"You want Pokil?..a vigorous nod of the head said no and I then heard a firm aaplam" This was my conversation with Chinnu a week back. It was after knowing that Chinnu wanted to eat his friend's appalam during their lunch! Till then somehow I never gave them appalams, though Friyams are an everyday dish. Konda was all excited that evening when I reached home, saying the boys' teacher asked me to send them Apalam for lunch from now. Chinnu was frivolous in demanding the appalam that was his friend's lunch box item.
Pokil, what is this you might ask? Oh, that's a long story! This is the word the boys use for friyams, those golden fries made with sabudana. One fine day I remembered that Konda used to love these and got two packets, one coloured and the other plain yellow ones. Both the packets were completed almost the same day. They were even fighting over which colour they want. It had green, yellow, orange, white, and pink. While Konda wanted only pink, Chinnu refused to share. Peddu was content as long as he got the Pokil. Two days later, Peddu came back home asking for pokil. I didn't have a clue what he was referring to. We had completely forgotten about the friyam episode.
None of us realized what it was but he cried a fitful for it for days. Every time he will come to the kitchen, asking for Pokil, Pokil. I open all the shelves and ask him to show me. He will have that forlorn look and pout his lips and say Pokil Amma Pokil. As if that would make me understand what he was referring to! I was feeling sad, angry, and wild, and lost all in one go. I know their language well but this was getting way too out of control. So whenever I thought he was going to say Pokil, I tried distracting him somehow.
A few days later, I was playing the videos I had shot of them. Both the boys were on my lap, watching the videos. All of sudden I heard a shrill and felt Peddu becoming jubilant. He was shouting Pokil Pokil seeing the videos. I turned and saw all three of them were eating those friyams in the video! Imagine for Friyams there was so much hungama and confusion. I somehow convinced him that I would get the "Pokil" soon. Hubby dear and Athamma were laughing knowing what Pokil means.
Anyway in the end I am sending them Pokil or Aapalam on alternative days and they thoroughly enjoyed eating this Potato Pulao that I made for us last week!
Today's Lunch Box had
Potato Pulao
Tomato in coconut Milk curry
Cumin Pepper Rasam
Curd Rice
Papaya
Potato Pulao!
Ingredients Needed:
Rice - 2 cups
Potatoes - 2 big
Onions - 2 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Curds/ Yogurt - 3 tbsp
Green Chilies - 2 -3 medium
Red Chili powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 3 & 1/2 cups
Mint leaves - 5 -6 springs
Coriander leaves for garnish
Whole spices
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 2 small
Star Anise - 1
Cardamon - 2
Cloves -2
Cinnamon - 2"
Mace - 1
Method to prepare:
Wash and soak rice for 15 - 20 minutes.
Chop onions as julienne, tomatoes very finely. Slit green chilies in middle.
Heat a pressure cooker with ghee and oil. Once its hot, sauté all the wholes spices for 1 min.
Then add the julienne onions along with green chilies, mint leaves and fry till the onions start sweating. Add in the ginger garlic paste. Fry till it turns brown.
Peel the potatoes while the onions are getting brown, cube them into 2" chunks. And add to the pan. Simmer and cover with the lid for the potatoes to get little soft.
Add in the chopped tomatoes along with chili powder and salt. Fry well till the tomatoes are well mashed. Simmer this for 2 minutes. At this stage add the curds and drained rice. Sauté will so that the rice gets well coated.
Add water and adjust salt, combine everything well and cover with lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
Notes: If you are using Basmati rice, use 1: 1 ratio of rice & water. Cooking this rice in pan gives the best results. But when you are hurried on a weekday, the pressure cooker gets done in 15 mins. Only have to keep an eye on the water added. So always soak rice for longer time and cook with the exact measurement of water.
Roasting the potatoes along with the onions will give a beautiful brown coating to potatoes.
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Simran says
Lovely. Potato pulao is ultimate comfort food (but then, I can eat potato in anything!)
Kalai says
It's so pretty with the star anise on top! Nice one! 🙂
Priti says
That's a heartful lunch...just yum
Aysha says
Nice clicks...n d potato pulav sounds yummy...
rekhas kitchen says
After watching your lunch pic.s I am feeling tummy full yummy pulao valli.
Hari Chandana says
Wowowww!! looks very tempting.. lovely presentation.. yummyyy !!
Priya says
Potato pulao makes me hungry..looks yumm!
Suparna says
wow wonderful lunch box items :)it's a wholesome lunch. nicely presented 🙂
Cynthia says
I want part-take in this feast!
Divya Vikram says
Lovely lunchbox Valli.
Rajani Rayudu says
Hi Sri,
Reading his Pokil story felt sorry for him oh no, at last a good end 🙂
Potato Pulao color superb, have to try it some time.....
cheers
rajani
Preeti Singh says
Looks fabulous....colour is so perfect...
churningthewordmill says
i normally dont make pulao with potatoes..my mom does..will share ur recipe with her..its looks really nice with all the accompanyments..
Rajitha says
LOL at the pokil valli!! i can imagine the poor kid thinking...what is wrong with my mom!!...why can't she get 'it'..Btw. i love pokil too....my nephew would call it...'Cow-dum'..while we thought he was saying 'cow-dung'!....you can imagine the time we had 😉
Pavani says
Enjoyed reading the "Pokil' episode. My son's almost 2 now and I have tough time understanding him sometimes. I can imagine how frustating it is. Potato pulao looks delicious.
Pooja says
Aww looks so delicious! Lovely spread of dishes!
Suja Ilangovan says
Hey Valli,
My friends & i loved this pulao. Although i didn't add garlic, it turned out yummy- Thanks. 🙂
jayasree says
Potato pulav sounds interesting.
Sometimes kids's language can drive you mad..Poor Peddu, he too must have had the same feeling as yours.
Jhanani says
Pokil story is very interesting
(if you had kept the suspense till the end, it would have been more fun). Good that you found what they meant:-)))
I love potatoes and I am going to try this weekend.
Thanks.
Vidya says
That's one yummy lunchbox. mmmm mouthwatering.