Spice Girl Kitchen returns to Houston Life with two easy Indian dishes

Houston – Let’s get spicy with Shubhra Ramineni of Spice Girl Kitchen. She returned to Houston Life today with two quick and easy dishes. Did you miss her segment? Here are the full recipes for you to try at home.

One-Pot Vegetable Rice Pilaf

You could describe this dish as an Indian version of vegetarian fried rice. It’s an easy, flavorful, and healthy one-pot meal that’s perfect with a side of Indian lentil stew (dal) and plain yogurt. It also packs well for school lunches for the little ones!

Serves 3 to 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes + 5 minutes to rest

Refrigerator life: 3 days

Freezer life: 1 month

Reheating method: Place the refrigerated or defrosted rice in a microwave, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and stir periodically. Or, place the rice in a saucepan, sprinkle a few drops of water on it, and warm over medium-low heat, stirring periodically.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked white Basmati rice
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
• 3 cloves
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1-inch piece cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 3 whole green cardamom pods
• ½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 1½ cups fresh or frozen bite-size cauliflower florets (no need to defrost the frozen ones)
• 1½ cups fresh or frozen bite-size broccoli florets (no need to defrost the frozen ones)
• 1 medium russet potato peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin or thick matchsticks (see page xx)
• 2 cups water
• 1¾ teaspoons salt

Steps:

1. Place the rice in a small bowl. Rinse three or four times by repeatedly filling the bowl with cold water and carefully draining off the water. It is okay if the water is not completely clear, but try to get it as clear as you can. Pour the rice into a large sieve to drain.
2. Pour the oil into a large saucepan and place it over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and bay leaf. Open the cardamom pods and add the seeds and the pods. Sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is browned and the edges just start to crisp. Stir frequently.
3. Add the green peas, cauliflower, broccoli, potato, and carrot. Cover the saucepan. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the rice. Stir thoroughly. Add the water and salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir.
5. Cover the saucepan and simmer undisturbed for about 10 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed and you do not see any more water on the bottom of the saucepan if you insert a spoon through the rice. Turn off the heat. Let rest covered for 5 minutes on the warm stove.
6. Keep covered until ready to serve or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze for later. Before serving, gently fluff the rice with a fork to mix the vegetables. You may leave the whole spices in for presentation. Enjoy!

Indian Espresso Coffee

This is a signature drink Ramineni’s mother served for decades at dinner parties. It has a creamy froth that is easy to achieve without a fancy frothing machine. Pour the milk into the cup from as high a distance, and watch the froth form! Ramineni says the prep work takes patience and arm strength to get it perfect and fluffy, but it can be made in advance and refrigerated.

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 minutes (Cappuccino Batter can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated)

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup low-fat milk
• For garnish: 2 pinches of either coffee granules, cocoa powder, ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg

Cappuccino Batter

• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons water

Steps:

1. To make the Cappuccino Batter: Thoroughly mix together the instant coffee granules, sugar and ½ teaspoon of the water in a small bowl for 2 minutes.

2. Add another ½ teaspoon of the water. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes with a spoon. The color will become light brown and the mixture will start to become creamy. It is important to add the water a little bit at time, and then beat vigorously so the water is absorbed and air is beaten in, allowing the batter to become light and fluffy, which leads to more froth when making the cappuccino.

3. Add another ½ teaspoon of the water. Beat vigorously for 3 minutes with a spoon.

4. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of the water. Beat vigorously for 3 minutes with a spoon. The mixture will become light brown and creamy like a thick pudding. It should not be watery. Place the batter aside for use now or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

5. To make Indian Cappuccino: put 1 tablespoon of the cappuccino batter into each of the 2 cups. Save any extra batter for later or add it now to make your drink stronger.

6. Pour the milk into a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring occasionally as it comes to a boil. Don’t let the milk boil over and out of the saucepan! Immediately turn off the heat. Alternatively, you can also microwave it.

7. Pour the boiled milk evenly into each cup from at least 6 inches above the cup to allow the froth to form. Sprinkle a pinch of coffee granules, cocoa, cinnamon or nutmeg on top of the froth for garnish. Enjoy!

Ramineni shared these recipes with us from her award-winning cookbooks Entice with Spice, Easy and Quick Indian Recipes for Beginners, and Healthy Indian Vegetarian Cooking. Both are available in stores.

Visit her on Instagram @SpiceGirlKitchen or her website.

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