Leftover Vegetable Pulao and Cheese Patties

I quite "not throw" but use the leftover food most of the time, especially the dinner leftovers. Most of the dinner leftovers make very good Breakfast Dishes. I always look for the "leftover Rice and Chapati" to use in making something delicious for breakfast.

For instance, from one of the dinner recently, I was left with 1 and 1/2 cup of Vegetable Pulao. I was thinking it's not even a full portion for someone. So thats going to be converted into something else. Kept it carefully in the fridge and next morning i was up with a recipe in mind for a tasty breakfast.

I gathered all the ingredients, in my mind for this breakfast treat. Mixed it all up along with the leftover Pulao, shallow fry that and we have yummy, tasty, delicious Patties to go with Buns, Cookies and morning drinks for breakfast.

Here's presenting Leftover Vegetable Pulao and Cheese Patties. Kids simply loved eating them with out any fussy morning face, Hubby asked me to make them again whenever we have any leftover pulao and me so happy to see them having something they liked.

Try this quick, simple and easy recipe in your kitchen and see your family members face lighting with joy and mouth singing praises for you. Let me know your feedback in the comments below.................... Until Next Time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Leftover Vegetable Pulao                     - 1 - 1/2 cup
Gram Flour                                           - 3 tblspoon
Grated Cheese                                      - 2 tblspoon
Desiccated Coconut                             - 1 tblspoon
Salt                                                       - to taste / optional
Red Chili Flakes                                  - to taste / optional
Lemon Juice                                        - 1 tblspoon
Oil                                                       - 2 tblspoon to shallow fry

Method:

In a heavy bottom pan, dry roast the gram flour for 3-4 minutes.
Tip over the roasted gramflour into the Pulao bowl.
Now add cheese, salt, chili flakes, lemon juice and coconut into the same bowl.
Mix well with your hand to give it a texture of loose dough. Refer the picture.

Divide the Pulao dough into 8-9 equal pieces with greased hands.
Heat a heavy bottom pan on medium heat.
Grease your hands again and shape the dough balls into patties.
Shallow Fry the Patties , 4-5 at a time, giving them space to cook properly.
Fry them until golden from both sides, flipping carefully in between.
Once all of them are done, Patties are ready to be served, as a starter, light lunch with salad, tea-time snack or breakfast as we did.
You can also sandwich them with buns, baps or Pav with Chutneys, Condiments or sauces.
Enjoy the light, crunchy and filling patties.

Notes:
You can also use Oats powder, but I was run out it so used gram flour.

You can replace Cheese with crumbled Paneer.

Coconut is totally optional.

Spices are also optional, if the Pulao is spiced and floured extremely hot.

Matar Mushroom Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice                               - 1-1/2 cup
Musroom /Khubh                        - 1 cup chopped
Green Peas/Matar                        - 1 cup washed
Onion                                           - 1 medium size cut in juliene
Tomato Puree                               - 3 tblspoon
Green Chili                                   - 2 chopped
Ginger Paste                                 - 1/2 tspoon
Garlic Paste                                  - 1 tspoon
Hing                                             - 1 pinch
Cumin Seeds                                - 1/2 tspoon
Black Cardamom                         - 1
Bay leaf/Tej Patta                        - 1
Cloves/ Laung                             - 2-3
Black pepper/Kali Mirch            - 4-5
Whole Coriander                        - 5-10 seeds
Cinnamon Stick/Dalchini           - 1 inch small stick
Mace/Javitri                               - one cover
Vegetable oil                              - 2 tblspoon
Salt                                             - to taste
Garam Masala                            - 1/2 tspoon
Amchoor                                    - 1/2 tspoon
Kasuri Methi                              - 1 tblspoon (optional, my kids dont like it)
Fresh Coriander leaves              - 2 tblspoon chopped well
Water as required                      - it varies according to the brand of rice.

Method:

Clean, wash and soak the rice for 15 mins.
Meanwhile wash and chop the mushrooms and slice the onions.
In a pressure cooker, heat oil.  Add the whole spices along with cumin and hing, and fry till they become fragrant for about 2 seconds.
Add the onions and saute them till translucent.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of the paste goes away. Now add the chopped green chilies.
Now add the tomato puree,salt, garam masala and amchoor mix well. Add the kasoori methi if you are using it.
Now add the green peas then add the mushrooms.
Saute for 8-10 minutes till the mushrooms are starting to shrink. Keep on stirring in between.
Add the soaked rice. Mix the rice for 1-2 minutes on a low flame with gentle hands.
Add the water. I keep the water over rice for just a first phalanx of my fingre.
Pressure cook the rice for 1 whistle and as soon as the next whistle starts to come switch off the flame. With this trick your rice will be cooked and will not be sticky.
When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and gently fluff the rice.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve matar mushroom pulao with mix salad.
You could also serve variety of Raita with the Pulao.

