tej patta, ½ inch cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms. saute till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
4. add ⅓ cup chopped onion and saute them till they turn translucent.
5. add 1 tsp ginger garlic paste. stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
6. add ¼ to ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes and 1 to 2 green chilies (chopped). saute for a minute or two.
7. then add 1 to 1.25 cups mixed chopped veggies along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder and a pinch of asafoetida. for a more spicy khichdi, add ½ tsp red chili powder. saute for a minute.
8. add the rice and moong dal. mix the rice and moong dal with the rest of the ingredients.
9. add 2 cups water. this much amount of water gives a khichdi which has a consistency not like a porridge, but not even dry like a pulao. for a more liquid consistency, you can increase the amount of water to 2.5 to 3 cups.
10. season with salt. pressure cook for 14 to 15 minutes or for 7 to 8 whistles. when the pressure falls down on its own, remove the lid.
11. serve vegetable masala khichdi hot drizzled with a teaspoon of ghee if you prefer. accompany a side veggie salad, raita, pickle or plain curd by the side.  Dal khichdi recipe with step by step photos1. Add rice and dal to a pot and wash it several times until the water runs clear. Soak it for sometime if possible. To make this dish any kind of rice can be used. The day I made this I had only basmathi rice at home so i used it. I used half brown and half white rice, soaked for about 30 mins. You can also use all brown rice or white rice alone. You can also replace brown rice here with millets. Any kind of rice too will just go well to make a khichdi. Drain off completely and set aside. Usually ghee is used to make khichdi. You can also use oil. Heat ghee in a pot or pressure cooker. Add cumin and bay leaf. If you do not have bay leaf you can just skip it or use curry leaves. Both lend a different aroma to the rice.Masala Khichdi is a spicy variation of simple khichdi. This is healthy but ultimate comfort food. Khichdi is basically prepared with rice and lentils. Every hosehold has their own recipe for khichdi. At my home khichdi was made just with rice and moong dal. Adding a few vegetables with spicy tomato seasoning makes khichdi a complete meal. 

COOKING PIZZA

This is a tried and tested vegetarian pizza recipe and if everything is followed correctly, you will be able to make great pizzas with a choice of your toppings for your family and friends. the vegetarian pizza beat all the pizzas i had in indian metros like the dominos pizza, smokin joes and even pizza hut.

there was a time when i used to make pizzas at home with ready made pizza breads. but after making breads at home and finding out they are far far better than the outside ones, i make even the pizza base at home now.

this recipe of homemade vegetable pizza is a pizza recipe made from scratch. except the cheese, no ready made sauces or pizza bread bases are used. this is a basic veg pizza. i have used onion and capsicum as the only veggies. you can use your own assorted veggies for the pizza.

for the flavorings of the sauce i have used dried oregano and basil. however you can use fresh oregano and basil too. i have made many pizza sauces right from my teen years. but this was the best sauce i have made. it has become a personal favorite.

the pizza bread is made from maida/all purpose flour. wheat flour can be used too. but wheat flour will make the pizza bread base a little dense.

COOKING CHICKEN TANDOORI

Tandoori chicken recipe – one of the world famous Indian chicken starter that has its roots from the Mughali cuisine of the Mughal era. This recipe can be used to grill drumsticks or boneless fillets to make kababs. I am sharing the recipe to grill in oven or on stove top/ gas stov.


This mouth watering delicious chicken is well known as murgh tandoor or tandoori murgh, murgh meaning chicken and tandoor is a clay oven in which the spice and yogurt marinated chicken or meat is grilled. We get to see little variations to the authentic recipes such as addition of chickpea flour or besan etc which adds aroma to the appetizer. This is done mostly to the tangri or tangdi kabab meaning the legs.
 
Today I am sharing an easy recipe to make a restaurant style tandoori chicken in an oven & on gas or stove top without using color or butter, making this a low fat chicken starter. I have not charred the meat, I do not suggest eating charred meat as it is dangerous to health.
 
This tandoori chicken recipe yields spicy chicken drumsticks or kababs that are soft and juicy with all the flavors of spices infused. These are spicy but not hot, even kids can enjoy them.
 
