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8+ Easy Rice Recipes – How To Cook Rice In Different Ways

August 26, 2019 by Akanksha Aggarwal Leave a Comment

Are you looking for some easy and fun Rice Recipes? If you are in search for different ways to cook rice then you are at the absolute right place. I am here with eight different styles and tastes of rice that will curb your hunger and need for tasty lunch!

In my opinion, rice is one food item that everyone loves. And what not is to love? It can be eaten in various forms – spicy, dry, with veggies, sweet, and of course as noodles. No matter how we like our rice, it always brightens our mood. At least it does for me!

As I had already mentioned in my previous food post – I love to cook. And most of the time, I include rice in the meal. I include rice dishes because they are tasty, and there are so many! Even when I make a new dish every Sunday with rice, I find a new one the next time I cook. There are just too many recipes out there. I found a blog that had over 50 recipes and had links to other of its blogs with more such interesting recipes.

With that, I think you know why I have thought to include 8+ different recipes in this post – because only 1 wouldn’t work. Also, note that these ones are my favorites; they are easy, fun, and super delicious.

Without further chit-chat, let’s begin with our recipe-blog, shall we

#1 How to make perfect boiled rice

We will start with a simple recipe. Boiled rice is one of the easiest and it complements everything – from gravy to soups and from sweets to vegetables.

Tip: Use Basmati Rice for this recipe to have long grains of rice for that extra eye-pleasing effect.

Ingredients:

1 cup of rice
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of butter
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar(optional)

How to cook:

Step 1. Use a saucepan with a lid or a rice cooker. Add the water and bring it to boil.

Step 2. Add the butter and salt to the boiling water and mix

Step 3. Add the rice in the saucepan and give it a stir

Step 4. If you want your rice grains to be separate and fluffy, add in vinegar to the pot and give it a light stir

Step 5. Close the lid of the pan and make sure the heat is set to medium-low.

Step 6. Cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat and once done fluff it with a fork.

Serve hot with your choice of topping. I like to pair my white-boiled rice with kidney beans gravy.

#2 Citrus Rice

This is one of my all-time favorites recipe. It takes only six ingredients and can be eaten without any topping/beverage. If you are going to cook this for your kids, they are going to love it. It has a tangy taste and obviously a lot of flavors. You can also try the lemon rice recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of Brown/white rice
1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup green onion
4 tablespoon almonds(sliced)
How to cook:

Step 1. Take a microwave-safe bowl and combine the orange juice, chicken broth and soy sauce in it.

Step 2. Add in the rice and stir with a serving spoon till the rice is coated well

Step 3. Cover the bowl and put it in the microwave on high and cook for 5-10 minutes

Step 4. Once done, take it out of the microwave and let it sit for 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Step 5. Fluff with rice and serve while hot!

#3 Masala Rice – Indian Style

We all know how Indians love their rice. They have invented many ways to get their rice game strong. One of their all timers is the masala rice which is the easiest of them all. You can cook this dish in the morning for your kids’ lunch box and have plenty of time to sip your tea! That’s what Indian mothers do.

Ingredients:

2 cups of basmati rice(preferably long-grain one)
8 cups of water
2 teaspoons of salt
2 cloves (necessary for the flavor)
2 cardamom pods
1-inch cinnamon stick
3-4 tablespoon of vegetable oil(any oil will do – I use Ghee)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes( more if you like spicy food)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder(for color and fragrance)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 chopped garlic cloves

How to cook

Step 1. The one thing that you always do before you start cooking – you soak the rice. Take the rice in a bowl, add water, wash it carefully and rinse. Repeat. Fill the bowl with water and then let it sit for 30 minutes.

Step 2. Take a saucepan or pot and boil the rice as we did in the white-boiled rice recipe. But in this one add the cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Simmer the rice for about 10 minutes till it is done. Check before draining the water that it is according to your taste(use your fingers to check if it is firm enough.

Step 3. Drain the rice and rinse with cool water. Remove the spices from it(totally optional). This will stop the cooking process. Set aside the rice.

Step 4. Now take a different pan and put it on the heat. Pour in the oil and heat it a little.

Step 5. Saute the mustard seeds and cumin till they crackle. Add the chopped onions in the pan and saute for a minute or two till the onions are golden brown.

