Narali Bhaat / Jaggery Coconut Rice

Narali Poornima marks the end of monsoon season in Maharashtra. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Shravan. People offer coconuts to the sea. This festival marks the beginning of the new fishing season. Fishermen and fishing community (koli) in Maharashtra, worship the sea-god before sailing out over the mighty sea, for a safe fishing by offering coconuts . Hence, this special Narali Bhaat/ Jaggery Coconut Rice which is a traditional, age old dish is made on this day and is prepared mostly in Maharashtrian homes on this day.

Serves: 4 
Ingredients
1 Cup Rice
1.3/4 Cups water
3/4 Cup Packed Jaggery - grated
3/4 Cups Fresh Coconut - grated
1/4 Cup Desi Ghee
3 Cloves
2 Green Cardamoms
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
12 Cashewnuts - halved
A Pinch Salt

Method

Wash the rice well and keep it to drain in a strainer.

Keep the the water to boil in a pan.

In the meantime heat a heavy bottom pan / kadai with ghee, fry the cashewnuts in the ghee when browned remove and keep aside.

In the same kadai , add the cloves and green cardamoms. Saute for a few seconds. Add the drained rice and 2 tablepsoon coconut fry till rice is light pink. Add boiling water and bring it to a rolling boil, cover with a lid pour water on lid and reduce the flame to low. Keep it to cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Open when you see the rice is cooked and still moist, add a pinch of salt and lightly fluffy it, add the jaggery in a single layer, on top, then the coconut and sprinkle little hot water from the lid. Cover again with the lid with water on it, on low flame let it cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes open the lid and lightly stir in the rice so that the jaggery and coconut get well incorporated, again cover and cook it jaggery melts and rice is done, sprinkle the cardamon powder. If you feel it rice is still not done sprinkle little hot water from the lid and again cook it till done on low flame. 

Let it remain covered for 10 minutes without opening the lid. After 10 minutes lightly fluffy the rice with a fork. Serve this rice when warm . Enjoy this delicious grainy sweet rice.

My Notes:

If you want the rice more sweet then increase the jaggery to a cup.  But the quantity used had the just right sweetness.

Labels : Rice, Festival Sweets, Jaggery, Coconut

Chorba Beïda - Algeria

This month in Mena Cooking Club we are exploring the cuisine of Algeria. I choose to make this soup called
Chorba Beïda which is a White Soup. In Arabic Chorba means soup, and Beïda means white.  This is a comforting and filling soup. We had it for our dinner, enjoyed this simple and delicious soup.

Serves 4

Ingredients
250 Grams  Chicken breast - cut into strips
4 Cups Chicken Stock - See Notes

2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Onion - chopped
1/2 Cup Fresh Coriander with the stem - chopped finely
1 Teaspoon Black pepper powder - freshly ground
3/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or as required
A Stick of Cinnamon
1 Cup Boiled Chickpeas
1 liter and half of water
100 Grams  Rice Vermicelli
Juice of a small Lemon
1 Egg yolk

Method

In a large pan on a medium flame,  add oil when its hot add the onion and  cinnamon stick, saute till translucent, then add chicken saute till it turns from pink to white, add stock, salt,  black pepper, and  the stems and  coriander leaves (reserve a little for garnishing). Satue till the coriander releases an aroma or for about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and the chickpeas, bring it to a rolling boil.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes on medium low flame. After half an hour add the vermicelli into the soup.

Whisk into a bowl the egg yolk and pour the whisked egg yolk into the soup and  keep  stirring till the yolk is cokked and let it simmer again for  another 10 minutes (stir from time to time).
Take off flame and and let the soup rest  for another 10 minutes.

Serve the soup into the bowls, sprinkle with a few leaves of coriander and drizzle with a little of lemon juice and enjoy ....

My Notes:

I used boneless chicken hence used stock.  If you are using  chicken with bones then do add stock, add the same quantity of water.

Labels : Soup, Algeria, Chicken, Mena Cooking Club, Chorba Beïda

An InLinkz Link-up

Sparkling Apple And Watermelon Lemonade Spritzers

Cool down and get refreshed with this fresh, tangy, glass of lemonade with a twist of apple and watermelon to quench your thirst.

Ingredients

2 Cups Seedless Watermelon  ~ cut into chunks
1 Apple  ~ skinned and chopped
¼ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
500 ML Sprite or Club soda - I used Sprite
Mint Leaves and Lime slices ~for garnish

Method
Puree watermelon and apple in  a blender until smooth. Add the lemon juice and pulse it 2 or 3 times.   Pour  this mixture  into  pitcher.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours .

When ready to serve, fill  glasses with ice cubes and 1/2 cup of the  mixture; top with sprite and garnish with lime slices and mint leaves. Get refreshed ....

Since August 20th is Lemonade Day. The event for Foodie Extravaganza {Party} for this month is Lemonade our Host is Lauren Everson . Thank you Lauren choosing such a refreshing theme.

Labels : Juices, Lemonade, Apple, Watermelon, Non-Alcoholic, Foodie Extravaganza Party

If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out .


Dairy-Free Frosted Lemonade by Cookaholic Wife
Frosty Raw Strawberry Lemonade by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
Honey Mint Lemonade by Sew You Think You Can Cook
Lemony White Sangria by Hardly A Goddess
Papaya Lemonade (or cocktail!) by Caroline's Cooking
Peachy Lemonade by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pineapple Pink Lemonade Shaved Ice by Food Lust People Love
Shikanji (Indian Lemonade) by Tara's Multicultural Table
Sparkling Apple and Watermelon Lemonade Spritzers by Sneha's Recipe
Sparkling Blue Basil Lemonade by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Sparkling Milk Lemonade by Our Good Life

Hosting My Legume Love Affair - Edition # 98 !

I am happy to be guest hosting MLLA event for the the month of August. As far as my experience of hosting an event goes, this is the first time that I. am hosting one. The creator of the event is Susan and is being carried forward by Lisa.

I wish to thank Lisa who quickly responded to my request to host the event.

Legumes must feature as the main ingredient in your entry. It could be any kind ~ sweet, savoury, any gravy or baked dish. It has to be purely vegetarian or vegan but egg and poultry free. Please post a new recipe or you can re-post one from your archives ( it has to a fresh post), linking it to the ongoing MLLA page.   Do visit and comment on all participating blogs.

Do use the Linky tool below to link up all your entries

Look forward to all your delicious and innovative recipes.

Cheers,
Sneha




Labels : MLLA Event, Guesthosting

Egyptian Rice With Vermicelli / Ruz Bil Shaareya

Egyptian Rice With Vermicelli in Arabic, is called Ruz Bil Shaareya, this is simple yet tasty and rich, goes well with a lamb, chicken or egg dish.

Ingredients 

1/2 Cup Roasted Fine Vermicelli
1/4 Cup Olive oil
1 Cup  Rice
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 Cups + 1 Cup Chicken Stock
Salt to taste
Coriander for Garnishing
1 Tablespoon Butter

Method 

Boil the rice in 2 cups of chicken stock and salt to taste. The rice should be 80% cooked. Keep aside.

In a wide pan or kadai, saute onion in oil till translucent, and then add the vermicelli and lightly fry it then add the 1 cup chicken stock and bring it to a boil then add the rice and give it a quick stir. Reduce the flame and cover and cook till rice is full done and all moisture is evaporated. Add the butter and loosen the rice. 

Remove on to platter and serve garnished with chopped coriander and any saucy dish of your choice. I served this with Egg Jalfrezi and it tasted awesome.

Labels : Rice, Vermicelli, Eygpt
Check  Egg Jalfrezi recipe here