You can use store bought / ready made tandoori masala, however I have never used one to suggest. All the ingredients mentioned here for the masala will be present in most Indian kitchens, so try it from the scratch, 

COOKING PANEER

paneer butter masala is one of the most famous paneer dish along with palak paneer kadai paneer chilli paneer and matar panee. paneer butter masala is served in almost all indian restaurants and is loved by many people. no wonder, this recipe is one of most popular recipe in the blog and made by many readers. you can read the comments below which has lot of tips from readers as well as myself.

this recipe of paneer butter masala is similar to the way i would make butter chicken many years back. for the first time i had learnt how to make butter chicken during my home science days. later i used to use the same recipe for making paneer butter masala. some adaptations and improvisations have happened throughout the years.

the paneer butter masala gravy is made of tomato puree and the regular indian herbs-spices. it has a slight sweet taste and very mildly spiced. thus making it an excellent gravy with chapatis for kids.

generally in butter chicken or butter paneer, cream is added. in this paneer butter masala recipe to give a creamy consistency and a sweet tinge, i have added cashew paste.

i never use any coloring agents in the food i make at home. what you see in the pics, is the way the paneer butter masala gravy actually looked. the organic tomatoes had such a beautiful red color and the final curry had beautiful tones of orangish red.

so when making paneer butter masala, make sure to use ripe, red and firm tomatoes. also use good quality fresh paneer or make your own homemade paneer. making paneer at home is easy and i always use homemade paneer for my dishes. vegans can make the same recipe with tofu and vegan butter as substitutes for paneer and butter respectively.

there are some variations in the genre of gravy recipes made with paneer and butter. below are some of the paneer recipes posted which come in this category

COOKING THOKPA

Thokpa is boiled noodles, filtered and mixed with vegetables and meat items. Thokpa is also called Thukpa, It is very popular in Kathmandu and Mountain region of Nepal.It is eaten mostly during winter. Thokpa is noodles dipped in very hot soup, so it is good in cold places. It keeps you warm. 

It has its own chili dipped vinegar source. People prefer hot and spicy tomato Achar with this item too. Thokpa is eaten generally for Khaja at noon or meals in night.   

Method

Boil half liter water in a big pan.  When the water starts having bubbles add the Spaghetti.

In the same time take a blender and mix all soup paste ingredients into a thick paste; reserve in a small     bowl.

When the spaghetti is soft take it off the heat and soak the excess water.

Wash the spaghetti in running cold water.

In a sauce pan heat cooking oil; add soup paste, fry for about 30 seconds

Add chicken broth and mix well.

Bring to a boil; set heat to low and cook for a few minutes; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Add all vegetables into the soup mixture; cook for a few minutes or until tender.

Add the Spaghetti in the mixture

You may add more broth if a soupier consistency is desired.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour soup broth into a serving bowl and add grilled chicken slices and cooked rice noodles.

Serve immediately.

Add hot chili sauce or tomato achar to the soup if you desire spicy soup broth.

COOKING GAJAR KO HALUWA

gajar ka halwa  made with condensed milk or milkmaid. this is a quick and easy version of carrot halwa recipe made with condensed milk. i am adding this recipe as a few readers did ask me on how to prepare carrot halwa with condensed milk

i usually make good quantity of gajar halwa and keep in the fridge. it stays good for a week. i usually make halwa with the traditional method of cooking the grated carrots in milk. this time i made the halwa with condensed milk. this is a quick method than the traditional one and takes less time.

i did use 1.5 kgs carrots and it took about 45 mins to make the halwa. so if you halve or reduce the proportion, it will be much quicker. i used sweetened condensed milk (nestle milkmaid) and did not have to use any sugar.

gajar halwa is one of the most popular halwa variety in india. it is made for any festive occasions. there are many variations to make this halwa.

1. gajar halwa made with mikl – although, this takes more time to prepare as compared to this condensed milk recipe. but i prefer this method more because taste wise it is the best.
2. vegan carrot halwa recipe – made with almond milk.
3. microwave carrot halwa recipe– a quick method to make gajar halwa in microwave.

