Mushroom-butter rice

Serves 2 as part of main meal

Butter- 1 heaped tbsp

Garlic- 1/2 tbsp, finely chopped

Onions- 1/4 cup, finely chopped

Mushrooms- 1 cup, roughly chopped

Chicken soup cube- 1/2 tsp, crumbled

Cooked basmati rice- 2 1/2 to 3 cups (preferably a day old, and straight from the refrigerator)

Salt- to taste

Pepper- to taste

Spring onion greens- 2 tbsp (optional)

Melt the butter in a wok and add garlic and onions.

Saute till the onions turn translucent. You dont need to get it to turn golden brown.

Add the mushroom and fry on medium heat till they are cooked. If there is water, wait for it to dry up.

Mix the crumbled soup cube into the mushroom and wait for it to melt in the heat.

Tip in the cooked rice and mix well, carefully, without breaking the rice.

Season with enough pepper and salt (after a taste test, as the soup cube is salty), and half of the spring onion greens and mix gently. 

Let it sit for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, just to warm up the rice.

Transfer into serving dish and garnish with the remaining spring greens

Easy peacy spinach rice

Serves 3 as main meal

Cooked basmati rice- around 4 cups

Ghee- 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp

Onions- 1/4 cup

Ginger- 1/2 tbsp

Garlic 1/2 tbsp

Green chilli- 2, slit (increase or decrease as per choice)

Spinach- 3 cups, packed, roughly chopped

Meat masala- 1 tsp

Lemon juice- 1 tsp

Salt- to taste

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp (optional)

Cook the basmati rice with whole spices. 

Drain and keep aside. Ideally the rice should be a day old and refrigerated. 

Heat ghee in a wok and once hot, add the cumin seeds.

Wait for it to sizzle, and then throw in the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies.

Cook till the onions turn translucent, they dont need to brown.

Add the spinach and give a good mix.

Wait for the water from the spinach to evaporate, and once it becomes semi-dry, add the meat masala, lemon juice and salt to taste.

Tip in the rice and carefully mix with the spinach. Try not to break the rice, or else it will turn mushy.

Top with coriander leaves, give one final mix and serve warm.

Notes: If you are using rice just prepared, rinse with cold water and leave to drain completely. I sometimes chuck it into the fridge for a while.

Add some grated coconut at the very end to amp the taste a bit.

A spoon of ghee mixed at the very end after you add the coriander leaves works wonders.

South Indian garlic and coconut rice

Serves 4 as part of main meal (recipe adapted from here)

Oil- 1tsp

Curry leaves- 6 to 8 leaves

Garlic- 15 medium size pods, peeled and roughly chopped

Dried red chilli- 1 large (add more if you want it spicy)

Fennel seeds- 1/4 tsp

Grated coconut- 1 cup

Kashmiri chilli powder- 1 tsp

Ghee- 1/2 tbsp

Oil- 1 tsp

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Urad dal- 1 tsp

Dried red chilli- 2

Cooked rice- 6 cups (could be basmati, or any leftover rice)

Heat the oil in a wok and keeping heat to medium low, add the curry leaves, garlic, dried red chilli, fennel seeds, grated coconut and chilli powder.

Roast till the coconut changes in colour a bit and all the spices are aromatic, for about 5 minutes or so. Keep stirring continuously or they will burn. 

Once cool, grind to a coarse mix.

Heat the ghee in the same wok and splutter mustard seeds.

Add curry leaves, urad dal and the dried red chilli to temper.

Add the ground mix and saute for a couple of minutes, just to warm it up.

Add cooked rice into the wok and mix it into the tempered ingredients and ground mix slowly, without breaking the rice.

Keep on heat just enough to warm the rice.

Serve with cold raita and pickle and papad.

Notes: Its a dish that is very strong on the garlic flavour. Reduce it if you want to mellow it down a bit.

Cold cooked rice, or rice that has stayed a couple of days in the fridge is best in this recipe.

You can ease the process by adding the ground mix with the rice in a bowl and then pouring the tempered ingredients on top of the rice and giving a good mix.