Ingredients
Rice – 1 cup
Large coconut – 1
Refined oil – 3 tbsp
Large onion, chopped – 1
Green cardamoms – 4
Cloves – 2
Stick cinnamon – 1
Pepper corns a spring of curry leaves – 10
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Hard boiled eggs – 2
Method:
Wash and drain the rice. Grate the coconut and extract. 1 cup thick and 1 cup thin and 1 cup thin coconut milk. Finely chop the onion.
Heat the oil in a strong dechi and saute the onion till a light brown. Add pepper corns, cardamoms, cloves and curry leaves and fry lightly. Add the rice and fry for 2 minutes.
Add both the extractions of the coconut milk, heated, turmeric and salt and bring to a boil on high heat.
Cover and reduce heat. Cook till all the moisture is absorbed and the rice done. Fluff up gently with a fork and serve.
Garnish with sliced hardboiled eggs.

Ingredients
Tomatoes – 2
Onions – 2
Finely chopped spinach – 1 cup
Refined oil – 2 tbsp
Ginger – garlic paste – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
Cooked rice – 3 cups
Grated cheese – 2 tbsp

Method:
Finely chop the tomatoes and onions. Steam the spinach. Mix the spinach with 1 tbsp. oil, salt, pepper and ginger – green chilli paste.
Mix the rice with most of the tomato, onion, salt and remaining oil.
Grase a round ovenproof dish. Spread one part rice on it. Top with half the spinach mixture. Do likewise once more. Lastly garnish with the remaining finely chopped tomato, onion and grated cheese.
Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degree C / 400 degree F for 20 -25 minutes.
Unmouls and serve hot witha salad.

Ingredients
basmati rice – 1 cup
cream – 1/2 cup
milk – 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Vegetable mix:
oil – 2 tbsp
capsicum, finely chopped – 1 large
onion, finely chopped – 1 large
tomato puree – 1 cup
tomato ketchup – 1 tbsp
Salt, pepper and red chilli powder to taste
ajwain – 1/2 tsp
mixed vegetables like – 2 cups

Method:
Peas, carrot, cauliflower, french beans, all diced small 2 cubes cheese greated for topping.
Pick, wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Boil in enough water and cook till just done. Strain, set aside.
Vegetables:
Heat the oil in a karahi. Fry onion and capsicum till soft. Add tomato puree alongwith the other ingredients except cheese. Cook, covered for 5 minutes.
Grease a baking dish. Spread half the rice. Top half the vegetable mix over it. Repeat once more. Cover with the cheese.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degree C / 360 degree F for 20 minutes.
Variation:
Spinch puree may be mixed with the rice.

Ingredients
Refined oil – 1/2 cup
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Chopped spring onion – 1/2 cup
Capsicum, chopped – 1
Peas, cooked – 1/2 cup
Boiled corn kernels – 1/4
Boiled rajma – 1/ 2 cup
Medium tomato, diced – 1
Cooked rice – 3
Diced pineapple – 1 cup
Soyabean sauce – 1 tbsp
Fish sauce – 11/2 tbsp
Salt and pepper – to taste
Palm sugar or brown sugar – 1 tbsp.

Method:
Heat the oil in a karahi. When hot add the ginger garlic paste and fry till fragrant.
Add spring onion, capsicum and peas and fry, stirring constantly. Add the corn, rajma and stir – fry. Add tomatoes and pineapple and stir for a minute.
Now, stir in the rice, soya sauce, fish sauce, salt pepper and sugar. Stir to mix well. The rice should be well coated with the sauces.
Serve hot.

