Things at home and work are going at such a rapid pace, that I am not even getting time to have a nice cuppa and be five minutes on my own. I love blogging and would love to read about  dear fellow bloggers’ wonderful creations.

Never was I so tied up that I haven’t had any decent time to enjoy reading and blogging.

My new novels were left unturned, my cooking magazines are still at my bedside and my drafts are piling up.

I am relying on my one pot dishes more often then I imagined with my time being spent elsewhere.  Yesterday I made Palak Parathas which were just a melt in the mouth with a tinkling taste of spice, Today I dished up this Prawns biryani, which also went so well that I turn to this comfort dish every now and then.

Prawns: fresh ones
Ginger garlic paste: 2 tbsp
Onion : 2
Chillies: 4
Garam masala: 1 tbsp
Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Bay leaves: 2
Cinnamon stick: 1
Cardemom : 2
Cloves: 2
Cashewnuts: 10 to 12
Basmati Rice: 3 cups
Chilli powder
Turmeric

Take oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, and fry bayleaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamoms for couple of mins, then add I onion and chillies and fry until the onions are golden in color, then add the masalas, prawns, chilli powder, turmeric and salt and cook for 10 min. No need to add water at this time.

Now add rice and mix it well and add 3 and ½ to 4 glasses of water and close it with a lid.
Try to cook in medium heat so that the rice at the bottom of the vessel doesn’t get burnt.

Garnish with fried cashewnuts, coriander leaves and onions.  Serve on its own or with any raitha.

This is one of favourite comfort food which is so simple to make and the flavours, amazing!! Coming from a place where rice is staple diet,  there are some amazing things you can do to rice to give a zing, a zang and a twist to the same white rice.

I used to love this lemon rice which is served in every auspicious functions, festivals and as prasad at temples. You tend to love those amazing flavours that gives this lemon rice occupy a special place in our hearts.

When Noel was 1 year old, I went back to work and Noel didn’t touch rice or anything Indian as he was so used to typical British food which he simply adores. I still remember when we took him to India for a cousin’s wedding, he was throwing rice all over the place as he thought it was fun and didn’t know what to do with it. That was 3 years ago and now he loves Rice as long as I don’t make it too often and he loves to have  with mango pickle which goes very well with this wholesome meal.

I made this over the weekend when I was totally drained after playing badminton for 2 hrs, didn’t have any energy to make something for the two hungry ones who were waiting patiently for me. So dished up this simple n comforting meal and I remembered Meeta asking us to think about Comfort foods so here we go I am sending it over to Meeta’s Monthly Mingle~Comfort foods.

Ingredients needed:

Basmati Rice: 2 cups( cooked in 2 cups of water and leave it cool).

1 Big lemon: Squeeze the juice and keep it aside.

For tempering:

2 sprigs fresh curry leaves

1 tsp each of mustard seeds, black gram lentils, yellow split lentils.

1 tsp turmeric

2 green chillies

1 inch ginger cut into very small pieces

1/4th cup groundnuts and cashewnuts(optional)

1 tbsp of sunflower oil

Now take a saucepan and add tbsp of sunflower oil.

Add groundnuts, cashewnuts, mustard seeds, black gram and yellow split lentils and saute for 2 minutes. As soon as the mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chillies, ginger pieces, curry leaves and saute for 1 minute. Now add turmeric and salt. Take the freshly squeezed lemon and pour the juice on and put a lid on the saucepan. Switch off and mix this with rice. Serve hot or cold with a pickle or on its own.

I am sure that there isn’t anyone who doesn’t fancy a bowl of my kind of comforting food.

A special Thank You to dearest Asha who just reminded me of JFI-Lemons and Limes happening at Coffee’s so I am sending my favourite dish over to her as well.