COOKING DAL

Nepal is one of the few countries that is blessed with variety in almost every aspect, food being the most obvious one. The unquestionable love and celebration of good food has been bringing people together for many years, and when we think of good food, one of our most loved preparations comes to mind - the quintessential Dal.

What may seem simple and basic at first glance, actually encompasses an amazing variety. From masoor, tuar, channa, moong and urad, Dal is something that constitutes an integral part of every neplease  meal. You'll find it whistling away in cookers in every home and hotel. Simple or elaboratenely cooked; it's the lifeline of a regular Indian platter.

Flavourful, simple and full of nutrients, one is sure to get an amalgamation of great taste with wholesome goodness. And now, your crash course to crack the art of cooking Dal is here, from simple to sophisticated. 

COOKING ALOO TAMA

Get the cooking vegetable recipe tips for Potato with Bamboo Shoot Recipe. After reading this cooking tips and ideas, you can make Potato with Bamboo Shoot yourself in your home. This Nepali dish is very to easy to cook. for your kind information Potato with Bamboo Shoot is called Alu Tama Tarkari in Nepali language. Make deliciousAlu Tama ko Tarkari and have Nepali bamboo shoot recipe it. Alu Tama Tarkari is very famous in India and Nepal.

As we already mentioned above, Potato means Aloo, which is termed alu, aalu, aaloo, aloo, allu, alloo etc and Bamboo shoot means Tama, whcih is termed as tama, taamaa, tamaa, etc. So, Alu Tama ko tarkari simply means “Potato Bamboo Shoots vegetable recipe”. Alu Tama Tarkari is a unique and traditional Nepali and Indian dish. It is one of the most popular curry dish in Nepal and south Asian other countries. Let’s learn to cook these so delicious vegetable dish, cuisine. - See more at: http://www.imnepal.com/potato-bamboo-shoot-alu-tama-tarkari/#sthash.x4OBJO7I.dpuf

COOKING SUKUTI

There were times, before the well-off urban life with restaurants and shops began when people didn’t indulge in meat as much and as often as they do now. And whenever they had the opportunity, they did not waste anything rather preserved for the days to come. The winters were harsh with the food supply going down and it was the time when people went for the dried meat, which was then, a necessity and today, a rich delicacy.

Dried meat is one of the many forms of meat eaten in Nepal and could be cooked and served in many ways. For making dried meat, the meat of any animals or birds is cut into thin strips and then the fat is carefully removed. This often gave an unpleasant smell so, the strips are often coated with spices like salt, cumin, pepper, chili powder and turmeric, sometimes ginger and garlic pastes are also used, before they are spread out on a clean cloth to dry in the sun. This helped the meat to get intense flavor and also kept the insects at bay. The meat is stored once the moisture escapes it and the strips become dry. It can also be rehydrated by cooking it in gravy, however, the best way to prepare the dry meat is to make Sukuti out of it.

Sukuti is one of the popular snacks in most of the kitchen in Nepal. For making sukuti, the dried meat is taken out and deep fried or smoked or even roasted and then crushed along with spices like salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric and chili powder. It is then mixed with chopped onion and tomatoes and topped with chopped green onions or coriander leaves. You could also add a little bit of thinly sliced fried ginger and garlic and mix it all with required amount of oil. Your chewy appetizer is ready to be indulged in.

COOKING SEKUWA

Sekuwa (Kabab)  (also known as Chicken Satay) is a popular street food in Kathmandu, Nepal and is a very popular appetizer. It can be served over rice, with roti, with chiura, or just by itself in a skewer. In a typical traditional recipe, the marinated meat is cooked over coal fire. However, to adjust the recipe for everyday home cooking, you can cook the meat over any grill. Here is my variation of this recipe to make healthy 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Boneless Skinless Chicken – cubed to 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup Plain yogurt
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 small bunch scallion
• 1 fresh squized lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp Garlic and ginger paste
• Red chilies powder- to your taste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 1/2 tsp Timur (Szechwan pepper)
• 1 pinch Hing (asafetida)
• 1 tbsp Papprika Powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• Bamboo Skewers(pre-soaked in cold water for 30 min.) to prevent chicken from sticking
• Melted butter

COOKING KWATI

Kwāti  is a mixed soup of nine types of sprouted beans. It is a traditional Nepalese dish consumed on the festival of Gun Punhi, the full moon day of Gunlā which is the tenth month in the Nepal Era lunar calendar. Kwāti is eaten as a delicacy and for its health benefits and ritual significance.^[1][2]

The feast day coincides with Shravan Poornima of the month of Shravan in the Hindu lunisolar calendar which is celebrated as Janāi Purnimā (Raksha Bandhan), the festival of the sacred thread. The festival occurs in August.