Step 6. Now it the time to add the red chili flakes and turmeric powder to the pan. Saute well.

Step 7. Add garlic – mix and let it cook for 2 minutes. Now add the cooked rice to this mix and mix well. Cook for another 3-5 minutes with the occasional stirring.

Serve hot with curd or pickles.

#4 Fried shrimp rice recipe

I thought I should throw this one too as many love shrimp. If you do – comment your favorite shrimp recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups white rice, cooked
10 large shrimps, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoon oil
1/8 cup tomatoes, diced
1/8 cup corn kernels
1/8 cup green onion, chopped
2 whole eggs, beaten
Salt
2 teaspoon butter
2 teaspoon garlic, minced/chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
black pepper, freshly ground
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

How to cook

Step 1. We will start with the shrimp. Dice it into small pieces and set aside.

Step 2. Take a non-stick pan and heat it over medium flame. Add in the oil and heat.

Step 3. Add the tomatoes, corn, garlic, green onion into the pan and fry for about 1 minute.

Step 4. Now add the beaten egg to the mix along with a pinch of salt and cook, you have to scramble it to get the desired result.

Step 5. When the egg is done, put the pan aside.

Step 6. In another pan add the butter and little oil and heat. Toss in the shrimp that you diced before. Add the ginger, garlic, and lemon juice too. Cook for 2-3 minutes

Step 6. Add the cooked rice an stir-fry. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and black pepper.

Step 7. Toss in the egg mix to this pan and mix well. Season with salt to taste.

Serve the dish hot.

Tip: Always cook the rice and egg separately. This way the eggs will be scrambled perfectly and rice will be cooked amazingly.

#5 Cumin rice recipe

This one you will absolutely love. Fluffy rice with the aromatic smell of cumin along with the flavor of garlic, thyme, and parsley. This is one tasty dish that will have you hooked. I like to pair it with some sweetened curd.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of butter or oil
1/4 cup of onions, chopped
1 teaspoon of garlic, minced
1 cup rice, rinsed and soaked
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder
Salt, ground pepper
1 1/2 cup of chicken broth or water
1 or 2 sprigs of parsley
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

How to cook

Step 1. Start with the usual sauce-pan on medium flame with oil and heat it.

Step 2. Add onion and minced garlic to the oil and cook it while gently stirring. Cook until the onion turns a gold brown color.

Step 3. Add the cumin seeds, cumin powder, salt, and pepper to the onion mix and fry a little.

Step 4. Add the soaked rice to the pan and stir lightly on low flame.

Step 5. Stir in the broth or water into the pan. Make sure to not make any lumps in the rice.

Step 6. Bring the water to boil, add the parsley, thyme and the bay leaf to the pan.

Step 7. Cover the lid tightly and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Keep the flame low so that the rice cooks properly.

Step 8. When the rice is soft and firm, turn off the burner. Use a fork to fluff the rice. Add in butter if you want to add a little gloss to the rice.

Serve hot with your favorite sides.

#6 How to make rice pudding with cooked rice

Now this one is something that everyone loves and has tried at least once in their lifetime. There are many version of rice pudding – there is one with whipped cream on top, then there is one with cardamom powder in it. My favorite one is with a cinnamon stick in it. Try it once and you will want to eat it daily. It is easy to cook, and hardly takes any cooking skill to make.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked rice
2-3 cups of whole milk
sugar – to taste
1 tablespoon raisins
1 tablespoon pistachios, chopped
1 tablespoon almonds, chopped
1/8 teaspoon powdered cardamom or cardamom seeds
1-inch cinnamon stick
A-pinch of saffron for garnish

How to cook

Step 1. A heavy bottom pan is ideal for making rice-pudding. Take one and add 2 cups of milk to it. Bring the milk to boil.

Step 2. To the boiled milk, add the cooked rice and cook while stirring occasionally.

Step 3. While the rice-milk mix is cooking, grind the sugar. Keep stirring so that you don’t burn the pudding in the bottom. Add the cinnamon stick to the pan.

Step 4. When you see that the pudding is thickened, add the ground sugar to the pan and mix well. If you find that the pudding is little too much dry or thick, add in a little more milk.

