Soya Nugget Red Bell Pepper Raisin pulao with Soya Methi Sweet Corn Sabzi/curry

Past couple of days, are cold here, well what can you expect in winter other than cold days, perhaps some snow, we are not that privileged group of people yet, while it snowed in many parts of London and in UK, we are still waiting.

This soya nugget pulao cooked with Red Bell pepper, Sweet corn, raisin and a side-dish of soya nuggets methi sweet corn sabzi can be enjoyed anticipating some snow and if you are tired of Christmas shopping and want to deviate doing something else, then perhaps you can give it a try someday. This Pulao is very delicately flavored, a mild one-in fact the spices that goes in it, are obviously the daily spices that you all add in making everyday cooking. Mix and Match the vegetables to develop new recipe and can include sausages in place of soya nuggets to make non-veggie pulao as well. Now I would really  like to know how it goes if you add sausages or in fact meatballs in pulao. Couple of months back I did made a pulao with left-over chicken kabab or roast chicken pieces -Here and the outcome was very surprising as it all blended so well.Oh! But this post is a vegetarian affair and let it remain that way; let’s not complicate the topic here.

Actually for making pulao, I do feel there are no set rules, although stove –top method works best, but then sometimes I do bake it in oven, all wrapped with aluminum foil. 

This recipe is about stove-top method of making pulao. Over these years I have realized that many times the rice that goes into making pulao or even biryani do make some difference. Many times the temperature the rice is cooked, how much water is added and the duration of cooking. But please don’t ask me to be specific, as I do things mostly by my instinct here in my kitchen. So I really don’t like to get into technical details much, well I am not a technical person either.

If you need any more clarifications, do ask in comment section, I will try to answer as per my skill level and to be honest I am not an expert, just learning, all these and many more other things day by day. Well that includes, knowing about Snow-Leopard and Clouded Leopard, and that Romans also ruled in many parts of Britain many centuries ago, and that Cleopatra liked wearing red lipstick which were extracted from bugs and red ants!!, this courtesy my daughter.

In a nutshell the recipe has been written for you with a picture to validate that it has been made in my kitchen.

Now to the recipe part

                        (Soya nugget bell pepper raisin pulao/ rice pilaf and soya methi sweet corn rasa sabzi/curry)

Soya Nugget Methi/fenugreek Sweet Corn sabzi/curry

Recipe requirements(serves- 3-4 )

• About a large cup of cooked soya nuggets
•  1 bunch methi/fresh fenugreek leaves
• 1-2 cups of sweet corn 
• 1 medium size onion
• 2-3 large garlic
• 2 tsp of grated ginger
• ½ tomato
• Seasonings and phoron/tempering/
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• 2 tej patta or bay leaf
• 1 tsp of red pepper powder
• 2 tsp of coriander powder
• ¾ tsp of turmeric powder
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• ¼ tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 4-5 heaped tbs of cooking oil
• 2-3 tbs of cream
• 4-5 heaped tbs of cooking oil

Method

• Wash methi/fenugreek bunch and separate leaves from shoots. Blanch them for couple of mints, till they shrink and release water.
• Cook soya nuggets according to package directions. Or you may put soya nuggets in microwave safe bowl with enough water, and microwave it for 2 mints. Leave aside for 10-15 mints they will turn out soft.
• Now chop onions, garlic and grate ginger. Chop tomato as well.
• If you are using frozen sweet corn, then put them with ample water and microwave it at high for 2-3 mints or till they turn out soft.
• Now to the making of soya nuggets methi sweet corn curry
• Heat up a saucepan/Kadai, add in cooking oil, add in cumin seeds, tej patta.Let it crackle a little bit after 1 mint.Add in finely chopped onions/ginger/garlic. Fry them for 3-4 mints at med-high or till they turn nice brown.
• Now add in dry masala- turmeric, red pepper, coriander, salt, sugar, and cinnamon and cardamom powder. Add in about quarter cup of water. Add in chopped tomato. Keep on stir/fry for about 6-8 mints or till the oil starts to come by sides.
• Now add in cooked soya nuggets, sweet corn and blanched methi leaves. Add the water which comes after blanching methi to the above. Taste and adjust everything.
• Keep the lid on, cover and let it simmer at medium flame for about 10-15 mints and if required then add in 1/2 cup of warm water if the curry tends to become dry, although tomato will be adding it's share to the gravy as well.
• Add cream at the end and mix well. Sometimes I also add 1 tsp of ghee at the end of making this sabzi/curry. Reserve little bit of cream to decorate later on.

Soya nuggets Red Bell Pepper and Raisin Pulao/Pilaf

Recipe requirements(serves 3-4)

• 1 large cup of basmati rice/jasmine rice/sona masoori/gobindo bhog
• 1 large cup of cooked soya nuggets
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 cup of cooked sweet corn
• 1 cup of raisin
• ½ cup of yogurt
• Seasoning
• ½ tsp of red pepper powder
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of sugar
• ½ tsp of cardamom powder
• 2-3 tej patta
• 3 cloves
• 2 cardamoms
• Few strands of mace
• 3-4 tbs of cooking oil

Method

• Wash the rice and soak it for 10-15 mints while you chop red bell pepper and cook soya nuggets and sweet corn in microwave.
• Heat up a saucepan; add in tej patta, cloves, cardamom and mace.Fry about 2 mints.
• Then add in chopped red bell pepper, soya nuggets, raisins and sweet corn. Keep on stir/fry them for 3-4 mints.
• Now add in rice and add in dry ingredients-red pepper powder, cardamom powder, salt and sugar.
• Now add in yogurt. Mix well - do not stir vigoursly otherwise the rice grains will tend to break.
• Add in 2 cups of water to the above. Or check this pulao post for detailed method of baking in oven , but the recipe is with yakhni and is a Chicken Yakhni Pulao - Here.
• Cover it and let it cook at medium flame. When the water is absorbed; shift the saucepan covered and let it cool on dining table.Squeeze in 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and add in a dab of butter at the end.Cover` it.

Have and serve soya nuggets pulao with soya methi.sweet corn sabzi/curry.

Happy Cooking Friends and have lovely weekdays........