Nine varieties of beans are used to make kwāti. The most commonly used ingredients are black gram, green gram, chickpea,field bean, soybean, field pea, garden pea, cowpea and rice bean.

The beans are soaked in water for three to four days until they have sprouted. They are boiled with various spices to make a thick soup. Lovage seeds are bloomed in oil and added to it as the special seasoning. Flatbread cut into one-and-a-half-inch squares can be boiled with the kwāti for variety.

COOKING GUNDRUK

Find here the cooking curry recipe tips for Gundruk Bhatmas Recipe gundruk ko tarkari. After reading this Nepali cooking ideas and tips, you can make gundruk ko tarkari yourself in your home. This Nepali vegetable cuisine food curry is very to easy to cook. for your kind information Gundruk Bhatmas is called Gudruk soyabean in Nepali language. Make delicious Vegetable Curry Recipe and have Nepali Gundruk Bhatmas recipe it.Gundruk Bhatmas Curry is very famous in Nepal.

As we already mentioned above, Soya  bean means bhatmas, which is termed bhatmash, bhatmas, vatmas, vatmash, etc and vetetable means tarkari, whcih is termed as tarkari, tarkaree, etc. Gundruk Bhatmas Tarkari is a unique Nepali dish. Let’s learn to cook these so delicious vegetable  curry cuisine.

COOKIN KATTIROL

Kathi roll also known as kati roll. However you spell it, they are irresistible. It is popular street food from Kolkata. The first time I tried kathi roll was in New york city. You might know ‘Kati roll company’. yes they make the best kati roll and famous around here.

After that I tried to make it at home. It is not similar to that. But the way it turned out, I am very satisfied. It is spicy and delicious, the way I and hubby like it. There are few different elements in making but very easy to make at home. Try this aloo kathi roll once, I am sure you will also like it.

Traditional kathi roll is made with chunk of mutton or chicken. They are marinated in spices, arranged them on skewers and cooked (process is similar to Punjabi Paneer These cooked meat is wrapped or rolled into paratha along with sliced onions and sauce. 

COOKING PULAU

easy and quick vegetable pulao recipe cooked in a pressure cooker. vegetable pulao is a comfort one pot meal when we don’t have time to do elaborate cooking or you have to cook food on a short notice or in a quick time.

here i am sharing the way i make vegetable pulao at home. i sometimes make pulao in a pressure cooker using this recipe or sometimes my mom’s when i have time, i cook in a pot and when no time, i use the pressure cooker.

pressure cooking rice can be tricky. different types of rice will cook at different timings. since i stick to the same brand of organic basmati rice, i now know how much time the grains take to cook. what i have learnt from experience is that its better to soak the rice first. the proportion i use for rice to water is 1: 2 or 1:1.5

while cooking, after adding the rice, stir the grains with the rest of the ingredients well, so that the oil coats each rice grain. i usually pressure cook on a high flame for 2-3 whistles. then let the pressure drop on its own, since the rice is cooking when the cooker is hot and the pressure is there inside it. then i gently fluff the rice before serving.

COOKING JALEBI

The Homemade Jalebi Recipe is a delicious mithai dish that you can make right in your own kitchen. The Jalebi is a traditional sweet dish that is made on every festival, special occations and monsoons. And so much so even homes make this dish to celebrate the occation. This homemade Jalebi recipe is actually very easy to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious. Festivals like Diwali are incomplete without the preparation of this sweet dish.