Step 5. Add in all the dry fruits to the pudding which by now must be ready to serve. For extra taste, you can soak the raisins for 5 minutes before adding them to the pudding.

Step 6. Turn off the flame and add the powdered cardamom to the pudding.

Serve in a bowl topped with a pinch of saffron. This pudding can be served both as a cold or a hot desert.

#7 Creamy parmesan rice recipe

A cheesy take on the rice – it is going to melt in your mouth. Try this one if you are bored with the regular spicy or white boiled rice.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup of uncooked white/brown rice
4 cups of chicken broth(adjust according to the choice of rice)
4 tablespoons of butter or 2 tablespoons of oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice

How to cook

Step 1. Like any other recipe, start with heating some oil/butter in a sauce-pan

Step 2. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the oil and cook till it is soft and golden brown in color

Step 3. Add in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to boil. Once the broth is boiling, add the rice(rinse and soaked) and salt. Stir lightly and close the lid.

Step 4. Let it cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat when rice is cooked.

Step 5. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and lemon juice.

Serve hot.

#8 How to make fried rice at home

Now, everyone knows how to cook the usual fried rice but I am going to include it anyway. It is something that I like to eat when I am down, feeling low, want to have something spicy, or have too much of the leftover rice from the previous night. Sometimes I pair it with cabbage Manchurian balls to give it a little twist.

Ingredients

Precooked and refrigerated rice. You can take as much as you want to eat.
2 Eggs(optional)
1 cup of choice of vegetables. I like to use carrot, peas, green onions, corn, and onion.
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce(optional)
2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of butter

How to cook

Step 1. Use a skillet, best to make fried rice. Add in the oil and heat a little

Step 2. Throw in the chopped onions and garlic and fry a little till the onions turn golden colored

Step 3. Add the eggs and scramble them in the pan. Let it cook for about 1 minute.

Step 4. Now, scooch the scrambled eggs to the side of the skillet and add all the veggies and saute till they are cooked

Step 5. Add the rice, and saute till everything is properly mixed.

Step 6. Add the soy sauce and oyster sauce(if using) and stir to combine everything together. Continue sauteing the rice for about 3 minutes.

Step 7. Season with salt and pepper and add the butter to the rice.

Serve hot pairing it with your favorite sides.

End Note

These were eight of my favorite rice dishes that I often cook. There are more rice dishes that people eat all over the world, like Mexican fried rice, puffed rice, to name a few. If you too have a really greate rice dish to share with us, do so in the comments. I might feature it in my next food blog with a mention!

6 Breakfast Recipes That You Need To Try This Week

July 6, 2019 by Akanksha Aggarwal Leave a Comment

There are times in our lives where we don’t want to eat the same old cornflakes and milk at breakfast. Most Indian families have their traditional Breakfast Recipes which they follow to make delicious breakfast which could make any kid ask for more. At least I do. Apart from being tasty, these recipes are healthy, nutritious, and filling too. So, we don’t have to worry about looking at the calorie counter to check whether we have had a balanced diet or not.

Looking for more healthy and yummy recipes? Try 8 ways to cook rice

Without dragging this intro, let me just start with my favorite recipes which I can assure you that you will love.

Vegetable Uttapam Recipe

So, the first one in my list is Uttapam. Why is at the top? Just because I had a plate this morning, and I can still feel the flavors. (Yes, feel!)

Uttam is a South India dish – sort of a dosa. But unlike a typical dosa, it is more of an Indian version of pancake or crepe. It is thick and is topped with chopped veggies.

What you will need for this recipe

Idly batter – made and stored the previous day. If you don’t know how to make the batter, you can buy it from the store.
Onion, Tomatoes, Cilantro – 1 cup, chopped
Carrots – 1/2 cup, grated
Vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons

Fun part, cooking:

Just like you do with the pancakes, heat the pan/skillet and spread half a teaspoon of oil
Spread one bowl or so batter in the pan, try to keep it thick just like a pancake
Sprinkle the vegetables on the top and cover the pan with a lid – leave for two minutes
After two minutes, remove the lid and let it cook further for about 2-3 minutes.
Serve the Uttapam garnished with fresh coriander along with coconut chutney.