Tofu & Veg Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice               -2 cup cooked
Tofu                           -1/2 cup cut into chunks
Mix Vegetables         -1/2 Cup Boiled (Mix bell peppers, sweetcorn, green peas)
Green chilli paste      -1 tspoon
Ginger paste              -1 tspoon
Garlic Paste               -1 tspoon
Onions                       -1 medium cut in julienne
Ghee/oil                     -1 tblspoon
Water                         -1 1/2 cup
Fresh Coriander         -1 tblspoon chopped
Cumin Seeds              -1/4 tspoon
Asafetida                    -1 pinch
Turmeric powder       -1/2 tspoon
Coriander powder      -1/2 tspoon
Garam Masala           -1/2 tspoon
Amchoor Powder      -1/2 tspoon
Salt                            -to taste

Method:

Heat the oil into a heavy bottom pan and shallow fry the Tofu chunks.
Once they are golden brown from each side take them out on a paper towel lined plate.
Now temper the remaining oil with cumin seeds and asafetida.
Add onion, green chilli paste, ginger and garlic paste and fry till transparent.
Keep frying until the raw smell goes away, but make sure not to burn it.
Add ground spices, turmeric, coriander, amchoor, garam masala, salt and give it a good mix.
Now add the vegetables and tofu in the pan and give it a good mix and let it cook for 2 minutes and cover the pan by lid.
Now open the lid and tip the rice in the pan. Mix it very well with vegetables and tofu.
cook the rice for 5 minutes. Now sprinkle some fresh coriander and mix again.
Serve the rice as a breakfast or as a side dish in your dinner and lunch parties.
My kids love eating tofu so i make these rice for them in after school snack.

Mix Veggie & Chickpea Pulao

Ingredients

Basmati rice                -1 cup, heaped
Chickpea/ Chole       -1/2 cup
Mix Vegetables              -1/2 Cup Boiled (Cut in fine chunks, carrots, beans, peas, sweetcorn, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli)
Green chilli paste           -1 tspoon
Ginger paste                   -1 tspoon
Garlic Paste                    -1 tspoon
Onions                            -1 medium cut in julienne
Ghee                               -1 tblspoon
Water                              -1 1/2 cup
Fresh Coriander              -1 tblspoon chopped

Whole Spices:
Cumin Seeds                  -1/4 tspoon
Asafetida                        -1 pinch
Bay Leaf                         -1
Black cardamom             -1
Cinnamon stick               -1 inch thin stick
coriander seeds                -1/4 tspoon
Black pepper                    -whole 4-5
Cloves                              -2

Ground Spices:
Turmeric powder             -1/2 tspoon
Amchoor Powder            -1/2 tspoon
Coriander powder           -1/2 tspoon
Garam Masala                -1/2 tspoon
Salt                                 -to taste  



Method:

Soak chole overnight.
Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes before cooking.
Heat the ghee into a pressure cooker and temper with the items given under ‘whole spices’ table.
Add onion, green chilli paste, ginger and garlic paste and fry till transparent.
Fry until raw smell goes away, but make sure not to over burn it.
Add ground spices and give a quick stir.
Now add the mix vegetables and chole into the pressure cooker and give it a good mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
Drain the water from rice and add rice to the pressure cooker and Mix well.
Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water and cook it for 2 whistles.
Once all the steam escapes from the cooker open it.
Now garnish with fresh coriander and serve with some boondi raita and salad.
To make it more tasty add some chopped mint into it.

