Pulao dishes for the fast

A South ndian speciality known as uppama - toasted semolina cooked with spicy vegetables with a dominating flavour of fresh root ginger and curry leaves - ideal for a light lunch.

• 1 cup semolina
• 50g butter or ghee
• 100g cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp grated/desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 green chillies
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 15 to 18 curry leaves
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 3 cups diced mixed vegetables
• 2 cups hot water
• salt to taste
• juice of ½ lemon

Toast the semolina in a dry pan until colour just begins to change

Remove and keep aside

Heat the ghee, fry cashews lightly and remove from ghee

Combine coconut, ginger, coriander, chillies and half of the fried cashews

Grind into a paste

To the remaining ghee in pan add mustard, cumin, curry leaves and onions

Fry until onions soften

Heat butter in a saucepan

Add turmeric, ground paste and vegetables

Lower heat, add salt and cook until tender

Stir in toasted semolina and water

Cover and simmer until water is absorbed and the mixture is fluffy

Add reserved cashews, squeeze the lemon juice over and serve hot

PEAS AND PANEER PULAO

Another flavourful dish to put together in a jiffy.

• 600g cauliflower
• 100g butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 200g paneer, cubed
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 4 x 2.5cm pieces cinnamon
• 3 green chillies, slivered
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 20 curry leaves
• ½ cup mixture of chopped mint and coriander
• 1 cup shelled peas
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp fennel powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste
• 5 cups cooked rice

Break up cauliflower into florets

Rinse in hot water and drain well

Heat the butter and oil together

Fry paneer cubes lightly and remove

To the remaining butter/oil add onion and fry until golden

Remove with a draining spoon

Add cumin and ingredients up to curry leaves and sauté for 1 minute

Add cauliflower, peas, spices and yoghurt

Lower heat and add salt and greens

Cook until moisture is reduced

Fold in fried paneer, rice and fried onions

Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes

Serve hot

TIP:

Grate a carrot coarsely and fold in with rice

BUTTER BEANS PULAO

This dish can be made very quickly using canned butter beans, mushrooms and peppers with cooked rice.

• 60g butter
• 3 x 2.5cm pieces cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cloves
• 4 pods green cardamom
• 2 green chillies
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp crushed ginger
• 8 to 10 curry leaves
• 1 green pepper, cubed
• 150g button mushrooms
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp breyani garam masala
• 1 x 410g butter beans, well drained
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• salt to taste
• 5 cups cooked rice

Heat butter in a large pan

Add ingredients from cinnamon to curry leaves

Stir fry until lightly browned

Add pepper, mushroom and spices

Add salt, lower heat and cook until mushrooms release juices

Add beans, mix lightly to avoid mashing beans

Add greens and fold in rice

Cover and simmer or place in oven at 190°C to heat through

Serve hot

VARIATION:

Add more colour by using ½ cup sweetcorn and red pepper when sautéeing mushrooms

GREEN BANANA PULAO

Medallions of crisply fried green bananas braised in masala with brown lentils folded into cooked rice and mushrooms.

• 6 green bananas, sliced into 2cm slices
• ½ tsp yellow food colour
• oil for deep frying
• 60g butter + 1 tbsp of oil
• 5 x 2.5cm pieces cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cloves
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 150g button mushrooms
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp mixed masala
• ½ cup yoghurt
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 cup boiled lentils
• 2 green chillies
• 4 cups cooked rice
• salt as needed to taste

Steam or boil sliced bananas until tender

Allow to cool then remove skins

Sprinkle food colour onto bananas

Deep-fry until crisp, remove with a draining spoon

In a separate deep saucepan heat the butter and tablespoon oil

Add ingredients from cinnamon to onion

Sauté until moisture has evaporated and onions are lightly browned

Remove mushrooms and onion, leaving behind the spices

Stir in masala, garlic, yoghurt and tomato

Cook on moderate heat until reduced

Add lentils and all the greens

Add salt, fold in rice and fried ingredients

Cover and allow to simmer until flavours have blended

Serve hot

TIP:

Deep fry 1 cubed potato and add with bananas