Crispy Medu Vada Recipe

Next up is Medu Vada, another South Indian delish that will make you crave for it every day. It has a donut shape, is crispy, and has a soft interior. This dish is famous all over India but is basically from South India and Sri Lanka. Generally eaten in breakfast or as a snack with tea. I usually eat it when I can get my hands on them.

A note – It is deep fried, so if you prefer a breakfast recipe that does not associate with oil – this ain’t for you.

For this recipe, you will need:

Urad dal (husked black gram) – 2 cups
1 Onion, 2 Green chilies, 1 thin slice of ginger, curry leaves – all finely chopped
Coconut – 1/2 cup (totally optional)
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Oil, for frying
Water for batter

Make this dish:

A note – This takes a lot of preparation, so you might want to pre-plan the day you have to cook this

Soak the black gram in water overnight (or 3 to 4 hours if you are going to cook in the evening)
Grind the soaked gram in a smooth paste, if it is too thick or lumpy, add water. The batter should not be too thick or too runny, just enough to not soak access oil.
A Tip: If accidentally the batter becomes runny, add semolina
Add all the spices and the things that we chopped into the batter and mix well
Now take a deep thick bottomed pan for frying, heat enough oil to deep fry the medu vada
To make the desired shape (like a donut), wet your hands with water and take a small amount of batter and spread into a small biscuit or cookie shape. Then use your finger to do a hole in it to complete the shape
Slowly put the vada that you made in the pan to fry, fry it till golden brown on both sides.
Once done, use kitchen tissues to drain the access oil and serve with chutney or sambhar.

Veg Stuffed Paratha Recipe

Can’t get your child to eat vegetables? You kids love pizza better than what you cook? Worry no more! Love of every Indian kid is here. A Vegetable Stuffed Paratha solves every issue there is, it is the answer to every hunger craving you might have, and it does not even require a lot of effort. Paratha here is Indian bread, stuffed with your favorite vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower, spinach, and more.

What you are going to need to make the parathas:

Things required for the dough –

Wheat Flour – 2 cups
Water – enough to make a nice fluffy dough

For the stuffing –

Vegetables of your choice – My options – Potatoes (boiled and grated), cauliflower (grated), spinach (chopped), onion (finely chopped), cottage cheese (mashed lightly), radish (grated)
Green chilies (if you like spicy) – 1 -2 per paratha
Salt and Red Pepper for taste
Oil/butter – enough to cook

The easiest way to make paratha:

Start with the dough, knead it with your hand so that it is fluffy and soft. The process is similar to kneading the dough for pizza. Let the dough rest for a while (with a lid on) till your prepare the stuffing
For the stuffing, take a big bowl, add the vegetable that you are using, spices, salt and mix well.
Now heat the pan/skillet you usually use to make pancakes. Keep the flame medium
Make small balls of the dough and using a rolling pin roll them into flat circles on by one
Take a rolled dough and fill it with the stuffing and seal it by folding the dough. This process is similar to how you make a dumpling.
Now using a rolling pin, flatten the stuffed dough very carefully so that you do not break the bread. Keep on applying some wheat flour so that the dough doesn’t stick on the rolling pin.
Once you have rolled enough to look like a pancake or a thick crepe, put it on the heated pan
Flip it when the paratha seems cooked from one side, and then cook the other side.
Add butter/oil and cook some more till the result looks good and smells delicious. The paratha must turn golden brown.
Serve hot with curd or your favorite sauce.

Vegetable Poha Recipe

Poha or flattened rice is one of those recipes that every Indian mother would vouch for after vada and idli. It is healthy, light, and most importantly delicious. You can never go wrong with Poha unless you forgot to strain it before cooking. Actually, it doesn’t need any cooking time, you just need to prepare the base for it.

This is my personal recipe that I am sharing with you.

