i make a couple of types of veggie pulaos, this one is so far the yummiest and is somewhat intermediate between the taste of pulao and biryani....very tasty. This one i made in pressure cooker. Similar procedure to be followed for rice cooker as well.
ingredients

basmati rice -1 1/2 big cups(i always take the best quality for pulao,lal quilla so far my favourite)

1 big cup veggies(peas,carrot,cauliflower,french beans)

2 tbsp ghee

1 bay leaf

2 green cardamom

1 black cardamom(optional)

1" cinnamon stickcloves

3-4 star anise

1 tsp cumin seeds

1-1 1/2 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp cumin pwd

1/2 tsp chilly pwd

2 slit green chilliesa

pinch turmeric(just a pinch!)

onion 1 big chopped

gingergarlic paste 1 tsp

salt to taste

broken cashews few

procedure:
1)wash rice really well and soak for 15 mins

2) take ghee in pressure cooker,when heated add the whole spices.

3) when they fry a little add onions, when onions are semi cooked add ginger garlic paste and chillies slit.cook till onions are nicely pinkish golden

4) add the veggies, followed by all the powdered masalas.cook for a minute...

5)then add drained rice..cook for a minute

6)finally add 3 cups warm water...i prefer warm .add salt

7)pressure cook..I usually simmer for 3-4 minutes after the first whistle.open pressure cooker after a while,fluff with fork

8) decorate with fried cashews.EAT!

Chilly Paneer Dry

Ingredients:
Paneer- 1 big cup
Green chillies 4
ginger garlic paste: 1 heaped tsp
Spring onions 2-3
Capsicum cut- 1 (cut them into long slender pieces
Cornflour : 2 tbsp
Soya sauce: 2 tbsp
Vinegar 2 teaspoon
Tomato ketchup/sauce: 1 1/2 tbsp
water 1/4 cup
Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
fry the paneer in 1 tsp oil on a tava. remove and soak them in a bowl of warm water

take a pan, add 2 tbsp oil,when hot add ginger garlic paste, green chillies.fry for a minute.add capsicum and spring onions,add salt, cook till half done.

In the meantime, take a bowl, and mix the soy sauce, vinegar, cornflour, water,ketchup and pepper powder

once the capsicum is cooked a little more, but still slightly crunchy, add the sauce mixture , remove the paneer from water, squeez a little to shed off excess water.Add .

cook for 3 minutes.Serve hot.keep mixing continuously.. so that paneer gets coated in the saucy mixture.

Paneer butter masala

This has been my favourite paneer dish since childhood..and then I happened to find this perfect recipe Sailaja

I have made the changes to the recipe as it suits my palate...
Ingredients:

paneer 1 cup.. which should be say around 200 grms, cut into cubes

2 big onions blanched

2-3 big tomatoes blanced

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 green chilly very finely chop(optional)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp chilly pwd

1 tsp coriander pwd

1 tsp garam masala pwd

1/8th tsp turmeric (say a pinch)

1 tsp kasuri methi

1/4th cup cream

1 1/2 cup water

1 tbsp corn flour

25 grms butter

Procedure:
1)BLANCHING-peel 2 big onions and blanch them.take 2 big tomatoes and blanch them as well. for blanching, peel onionsand boil them over the stove for 10 minutes. boil tomatoes for 10 mins. remove from stove, let it cook a littleand remove skin of the tomatoes, puree in mixie.puree the onions in mixie as well2)FRYING PANEER-take a tbsp ghee in a pan,add the paneer pieces and shallow fry till they turn slight brown.add these paneer pieces immediately to a bowl of warm water.strain when u want to add to the gravy3)THE GRAVYheat kadai, take 25 gms butter approx, i just took 1/4 of the 100 gms amul butter slab.add 1 tsp cumin seeds, and one bay leaf.add, onion paste, and when half done add the garlic ginger chilly paste, and fry very well till raw smell goes.. add tomato paste,turmeric, coriander pwd,garam masala,salt, and again cook very well till its cooked, and butter starts leaving from the sides.now crush kasuri methi between your palms and add to the paste.add the paneer.take one heaped tsp of corn flour and mix in 1 to 1 1/2 of water.add this to the gravy.after around 4-5 minutes, add the cream,sparing a tbsp of cream for decorationyour yummy yum paneer butter masala is ready to serve!in paneer butter masala, cashew paste is also added, but i dont since its already so high in calorie, and there is no compromise on taste anyway.but if u still want u can add 2 tbsp cashew paste in the gravy, in which case no need to add cornflour

Microwave Vegetable Pulao

Who says MW cannot help u make finger licking meals?Ever since I have started to use the MW for purposes other than reheating and defrosting, life has become easier.If not the MW, i cook vegetable pulao in my pressure cooker
giving away the recipe for this pulao
What u need:
a deep MW safe glass/ceramic bowl with lid
Basmati Rice 1 cup (washed and soaked in water for 15 mins)
water 2 cups
chopped vegetables 1 cup
ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
2 tbsp ghee
green chillies 2-3
turmeric 1/4 tsp
coriander pwd 1 tsp
cumin pwd 1/2 tsp
red chilly pwd 1/2 tsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

dry spices:
bay leaf 2
cumin seeds 1 tsp
pepper corns 1/2 tsp
cinnamon 1"
cardamom 2
cloves 3

procedure:
1) In the MW bowl, add ghee and microwave High for 1 minute
2) add all dry spices, cover and microwave on high for 1 minute
3) Add ginger garlic paste , turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, chilly pwd, cover with lid and put on high for 2 minutes. stir
4)add veggies, garam masala, salt, rice(discard water),2 cups water cover with lid and put on high for 8 minutes , stirring once every 4 minutes
5) stir once again and microwave medium for 5 minutes
6)give a standing time of 5 minutes

Serve with raita or plain curd
heres a visual explanation of the procedure

Low cal microwave tomato soup

Soups form a major part of my dinner everyday.So I am always looking for options to cook them in a jiffy, without much hastle, usually oil or fat free.Heres a recipe I learnt from Chithra, with my own slight modification

Makes one bowl
Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
1 small onion
1/4 tsp sambar masala
1/4 tsp pepper powder
salt to taste

In a microwave safe bowl, cut tomato into large cubes.Do the same for onion.
Add sambar powder and 3 tbps water.Cover the lid
Microwave high for 3 minutes
Give a standing time of 5 minutes. Then the cooked contents in a mixie and puree it
Add 1/2 cup water to liquidise it and transfer to MW bowl
Add salt, mix and sprinkle pepper.
Microwave for 1 minute.
Remove, serve