InstantPot - Rice Kheer

Ingredients :

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Whole milk - 12 cups
Sugar - 3 cups (adjust according to your taste)
Cashews /Almonds , Raisins - roasted in ghee
Saffron - 1/4th tsp (optional)
Cardamom
Ghee - 2 tablespoons

Method

Wash and rinse the rice.
Add rice and milk into IP .  
Set IP in manual mode for 30 mins with vent sealed. When it's done , let is release naturally - (NR) After opening the IP, set it in sautee mode and add sugar and ghee. Cook it till the sugar dissolves and you have the desired consistenty. 
Garnish with cashews, raisins, cardamom and saffron. 
If the kheer is thick add some boiled milk to it. You could also add sugar at the start of the process.

Bendekayi Huli

I was craving for mom's bendekayi huli since my return from India. I have tried this dish couple of times before but this time it came close to what she cooks.

Ingredients

Okra - 1 lb. Cut into 1inch pieces
Tomato - 1
Onion  - 1 small
Coriander - 5 sprigs
Garlic - 2 cloves
Sambhar powder - 2 tsps
Tamarind - 1 small lemon size
Shredded coconut - 2 tblsp
Oil - 2 tblsp
Mustard
Curry leaves

To grind :

Tomato
Coriander
Garlic
Sambhar powder
Shredded coconut
1/2 onion

Method

Heat oil in a vessel and fry the okra for 10 min and keep it aside.
Heat oil and temper the oil with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Add 1/2 onion cut into tiny pieces and fry it slightly.
Add the ground paste above and fry it for 5 more minutes
Add tamarind water and salt. Let the mixture boil for 10 minutes.
Add okra and cook for 10 more min. You can cook this curry to the consistency required. I was planning to eat this with ragi mudde , so I made it a little watery.You can eat this curry with ragi mudde, rice or chapathi.

Beans Paruppu-ussili

This is one of my favorite side dish.  I was introduced to this side dish by my husband. Its a typical Iyengar  specialty that goes very well with hot rasam or More Kohazambhu. I love to cook this during festival times.
Paruppu-ussili is typically cooked with lot of oil but I try to avoid oil as much as possible. Here is my healthy take on the recipe for this delicious dish .

Ingredients


1 cup beans cut into small pieces
4 tbsp Channa Dal
2 red chilli
Pinch of asafoetida

2 tsp oil(gingelly oil preferably)
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste


Method
Soak Channa Dal in warm water for 2 hours
Drain water completely and grind Channa Dal with red chilli , asafoetida and salt into coarse mixture.Do not add any water while grinding
Microwave this coarse mixture for 10 minutes with little water.
Microwave beans with very little water and salt for 5 min.Ensure that beans is only half cooked.
Heat oil in a vessel.Add mustard and wait for it to splutter.
Add turmeric,beans ,channa dal mixture salt and cook this together for about 10 minutes on high heat
Serve hot with rice or as a side dish.