The things that you are going to need

1-2 cup of Flattened Rice or Poha (depends on how hungry you are. Go for 1.5 cups if you are not sure)
Onion – 1, big, finely chopped
Tomato – 1, big, finely chopped, totally optional
Green Chilli – 2, finely chopped
Peanuts – Raw, handful
Mustard seeds – ½ tspn, most important
Turmeric Powder – ½ tspn
Red Chilli Powder – ½ tspn
Salt – To taste
Oil – 2 tbspn
Lemon Juice – 1 tbspn

Here is how you make it

Start with carefully washing the poha in a strainer. Make sure you don’t break the rice. After washing, let it sit for about 2 minutes or until you have prepared the masala to make it soft and ready for consumption
Take a pan and heat it. Add oil to it and let the oild heat up a little.
Add mustard seeds to the oil and let it crackle, don’t keep it on high flame as it may burn and ruin the taste
Add Onion to the oil and fry till you see that onion is golden brown
Add green chilli and peanut and fry some more.
The next step will be to add the tomato and cook until tomatoes are soft and squishy
Take the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and add them to the mix – cook for a minute
Now take the poha in the strainer and using your palm remove extra water from it
Add the poha to the cooked masala and mix well
Add salt
Put the lid on and let it simmer for one minute so all the flavors could come together.
Remove the lid and add the lemon juice, mix well so that the lemon juice gets mixed.
Serve hot along with a cup of tea or a glass of buttermilk

This was my take on the Indian breakfast recipes.

If you tried some, do write in the comments and let me know how did it go.

How To Make Frittata In The Oven Or Pan | Healthy Frittata Recipe

June 18, 2019 by Akanksha Aggarwal Leave a Comment

Craving for an egg? There are many ways that eggs can be consumed. You can boil them, fry them, make cakes, and many more. One of these dishes includes Frittatas. These are the yummy version of eggs made with cheese, vegetables, and milk. There are many ways to cook Frittatas, using skillets, oven, and a simple frying pan. Want to know How To Make Frittatas? Stay tuned to learn the various way to cook Frittatas at home.

Frittata is an Italian delicacy and is an egg-based brunch dish. Many confuse this dish with an omelet, but it is not. The process of cooking Frittatas is different from your ordinary omelet recipe. Cooking frittatas is a two-step process, which begins with an iron pan and ends in the oven. You can also differentiate the two by the way the fillings are supposed to be put in the pan. Frittata fillings are mixed in with the eggs and folded in the center.

How To Make Easy Frittata Recipe

Ingredients

Eggs – 4

Milk/ Tomato Juice/ Broth – 1/4 cup

Herbs like dried thyme – 1/4 tsp

Salt and Pepper – To Taste

Filling – Broccoli, Red Onion, and Cheese – 1 cup

butter or Vegetable Oil – 2 tsp

Recipe:

Take a big bowl and beat eggs, liquids, herb, salt, and pepper. Blend until firm.
Add fillings in the same bowl and mix well
Take a non-stick pan and heat. Add butter or vegetable oil.
Pour all the egg mixture and cook over low to medium heat. Cook until the eggs are almost set.
Once the eggs are almost set, remove the pan from heat. Cover the pan with a lid and let it stand. You have to keep it that way until no more liquid egg remains. This would take about 5 to 10 minutes.

Done!!

You can garnish the Frittata with herbs, parsley, basil, etc. while serving.

How To Make Vegetable Frittata

If you are looking for frittata recipe for two I have another amazing recipe for you. This one includes a lot of vegetables, that is why this is healthy and the best option for that Sunday brunch you have been planning for so long.

Frittata Tip: Have you ever wondered how the chefs at your favorite restaurant are able to make the same great frittata without changing the taste? The main reason that they are able to cook the same delicious recipes is the ratio of the ingredients they use. For example, if you are using six eggs, the 1/4 cup of heavy cream along with 1 cup of cheese is more than enough. Don’t go around like ratatouille pouring everything without measuring. Measurement is crucial.

How To Make A Frittata In The Oven

Here is another vegetable frittata recipe to cook when you want to surprise your family for a brunch. This recipe serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

Eggs – 6, Large

Heavy Cream – 1/4 cup

Kosher salt – 1tsp

Bacon – 4 slices, thick, chopped

Potatoes – 2, small thinly sliced

Black Pepper – 1/4 tsp, freshly ground

Baby Spinach – 2 cups

Garlic – 2 cloves, minced

Thyme leaves – 2 tsp, fresh

Cheese – 1 cup, shredded

Recipe:

