Ajwain, also known as carom seeds contains thymol as the main essential oil which gives the seed a strong, dominant flavor and bitter taste which numbs the tongue when bitten. Ajwain is also used in vegetable dishes (for its distinctive taste) and pickles (for its preservative qualities). It also aids in digestion.
Ajwain rice is very simple and easy to make dish. This can be made with left over rice also. This is a very comforting food in case of cold, cough or acidity.
My Mom used to make this at home for breakfast usually with leftover rice. My sister likes this a lot that she cannot stop at one serving. I dont eat this rice much because of its strong pungent flavour.
Ajwain also has many medicinal properties. Below are a few home remedies using ajwain :
•As a digestive. Chew by itself or with a little sugar/salt to make it more palatable in its raw form.
•As a cure for diarrhoea, dysentry and indigestion. Boil a cup of water with 1 tbsp of Ajwain till the water is reduced to half its original volume. Drink this water.
•To relieve symptoms (like blocked nose, etc) of a cold. Add 1 tbsp of Ajwain to a bowl of boiling water and inhale the steam.
Ingredients :
2 cups cooked rice
6 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
4-5 dry red chilli
1 teaspoon urad dal
1 teaspoon chana dal
Few curry leaves
2 tablespoon carrom seeds (ajwain or vaamu)
Few fried cashews (optional)
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon oil
salt to taste
Directions :
1. Add 1/4 teaspoon oil and little salt to cooked rice amd mix well with a fork. This prevents rice from sticking to each other.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat.
3. Add garlic cloves and let them fry till golden brown.
4. Now, add urad dal and chana dal. Fry till urad gets slight colour. Then add cumin seeds, dry red chillis and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
5. Now add carrom seeds and fry for another minute.
6. Add little salt to oil and then add the rice and mix well. Mix slowly so that the rice does not break.
7. Check for salt and add more of required.
8. Let the rice fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Remove from heat and serve hot.
Ingredients :
15 to 20 medium sized prawns
2 cups Basmati rice
1 cup onion, chopped
4 to 5 green chillies, slit lengthwise
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
1, 1" cinnamon stick
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Black Cumin seeds (Shahi Jeera)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1/2 cup of grated coconut
1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup mint, chopped
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil/Butter
Directions:
1. Cut and devein the shrimp. Marinate them with 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder and salt for about 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime ,soak the basmati rice in water for about 10 minutes.
3. Dry roast the poppy seeds and coriander seeds for couple of minutes or until you get a nice aroma.
4. In a blender , add the grated coconut, green chillies, garlic cloves , chopped cilantro, chopped mint, poppy seeds and coriander seeds with 2 tbsp of water and blend into a fine paste.
5. Heat Oil/Butter in a non stick skillet, add black cumin seeds, once it starts to sputter, add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf with chopped onions.
6. Once the onions are fried, add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Next add the shrimp and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Then add the green paste , mix well and let cook covered on medium low heat for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the raw smell of coconut goes away.
9. Next add the basmati rice and fry for a minute or so (Do not mix the rice too much, as the rice grains may break) , add 3 cups of water ( add 1 and 1/2 cups water for every cup of basmati rice used ), add salt ( add 1/2 tsp more salt than what is sufficient) and let cook covered on low flame for 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and add a tsp butter on top.
8. Let it sit undisturbed with the lid on for at least 5 minutes . Remove the lid and fluff the rice gently with a spatula.
Note : You can variate this recipe with vegetables( potatoes, carrots, peas etc..) instead of shrimp. I have used both vegetables and shrimp.
Ingredients :
1/2 lb Shrimp/Prawn cleaned and de-veined (tail on or off)
1 tablespoon Oil
2 Green Cardamom
2 Cloves
1 Bay Leaf
1" pc Cinnamon Stick
2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
5 green chillis slit length wise
1 medium onion thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, chopped
Salt – to taste
Red Chilli Powder – to taste
1/2 teaspoon Biriyani masala
Mint Leaves – handful, chopped
2 cups Coconut Milk
1 cup Basmati Rice washed and drained,but not soaked
1 tablespoon Clarified Butter/Ghee
Directions :
1. Heat Oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf, Green Cardamom and Cloves and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add green chillis and onions and fry till onions are golden brown.
4. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off.
4. Add Tomatoes and cook for 3-4 mins, then add Shrimp. Mix well.
5. Add Red Chilli Powder, Salt and Mint Leaves.Mix well.
6. Add washed Rice and biriyani masala. Mix and fry for 2mins.
7. Add coconut milk and mix well.Check for salt and add more accordingly.
8. Cover, pressure cook for 1 whistle and switch off stove.(Electric stove users — remove from the stove)
9. Allow pressure to go down by itself.
10. Open pressure cooker and fluff biryani with a fork.
11. Drizzle Clarified Butter (ghee) over the top, cover and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Note : This dish will be more on the creamier side due to the coconut milk. If you dont want the creamy texture then dilute the coconut milk with water(1/2 cup coconut milk+1 1/2 cups water).
Ingredients :
Curry leaves 2cups
1 small onion finely chopped
5 green chillis ,split vertically
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon chana dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
2 red chillis
Salt according to taste
2 cups rice(cooked)
1 tablespoon oil
Juice of 1/2 a lime
A few cashew nuts(optional)
Directions :
1. Wash the curry leaves and let them dry completely.Finely chop the curry leaves with a knife.Keep aside.
2. Take 2 cups of rice in a bowl and add little salt and 2-3 drops of oil and mix well with a fork. This will prevent the rice from sticking.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the cashews.Once the cashews are fried, add cumin seeds,chana dal,urad dal,red chillis and fry them.
4. Now add the chopped curry leaves and fry them for 30secs.
5. Add the green chillis and onions and fry till onions become transparent and soft.
6. Add the rice and mix well so that all the ingredients combine nicely.Let the rice fry for 2mins. Check for salt and add more if required.
7. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lime and mix again. Serve hot.