Sweet Corn / Makai Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati rice         -2 cups
Sweet Corn, Frozen -1 cup
Mint leaves         -5
Coriander leaves -2 tblsp
Salt                          -To taste
Garlic                 -2 cloves
Ginger                 -1/2 tspoon very finely chopped or grated
Black Pepper            -4 whole
Cinnamon         -1 small stick
Cloves                 -2
Bay leave                 -1
Black Cardamom     -1
Mace                        -very small piece
Star Anise               -very small piece
Turmeric                 -1/2 tspoon
Coriander powder   -1/2 tspoon
Oil/ghee                 -2 tblsp
Water                 -2 cups



Method:

I always use frozen corn to cook corn pulao.
If you prefer to use the fresh sweet corn, first separate the kernels. Wash and keep aside. Wash and soak the rice for at least 15-20 mins.
Heat a heavy bottom vessel with oil into it. Now add bay leaves, black peppers, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, mace, star anise. Stir them for 2-3 minutes, when they start to leave their aroma, add ginger and garlic fry for 2 minutes in medium flame and let the raw smell go away.Now add Turmeric and coriander powder, mix well.
Add the corn kernels and fry for another 3-4 minutes in medium flame. Add little salt for the corn.
Now add salt, mint leaves, coriander leaves and rice. When it starts boiling, check for salt and reduce the flame to lowest possible and cook for 12-15 minutes and switch the flame off. Now cover it and keep off from the heated burner to avoid over cooking.
You corn pulao is ready. My Kids love to eat it as they love sweet corn. You can serve it with any Sabzi, just Yogurt or Raita.

Note: If you do not prefer basmati rice, you can use your regular grain rice, only adjust the quantity of water to cook the rice.
If you are using pressure cooker, just go until one whistle and switch off the flame.

Matar Pulao

Ingredients:

Frozen green peas             - 1 cup, thawed
Basmati rice                      - 2 cups, rinsed and drained
Vegetable oil                     - 2 tablespoons
Cloves                                - 4 whole
Black cardamom                - 1 Whole
Black peppercorns             - 6 whole
Cinnamon sticks                - 1
Bay Leaf                            - 1
Water                                 - 2 tbspoons + 4 Cups
Salt                                    - to taste


Method:

Heat the oil in a deep heavy skillet / saucepan over low heat. Add the cloves, cardamom seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick and bay leaf.
Cook for a few minutes to bring out the aroma of the spices.
Add the green peas and 2 tbspoon of water to the pan, cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 4 cups of water and rice to the pan. Season with a little salt.
Bring to a boil, then cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed.
Mix it gently so that you do not break the rice grains.
Matar Pulao is ready to serve with curries and daal. I served Matar Pulao with Shahi Paneer and Raita.

Note: If your kids do not like to crunch the whole spices in between eating, take these whole spices out of the oil once the aroma starts to get stronger.
If you are cooking in Pressure cooker do not use 4 cups of water , use only 2 1/2 cup of water as when we cook rice in pressure cooker  it doesn't need  much water. Switch off the flame after 1 whistle.

Soya Protein Pulao

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice                          - 1 1/2 cup
Soya chunks                           - 1 cup
Mix Vegetables                      - 1 Cup (Carrot, Broccoli, Sweetcorn, Peas, Cauliflower, Beans)
Soybeans                                - 1/2 Cup Soaked and boiled
Ginger                                    - 1 inch piece grated
Tomato Puree                         - 2 teaspoon
Ghee                                       - 2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds                           - 1 teaspoon
Asafetida/Hing                       - 1 pinch
Turmeric powder                    - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder                   - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder                   - 1/4 teaspoon or optional
Salt                                         - To the taste
Coriander leaves                    - chopped for Garnishing
Raisins                                   - Green or Golden for Garnishing



Method:

Wash the rice and soak for 10 min in the water.
Take a pan and 2 cup boil water in it. Put a pinch of salt in it and add soya chunks to it once the water starts to boil. Cover the pan with a plate and leave for 20 minutes.
If you are making pulao in the cooker (Like I did for quick fix) then heat the ghee into it. Put cumin seeds into it and let it splutter. Add hing and keep the flame low. Now add powdered masalas, chopped ginger and tomato puree into it.
Take out the soy chunks from the water and put them into the roasted masala and mix well. Mix the veggies into it as well. Cook them for about 2-4 minutes.
Strain the water from the rice and mix them too into the masala. Mix well and roast for 2-3 minutes with the ladle.
Pour water(twice the quantity of rice) into the rice along with salt and lemon. Mix well and close the lid of the cooker. Pressure the cooker for upto 1 whistle and then turn off the flame.
Take out the half pressure from the cooker by lifting the whistle with a spoon. Once the steam comes out fully open the lid of the cooker and let the pulao cool down a little. Soya Pulao is ready.
When it cools down, sprinkle the coriander leaves and raisins onto it and serve with some healthy salad and yogurt.
I'm sure your kids will love it.