Browse through the food and drink section of any book store in India and you'll come across stacks of cook booklets. These booklets cover a mind boggling range: Microwave Party Cooking, No Sugar/Oil/Salt recipes, Fast foods (that is, food that is allowed when observing a religious fast!), Blood Pressure Cooking (?) etc.
Most of these booklets are the size of a largish postcard and have one recipe per page. While one can't take short cuts when listing ingredients, brevity comes in when providing cooking instructions.
Take this one for example:
Grind the first 5 ingredients to make a paste. Prepare the tempering and pour over the paste. Cook the rice. Create layers of the rice and the paste. Serve hot.
Clearly these recipes are not for the novice cook as they seem to assume that the reader has some basic knowledge of cooking.
Come to think of it, these recipes are absolutely tweet-ready.
Most of these booklets are the size of a largish postcard and have one recipe per page. While one can't take short cuts when listing ingredients, brevity comes in when providing cooking instructions.
Take this one for example:
Grind the first 5 ingredients to make a paste. Prepare the tempering and pour over the paste. Cook the rice. Create layers of the rice and the paste. Serve hot.
Clearly these recipes are not for the novice cook as they seem to assume that the reader has some basic knowledge of cooking.
Come to think of it, these recipes are absolutely tweet-ready.
Ask my Aai for a recipe and you get a list of ingredients. She (correctly) assumes that I have the smarts to estimate the quantity of said ingredients. Since I have watched her cook for years she also assumes that I have learned something by osmosis. Correct, once again!
After sampling some of the late-summer sweet corn, she suggested we make corn pulao by 'adding corn to our usual party pulao'. Economy of instructions!
Do not let the pale appearance fool you. This flavourful pulao is fantastic on its own but is a simple and uncomplicated part of any party menu where everything else is vying for ones attention.
Corn Pulao
Ingredients
1 cup rice, wash and set aside
1 cup fresh corn kernels
5 cloves
2 leaves tamaalpatra (tej patta)
1 inch piece of cinnamon
1 tbsp oil
salt, to taste
2 cups (or more) hot water
Method
Heat the oil and when hot add the spices.
Saute till they start to darken (about a minute).
Add the rice and corn and saute for another minute.
Stir in the water and cook uncovered still most of the water is absorbed.
Add the salt and give it a good stir.
Put the lid on and cover till the rice cooks through.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 cup rice, wash and set aside
1 cup fresh corn kernels
5 cloves
2 leaves tamaalpatra (tej patta)
1 inch piece of cinnamon
1 tbsp oil
salt, to taste
2 cups (or more) hot water
Method
Heat the oil and when hot add the spices.
Saute till they start to darken (about a minute).
Add the rice and corn and saute for another minute.
Stir in the water and cook uncovered still most of the water is absorbed.
Add the salt and give it a good stir.
Put the lid on and cover till the rice cooks through.
Enjoy!
Five ingredients, not counting salt and oil. Economy of ingredients!
The pulao is making it way to Anita's party.
The pulao is making it way to Anita's party.
10 comments:
Truly said many a times I also feel the same with some of the cookery books we get in the shops.
Corn Puloa tastes excellent. My mom makes it. I luv it.
Simple and delicious. I have made this once but with peas and corn. I should try with corn alone. I am sure kids will love it. Nice, lunch box idea for my KG daughter. Thanks.
So true about the cookery books! Even Rasachandrika, Ruchira write recipes like this some times.
Nice corn pulav, will try soon.
Might be something to make with all those ears languishing in my crisper. Might even make it tonight if I have enough time left. Will let you know, O Smart One.
In the time of recession...even economy of instructions is a good thing! This pulao should be the perfect accompaniment for the rest of the goodies at the party! Thanks, TC!
My friend (and fellow blogger) Arch of The Yum just sent me three ears of corn - one was simply steamed and chopped up and served with butter for a girlie dinner yesterday. The other two are going to go into this pulav! Thanks
Miri
i know what u mean..ive seen those small concise miniature cookbooks that somehow expect us to read in between the lines:) i have a few and now that i've been doing abit of cooking, i find that they are not too bad. the corn pulao so innovative..
Hey hey hey, is this a guest appearance? Nice post.
Looks so simple & nice. Thanx for sharing.
Looks nice:)
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