Heat the oven prior to starting the preparation to 400°F
Take a large bowl, add eggs and cream in
Whisk the eggs and cream together until a smooth paste is formed.
Add 1/2 tsp of salt to it and set aside
In an oven safe pan, place the bacon in the pan. Cook it in the oven until crisp. It will take you around 8 to 10 minutes of occasional stirring to cook the bacon perfectly.
Remove the bacon from the pan and put on a paper towel to soak off any excess fat.
Put the pan on the stove, add potatoes and saute the potatoes in the bacon fat. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. Cook until tender and brown. This must take 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the spinach, garlic, and thyme into the pan. Cook while stirring until the spinach wilts, in about 1 minute.
Now add the bacon that you had kept on paper towels. Stir to evenly distribute.
Now you have to add cheese to the mixture. For that, flatten the vegetable mixture in the pan, sprinkle the cheese on top and let it melt.
Now, what you have to do is to take the egg mixture from the bowl and pour it over the vegetable mixture. Tilt the pan to evenly distribute the egg all over the vegetables.
Cook for a minute or two, you will see that the eggs have started to set.
Remove the pan from the heat and put it in the oven. It will take about 8 to 10 minutes to bake the eggs completely. To check if the eggs are cooked evenly, use a knife to cut a small slit in the center of the Frittata. The runny egg means it needs more cooking, else – Serve

Before serving, cool the dish in the pan for about 5 minutes

Conclusion

Frittatas are a full meal in themselves, especially the potato frittata recipe, so having them for breakfast or brunch is a good idea.

Want to share some of your healthy frittata recipes? Comment down below!!

4+ Easy Hummus Recipe With And Without Chickpeas

May 2, 2019 by Akanksha Aggarwal Leave a Comment

Hummus is all time favorite snack of us all. For those who don’t know what hummus is, it is like a dip but better. Usually, we buy hummus from stores as it seems a simple way to enjoy this delicacy. But if you think about it, the answer to “how to make hummus at home” is very easy. The recipe for your favorite snack is quite simple and you can make it at your home with just a few ingredients.

Pair hummus with your favorite rice side dish and enjoy.

What’s more? You can make your own unique hummus. This dip has a lot of room of experimentation, and that is why this can be prepared using your favorite vegetables like beans, beetroot, and more. When you have tried the basic version of the hummus, you can start on experimenting with the ingredients, adding some new things or changing the number of certain things in the recipe, to make it according to your taste.

What is Hummus and What is its Nutritional Value?

If you ask any average American, they will say that hummus is in their lifestyle. If I am wrong you can comment and point it out. As it is the lifestyle of many households, almost everyone is familiar with the term. Some know it because it is used in their house, some know it because they have eaten it at a restaurant or at their friend’s, and some know it from their favorite TV Show or movie.

For those who don’t know about it yet, it is a delicious spread or dip that is eaten with your favorite cracker or sandwich. It is made from dried or canned chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and spices. Traditionally hummus was made from cooked garbanzo beans, tahini, some extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in the Middle East.

The nutritional value of hummus is quite good. There is a perfect balance of taste and health in this dish. A typical serving ( 2 tablespoons) of a store-bought hummus contains:

Calories: 70
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Sodium: 130mg
Carbohydrates: 4g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 0g
Added Sugars: 0g
Protein: 2g
Calcium: 2% DV

Pretty neat, right?

How To Make Hummus From Scratch

While there exits like hundreds of brands of hummus, we still must try to make Hummus Recipe From Scratch at home. This would not only allow you to make the hummus the way you like it but also you will have plenty to eat generously without having the fear of finishing it completely.

Breaking down the ingredients –

The first ingredient that we use in Hummus is Chickpeas. They are also called garbanzo beans. It is used for making the base for hummus. When you use the softened beans, the will breakdown into a smooth paste and this will improve the texture of hummus. You can always substitute it with other items but we will come to that later.

Our next ingredient is Tahini. It is actually a paste that is made from ground sesame seeds, and using it makes the hummus taste incredible. You could either buy tahini from the store or if you are willing to make everything from scratch, you can make it at home.

Tip: Substitute Tahini with any other nut butter if you have any allergies from sesame seeds.

The third and most important ingredient is lemon juice. A freshly squeezed lemon will enhance the flavor of your hummus exponentially.

