Quick and easy, Indian Puloa with Shrimp and Brown Rice

A traditional Indian Pulao is made with white rice and vegetables. You could add chicken or lamb to it if desired. Growing up, I had never ever heard of brown rice but it is a much healthier grain compared to the highly bleached and processed white rice. It is stripped off of all its nutrients during various stages of processing hence brown rice has become a very popular choice in the past few years. This dish is not very traditional but somewhere in between an Authentic Puloa from India and a Spanish Paella.


Similarities/Dis-similarities: Brown rice and white rice have similar amounts of calories, carbohydrates, and protein. The major difference lies in their processing and nutritional content. When only the outermost layer of a grain of rice which is known as husk is removed, brown rice is produced. And when the next layers underneath the husk, known as the bran layer and the germ are removed, white rice is produced. Brown rice is considered as a whole grain whereas white rice is not.

Cooking times:The only difference is that brown rice take a little more water and time to cook than white rice.

White Rice, ratio, 1 rice:2 water, cooks in 10 minutes

Brown Rice, ratio, 1 rice:2.5 to 3 water, cooks in 20 minutes

This is a great meal by itself and I like to combine it with yogurt and a salad. It is pretty simple to make so hope you enjoy recreating it.

Shrimp Brow Rice puloa

Recipe: Puloa with Shrimp and Brown Rice
Ingredients
2 Cups Brown Rice, cooked separately
Water to cook rice (ratio, 1 rice:2.5 water)


1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
1/2 red bell peppers
1/2 Yellow bell pepper
1/2 Orange bell pepper
1 Cup green peas
5-6 Garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Saffron threads
1 Tbsp Milk, warmed (to soak saffron)
1 Lemon (juiced)
handful of Coriander leaves, chopped
1Lb Shrimp, large (peeled and deveined)

Method
For the rice,

1. Wash 2 cups of brown rice thoroughly.
2. Heat 4 cups of water in a pan and let it come to a rolling boil. Add 1 tsp of salt to the water.
3. Add the rice, lower heat to medium low and cover the pann. Let cook for about 20 minutes till the water has been absorbed ad the rice has cooked through. Set aside.

For the Pulao,

1. Heat wok over medium heat and add the olive oil to it. When hot add the onions and bell peppers to it. Cook till soft about 4 minutes, stirring to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the wok.
2. Take a small glass bowl and put the warmed milk and saffron threads in it to soak and get all the flavors out.
3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the shrimp and cook for a minute till it turns pink. Do not over cook.
4. Add the peas, salt, pepper, white pepper, paprika, chilli powder, saffron soaked in milk. Stir it well till all the spices blend well.
5. Add the rice and toss it up so there are no lumps in the rice and it is heated through.
6. Finally add the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Give it a good toss and serve warm garnished with mint and lemon wedges. Do not overmix or the rice will break apart.

Step-by-step process,

Brown Rice: Wash 2 cups of brown rice thoroughly. Heat 5 cups of water in a pan and let it come to a rolling boil. Add 1 tsp of salt to the water. Add the rice, lower heat to medium low and cover the pan. Let cook for about 20 minutes till the water has been absorbed ad the rice has cooked through. This is what it should look like. Set aside to cool down.

Uncooked brown rice

Washed throughly

Add salt

Bring to a boil

Add rice

Cooked rice

Puloa: Take a small glass bowl and put the warmed milk and saffron threads in it to soak and get all the flavors out.

Warm milk and saffron threads

Heat wok over medium heat and add the olive oil to it. When hot add the onions and bell peppers to it. Cook till soft about 4 minutes, stirring to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the wok.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the shrimp and cook for a minute till it turns pink. Do not over cook.

Add the peas, salt, pepper, white pepper, paprika, chilli powder, saffron soaked in milk. Stir it well till all the spices blend well.

Add the rice and toss it up so there are no lumps in the rice and it is heated through. Finally add the coriander leaves and lemon juice. Give it a good toss and serve warm garnished with mint and lemon wedges. Do not overmix or the rice will break apart, which takes away from the visual appeal.

Garnish it with whole mint leaf. It adds amazing flavor to the puloa.

Final look

Enjoy!!

Pan-sauteed, Black-eyed-peas

This dish was inspired by a recent trip to the grocery store and I happened to find these...Oh so fresh Black Eyed Peas staring at me. They screamed to be picked up and now I am making this as we go. I have no idea what it will turn out into. My plan is to open up my spice cabinet and take a whiff of some spices and use what feels will work well with the peas, easiest way to create your own original recipe.

There are several names for these peas. In India and Pakistan they are known as Lobhia or Rongi.

So after raiding my refrigerator I have come up with onions, garlic, Cherry tomatoes, Spinach, Lemon juice, Balsamic vinegar, Coriander leaves as some ingredients for this recipe. For the spices, I will be using cumin, coriander and fresh ground garam masala powders.

Final look

Recipe: Pan Sauteed Black Eyed Peas


Ingredients
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp Cumin seeds
8-10 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Onion, finely chopped
10-12 Cherry tomatoes, halved

salt to taste
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1-2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

2 Cups spinach, finely chopped
24 Oz Black eyed peas, cooked in salted water
dash of lemon juice
coriander leaves for garnish


Method

1. Heat the olive oil on high heat and add the cumin seeds and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes or until they turn light brown.
2. Add the onions and cook till they are translucent and a little soft. This should take another 3-4 minutes.
3. Now add the cherry tomatoes, salt and garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Turn down the heat and add balsamic vinegar. Toss it all up and add the spinach. Cook till its still bright green but wilted.
5. Add the black eyed peas and finally the lemon juice.
6. Serve hot with cardamom infused, steamed Quinoa and a salad. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Step-by-step process,

Heat the olive oil on high heat and add the cumin seeds and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes or until they turn light brown.



Add the onions and cook till they are translucent and a little soft. This should take another 3-4 minutes.



Now add the cherry tomatoes, salt and garam masala and cook for 2 minutes.

Turn down the heat and add balsamic vinegar. Toss it all up and add the spinach. Cook till its still bright green but wilted.

Add the cooked black eyed peas and finally the lemon juice.




Serve hot with cardamom infused, steamed Quinoa and a salad. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

I was in a good mood today so I added tandoori potatoes to the menu. This is what my plate looked like...yum. Enjoy making it as much as I did and I am off to go eat my supper.