Ingredients
aubergines – 4 large
olive oil or refined oil – 4 large
onions, chopped – 2 large
cloves garlic, crushed – 4
celery sticks, chopped (optional) – 6
mushrooms, chopped – 200 gm
peas, boiled – 100 gm
brown rice, cooked – 12 tbsp
wahnuts, ground – 100 gm
tomato puree – 5 tbsp
chopped parsley or coriander leaves – 4 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste,
grated cheese – 150 gm

Method:
Prick the aubergines all over, cut in half and place cut side down on a grased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven at 190 degree C / 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in pan, add the onion and fry until softened. Add the garlic and celery and fry till soft for 5 minutes. Add peas, mushrooms and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Stir in rice, walnuts, tomato puree, parsley and seasonings. Turn off heat.
Scoop the flesh from the aubergines, without breaking the skins; chop finely and mix with the fried mixture. Pile back into the aubergine skins; sprinkle with the cheese and place under a preheated grill until heated through. Serve immediately.
Variation:
Instead of cheese, bread crumbs dotted with butter can be used.

Ingredients
Large red capsicums – 3
Large green capsicums – 3
Large chicken sausages – 6
Tomato – 1
Refined oil – 2 tbsp
Large onion, finely chopped – 1
Basmati rice – 100 gm
Stock or water – 375 ml
Raisins, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste – 2 tbsp.

Method:
Cut a slice off the tops of the capsicum, slice horizontally and remove the seeds. Remove the casings of the sausages and crumble the meat. Blanch the tomato, peel, deseed and chop.
Heat the oil in a karahi. Saute the onion till soft and translucent. Add the sausage meat and fry for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir fry till well coated with oil.
Till the capsicum cups with the rice mixture and place in an oven preheated to 350 degree F / 180 degree C. Black for 20 – 25 minutes.
Serve hot with a salad.

(Son – In – Law’s Special)
Ingredients
Green coconut – 1
Shelled and dressed prawns – 1 cup
Basmati rice – 1/2 cup
Pineapple juice – 1 cup
Ginger green chilli paste – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tbsp
A handful of chopped fresh coriander
Salt – to taste
Lime juice – 1 tsp
Pinch turmeric
Worcestershire sauce – 1 tbsp.

Method:
See to it that the green coconut has some tender meat in it. Cut a portion of the top of the coconut. Reserve the cut portion. Cut a slice from the bottom to enable the coconut to stand straight. The coconut seller will prepare it for you.
Pick and wash the rice and soak for 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of water to the pineapple juice and cook the rice in it till almost done. There may be some moisture still left.
Mix the rest of the ingredients with the rice and fill in the coconut. Do not pack too tightly. Join the top potion of the coconut and fix with atta dough.
Bake in a 200 degree C / 400 degree F oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
When cool enough to handle, break the top open and take the rice mixture along with some of the coconut meat. Serve hot.

(Fish Head Curry)
Ingredients
Large fish head, preferably katla fish – 1
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Mustard oil as needed
Basmati rice – 250 gm
Ghee – 1 tbsp
Bay leaves – 2
Green cardamoms – 2
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon sticks – 2
Onion paste – 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Tomatoes, chopped – 2
Sugar – 1 tbsp
Shelled green peas – 1 cup
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 4

Method:
Cut the fish head in half and clean thoroughly, washig under running water. Drain and break the fish head into 4-5 pieces. Smear the pieces with a little turmeric and salt.
Heat 1/4 cup of mustard oil in a karahi till smoking and fry the fish head till golden. Take out and keep aside.
Meanwhile, wash the rice and dice the potatoes. Lightly fry the potatoes in the oil in which the fish was fried. Set aside.
Add the ghee to the karahi and if needed a little more mustard oil. Season with the bay leaves and whole garam masala. Add the onion paste and fry till a light brown. Add the ginger – garlic paste, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and tomatoes. Stir fry till the tomatoes are soft, sprinkling with a little water if necessary.
Add the rice and stir for a minute.
Add 500 ml. of hot water or stock, potatoes, peas, sugar, salt, green chillies and fried fish pieces.
Cover and cook over a low heat till the rice is done. This is a dry dish. Add the garam masala powder and remove.
Variation:
Instead of fish head, use pieces of fish the same way. Raisins and nuts can be added, too.
Instead of rice fried, pressed rice or puffed rice can be added, too. In that case use half the quantity of water and add the pressed or puffed rice at the end of the cooking time.