Next comes garlic. A clove of roasted or plain fresh garlic will add a little spice and zest to the hummus.

Lastly, ground cumin and salt help to make it taste amazing, add a little more richness to it.

Olive oil is used while making hummus to make the texture luxurious. It is also drizzled on the top to enhance the flavor along with some red chili flakes.

Tip: To make the smoothest hummus, you can remove the skin of chickpeas after you boil them. Yes, it will take some extra time, but it will make the smoothest dip that you can only experience in a store bought hummus.

Hummus With Dried Chickpeas

This part of the article gives out the recipe for How To Make Hummus With Chickpeas. Without any further delay, let’s begin cooking.

What you are going to need to make an excellent hummus:

Dried Chickpeas – 1 ¼ cups

Baking Soda – 1 tspn

Water – 6 ½ cups

Light Tahini Paste – 1 cup, plus 2 tblspn

Lemon Juice – 4 tblspn Freshly squeezed

Garlic Cloves – 4 crushed

Ice-Cold water – 6 ½ tblspn

Salt – 1 ½ tspn

Prepping:

1) A night before you plan to actually make the hummus, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and fill in cold water and cover it with a lid. Let the chickpeas soak overnight.

2) Next day, drain the chickpeas and put them in a medium saucepan. Fill in some water and add the baking soda.

3) Put the pan over high heat and let them cook for about 20 to 40 minutes. that should separate the beans with their skin. You can squish for one or two peas to test whether they are cooked or not. Now the skin of the peas would be almost separated. Either remove the skin if you want to make a smooth hummus, or you can use them as they are.

4) Set the cooked chickpeas aside and let them cool

Making of Hummus

1) Put the chickpeas in your food processor and process until you get a stiff and smooth paste.

2) Add tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, salt and ice water in the chickpea paste and process for another 5 minutes. You will get a smooth and creamy paste.

3) Transfer the almost done hummus in a bowl and cover the surface with a plastic wrap. You need to let the paste rest for about 30 minutes.

4) After 30 minutes, either dig into it straight-away or refrigerate until needed.

Hummus Without Chickpeas

Hummus can be made without chickpeas as well. As I mentioned before, certain options are there to substitute the chickpeas in the recipe. Some of them are – sweet potatoes, beets, edamame, black beans, and more. You can explore these hummus alternatives and see which one you like the most.

How To Make Hummus Without Chickpeas

For this recipe, I have used butter beans. They lend a smooth texture to the dip and are indeed budget friendly. You can use this hummus as a dip or a spread, and it could be used as an alternative to butter or margarine to make sandwich or wrap.

Ingredients required to make hummus with butter beans:

¼ cup olive oil divided
½ a medium onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 x 410 g tin (250 g drained weight) butter beans, drained and rinsed
½ tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper, to season

Making of butter bean hummus:

1) In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is heated, add in onion, garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper. You need to stir while cooking so that they won’t burn. Cook until onions are soft and golden.

2) Add the beans to the mix in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until the beans are tender.

3) Cool the mixture

4) Put the mix of beans and onion into a blender along with the remaining oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and blend until well combined.

5) Your hummus is ready. You can store this in an airtight container refrigerated for up to one week.

Conclusion

I hope you like this recipe and would try it at home. Please comment if you would like to enjoy more such recipes on our website.

How To Make Lemon Rice – Granny’s Recipes

April 16, 2019 by Akanksha Aggarwal Leave a Comment

When your kids return home from school, do you stress about what should you serve them? They do come hungry and excited for lunch, right? If you are someone who wants to try a new recipe, then this Lemon Rice recipe is surely going to make you and your kids happy.

Lemon rice is an exotic, delectable, and delicious food choice which needs just a few ingredients. It is easy to prepare and so good that you might just start eating straight from the pot!!

I have included both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options for everyone out there who wants to try both the delicacies. The vegetarian recipe was passed down to me by my grandma. She used to love cooking, and every Saturday we went to her house to the world’s best food. Those days were good. There are many other rice recipes to make at home that you can try other than the lemon recipe.

Without any more talk, let’s get straight to the recipes!!