Directions for Homemade Jalebi Recipe

1. To begin making the Jalebi Recipe, we will first begin the preparation by mixing the maida, corn flour, baking soda, ghee and turmeric powder in a medium bowl.  Combine all the dry ingredients well, until well combined.
2. Add yogurt to the dry ingredients and blend them all together to make a thick batter by adding very little water. The consistency of the batter should be thick and not watery, similar to the butter cream batter. You should be able to make a shape when piped in a piping bag.
3. When done, cover the jalebi batter and place it in a warm place for 24 hours or overnight, till it is fermented (the batter will rise on fermentation). Once the batter is fermented stir the batter in a cut and fold motion to combine it once again.
4. 
   

COOKING PAKORA

his is kind of a basic recipe which can be adapted to make pakoras where finely chopped or shredded vegetables like cabbage, zucchini, spring onion, spinach or methi (fenugreek leaves) can be added.

pakora is a generic term  used for deep fried fritters made in india. mostly, gram flour is used for coating the veggies and then they are deep fried in oil. pakora gets it name from the vegetable which is used to make it like etc.

for religious fasting days, the fasting flours like buckwheat flour or water chestnut flour etc are replaced with gram flour to make the pakoras.

pakoras are usually had in rainy season or in winters. they are served with  tomato sauce or hot tea. pakoras have to be eaten hot and crisp. you can have them as a brunch or as a snack. they can also be had with roti or chappati or  i served the pakoras with

COOKING NEPALI DHIDO

Dhindo or Dhido (pronounced dhee-dough) sounds like some exotic dish from Nepal, but it is simply a thick porridge or mush, made by cooking stone-ground cornmeal (ghatta maa pidheko makai ko pitho), millet flour (kodo ko pitho) or buckwheat flour (phaapar ko pitho) with salt and water.

Dhindo has been a staple food of most rural and middle mountain-area people of Nepal, especially in dry areas where rice or wheat corps are difficult to grow. This hearty and filling dish is a nutrient powerhouse and is often eaten with a dab of homemade butter or clarified butter (nauni, gheu), curried vegetables (jhol tarkaari), or with various pickles, buttermilk or yogurt. Gundruk-Dhindo is the most common combination served in farming communities. Gundruk is a fermented and preserved leafy vegetable that is used to prepare a soup like dish that is known as gundruk ko jhol. Traditional dhindomeals are served on typical Nepali round plates called thaal made of stainless steel or brass with small bowls. Nepalese people who do hard physical labor consume enormous amounts of this nutritious meal. It is very common to see a large mounds of Dindo served in the middle of thaal accompanied by side dishes in small portions. It is eaten with the right hand by first scooping up or tearing small bite-size pieces of dhindo with your fingers, then dipping or rolling into the sauce before you put in your mouth. It is a Nepali tradition to always wash hands prior to eating and after the meal. Dhindo should be eaten steaming hot, right after cooking since it hardens once it cools

Traditionally dhindo is cooked in a Nepali iron pan with long handle and rounded bottom, called ataapke, which has an excellent heat distribution qualities. It is typically stirred with a large iron spoon with a long handle (panyu).   

As a humble origin, Dhindo meal were rarely found in fancy Nepali restaurants of Kathmandu, but these days, in many modest neighborhood restaurants, dhido is being introduced as most authentic and traditional Nepali meal.

COOKING DAL ROTI

Dal ki roti is roti or chapati made by adding cooked dal or lentils to the atta (wheat flour) while kneading. My mom often experiments with various ingredients while kneading chapati dough including boiled and mashed potatoes, butter, ghee and pureed spinach, even cooked rice. However, this interesting idea was shared by a good friend recently. She has two kids and says it’s tough to get them to eat dal as such so she just makes roti dough with cooked dal and other vegetables like spinach and tomato so that they don’t realise they are eating all of these healthy things. Mothers and their creativity! Thank you Sri for this idea .

Back to our recipe in hand, dal ki roti. This chapati recipe is customisable in dozens of different ways. The basic method is to cook toor dal or moong dal into a mush with turmeric and use that to moisten and knead roti dough. Beyond this, you can use your imagination. Here are a few suggestions:

– add spinach, tomatoes, peas, carrots, or any vegetable that can cook to a smooth mush. This is important for smooth rolling of the roti
– add spices like jeera, chilli, etc
– add fresh or dry herbs like kasuri methi, coriander, pudina, methi, etc

COOKING TARKARI

Tarul or yam is one of the most popular and healthy vegetables consumed in Nepal. Its importance increases during the Nepali month of Marg when it is boiled and eaten on the first day of the Magh (on the festival of Maghe Sankranti). It is eaten together with sweet potatoes, chaku and different varieties of laddus made especially for that day. It is also used as a holy offering to the god during the festival.