Lemon Rice In Rice Cooker

I love cooking rice in my Rice Cooker. It is a really convenient and fast way to cook rice and it surely saves a lot of time. You can customize your own lemon rice by adding as much or as little fresh lemon juice after cooking so that it enhances the taste.

You can all the flavors that you want, my personal favorite is adding peas to the rice. It improves the color of my lemon rice and increases the visual appeal of the dish. You can add butter, potatoes, onion, and anything that you want.

Rice that I used: My personal favorites are Basmati Rice. They have long grains and when you cook them, you get an amazing smell that makes your mouth water. The basmati grains cook up lighter and fluffier, and individual grains remain distinct when cooked instead of sticking together. Which means no more mushed up rice!!!!

What you are going to need

List of Ingredients

Olive Oil – 2 Tablespoons

Chopped Onions – ½ a bell

Basmati Rice – 1 and a ½ cup (Well rinsed and drained)

Garlic Cloves – 2 to 3 (Minced)

Lemon Zest – 2 teaspoons

Vegetable broth – 2 cups (You can take chicken broth for non-vegetarian option)

Water – ½ a cup

Lemon Juice – ¼ cup

Salt – to taste

Fresh Dill, Parsley – 1 tbsp each

Pepper, Dried Oregano, Ground Cumin – ¼ tsp each

Butter – To taste (Optional)

Feta – ¼ cup

Instructions on How To Cook Lemon Rice in a cooker:

Step #1 Use a thick bottomed rice cooker for this recipe. I used a rice cooker with a tight lid. Put the cooker on medium heat and heat up olive oil. If you do not have olive oil, or you don’t want to use it, you can swap it for any vegetable oil of your choice.

Step #2 Add chopped onion in the cooker and saute it till light golden brown.

Tip for onions: You can add a pinch of salt to the onion while cooking them if you want to speed up the process. I use this trick when I am cooking a pan full of onions and want to cook them evenly without burning them.

Step #3 Add Rice, Lemon Zest, and garlic. Saute for about 1 minute to let the rice soak in the flavors

Step #4 Stir in the Broth and add some water if rice is not completely submerged. The quantity of liquid in the cooker must be exactly double the amount of rice.

Step #5 Bring everything to boil and then bring the flame to low. Add salt, stir, and close the lid, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes on low flame.

Step #6 If like me, you use a cooker with a whistle, you must wait till 2 whistles. Or just cook them for 12 to 15 minutes.

If you are using a pan instead of the rice cooker, the same amount of time is required for the cooking to complete. Just stir once every 5 minutes to avoid burning of rice and having undercooked rice.

Step #7 Once the rice is cooked, remove the cooker from heat and stir. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Step #8 Add 1-2 tablespoon of lemon juice if desired. Season with pepper, Dill, Oregano, Parsley and serve hot.

Greek Lemon Rice

This greek delicacy, called Avgolemono (I read about it on the internet), is a classic Greek soup. It is thickened with eggs and is loaded with rice and chicken. And the main flavor that we get from this dish is of lemon. It is a hearty soup which takes minimal effort and is prepared in around 30 minutes.

Greek Lemon Rice Soup With Chicken

What you are going to need

List of ingredients:

Chicken broth – 8 cups

Fresh Lemon Juice – ½ cup

Shredded carrots – ½ cup

Chopped onion – ½ cup

Celery, chopped – ½ cup

Chicken soup base – 6 tbsp

Ground white pepper – ¼ tsp

Margarine – ¼ cup

All-purpose flour – ½ cup

White rice, cooked – 1 cup

Chicken meat, cooked and diced – 1 cup

Lemon – 16 slices

Egg yolks – 8

Preparation Process-

Step #1 Use a large pot, as you are going to use a lot of ingredients and you don’t want to spill.

Step #2 Combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, carrots, onions, celery, soup base, and white pepper in the pan. Bring to boil on high flame and then let it simmer for 20 minutes.

Step #3 Meanwhile, blend the butter and the flour together. Once done, add it to the soup mixture. Simmer for additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step #4 Beat the egg yolks until light in color. Add some of the hot soup to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Once done, return the egg mix to the soup pot and heat it up.

Step #5 Add cooked rice and chicken.

Serve hot garnished with lemon slices.

Conclusion

Do write in the comment section how your rice dish came out. I would love to read about them.