It can be boiled and eaten with salt or can be cooked as a vegetable. The yam curry or theTarul ko Tarkari or yam curry is one of the popular and desired curry in most of the parts of Nepal. One of the many ways of making Tarulko Tarkari is given below:

Ingredients:

Diced tarul, diced potatoes, diced tomatoes, green peas or dried beans (majhi bodi), fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, thyme seeds, asafetida (hing), bay leaves, green Chili,jimmu, powdered spice, crushed or grated ginger, salt to taste, oil for cooking and coriander for garnish.

Procedure:

First of all, heat the pressure cooker and add oil to it. When the oil is heated, splatter fenugreek, thyme and cumin seeds and when the seeds start crackling, add bay leaves, green chili and jimmu and fry for about ten seconds. Now, add potatoes and tarul pieces and fry for few minutes. Then add the diced tomatoes, salt and the regular powdered spices and fry for additional two to three minutes. Now, add a little water and press it. After two to four whistles, open the lid, add ginger and coriander leaves and remove it from the heat. Serve your Tarulko Tarkari with steamed rice or roti

COOKING FRIED RICE

If your experience with fried rice has only been the greasy, overly-salty affair from Chinese take-out, then you need to make this fresh, seasonally-inspired version — without delay! Grace Young's stir-fried rice is light and aromatic. Soy sauce and ginger are used for seasoning, but they're not so heavy that the vegetables get lost. You could eat this dish every day and never get bored.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make quick, easy, and delicious fried rice at a moment's notice.

Grace Young calls this recipe "lazy man's fried rice." She says it's her go-to dish whenever dinnertime arrives and she's gotten so distracted with work that she forgot to cook anything.

The key to good fried rice is having cold day-old rice in the fridge: not only does this mean the stir-fry comes together in a snap but it guarantees fried rice with the perfect chewy-tender texture. Grace says she makes double the rice she needs whenever she makes it so she always has some left over in the fridge for this recipe. Be sure to fluff the rice as soon as it's cooked and before storing it, or else the rice tends to solidify into a block. You can also halve the recipe if you don't have quite as much rice as called for here.

COOKING KHEER

Kheer is one of those desserts which need no occasion. Rice kheer is the most commonly made dessert in northern India. Leran how to make kheer.

Ingredients:

1/4th cup long grain rice (washed and drained)
4-5 cups milk
2-3 cardamom seeds (crushed)
2 tbsp almonds (blanched silvered)
A pinch of saffron threads, soaked in a little hot milk
1 tbsp skinned pistachio nuts (chopped)
1 tbsp raisins (optional)
2-3 tbsp sugar or as desired

How to make kheer:

• Put the rice, milk and cardamom in a pan, bring to boil and simmer gently until the rice is soft and the grains are starting to break up.
• Add almonds, pistachio, saffron and raisins and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
• Remove the rice kheer from heat and serve either warm or chilled.

COOKING MO MO

Every Tibetan family has a slightly different momo recipe, with various theories on how to make them the most juicy and delicious, or how to keep the dough skins to the desired delicate thinness.

The variations are endless – momos can be meat, vegetarian, steamed (the most popular), fried, and cooked in soup.

Here, we show you how to cook both beef momos and Lobsang’s unique and wonderful vegetarian momos :-) You might like to try also his cheese and spinach momos recip or the super tasty chicke. And learn how many calories are in steamed veg mom.

In case you’re wondering, the word “momo” is pronounced with the same “o” sound as in “so-so.”

The Dough

First of all, make the dough.

If you want to make momo dough for four people, use about 2 cups of wheat flour (we don’t use whole wheat, but rather use white, all-purpose flour) and somewhere between 3/4 cups and 1 cup of water. The amount will depend on your particular flour. (You don’t have to be very exact about these measurements — Tibetans never are!