Film-making is often a frustrating job. Especially when you are the screenwriter as well. There are days on end when writer's block can set in, and You just don't know how to put two and two together even though You know the entire picture in your head. It's the teeny tiny details that ofen leave You confused and hapless. I have been staring at my computer monitor at an incomplete screenplay for hours without being able to proceed to the next scene for the past one week. Trying to convincingly pull off a crime story with a clever twist in the screenplay is tedious, and involves a hell lot of patience, imagination and thinking on the writer's part.
What does one do on weekdays then, all alone at home, when hunger strikes in between trying to write an exciting scene while the brain refuses to work without some tasty foodwise interruption? Ordering in is always an option, but sometimes one craves for something simple, something that can be quickly rustled up, using basic pantry ingredients and yet something that would be flavourful, nutritious and would leave one satiated for hours.
Yesterday, during one such tedious hunger pang induced afternoon, I checked and saw that the fridge had some leftover cooked rice. A small food blog search later, I arrived at this recipe that seemed right for the moment - Phodnichaa Bhaat - a Marathi staple of frying pre-cooked rice with temperings and seasoning. I assume it's a common practice among cooks to use up leftover rice this way, it also dresses up the common lunch staple of dal and rice to something a little bit special. It's not at all elaborate and took under twenty minutes from start to finish and turned out to be a really nice brunch fix for me.
PHODNICHAA BHAAT - tempered, stir fried rice, MAHARASHTRIAN style
(adapted from this recipe)
I modified the recipe according to my taste and available ingredients on hand. Here is how I did it.
Chop one medium onion. Dice one medium potato . Slit two green chillies.
Heat 1 tbsp of white oil in a wok/kadhai.
Temper with 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tsp of whole cumin seeds.
Add the chopped onions and green chilly.
Fry over medium heat till onions turn pink and translucent.
Add the potatoes and stir fry.
Add a handful of peanuts and fry. (optional. I omitted)
Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder and salt to taste.
When the potatoes seem done, add the rice and stir fry to coat with the spices.
Cook for 3-4 minutes till the rice becomes evenly yellow.
Fluff the individual grains with a fork.
Serve hot with raita/pickle/chips/papad.
P.S. - The original recipe calls for asafoetida/hing. I omitted it. If you want to use it, add a pinch with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds as tempering.
I enjoyed my Phodnichaa Bhaat with some crispy fried Masala Appams (Rice Papad). This is a neat little discovery, and I'm guessing this recipe will gallantly come to my rescue on many more hungry afternoons of screenwriting.
P.S.P.S. - Following the success of this recipe, this again got made in the weekend for a family lunch. This time I added the hing for tempering, and also used some coriander leaves for garnish. Here is a shot straight from the kadhai.
What does one do on weekdays then, all alone at home, when hunger strikes in between trying to write an exciting scene while the brain refuses to work without some tasty foodwise interruption? Ordering in is always an option, but sometimes one craves for something simple, something that can be quickly rustled up, using basic pantry ingredients and yet something that would be flavourful, nutritious and would leave one satiated for hours.
Yesterday, during one such tedious hunger pang induced afternoon, I checked and saw that the fridge had some leftover cooked rice. A small food blog search later, I arrived at this recipe that seemed right for the moment - Phodnichaa Bhaat - a Marathi staple of frying pre-cooked rice with temperings and seasoning. I assume it's a common practice among cooks to use up leftover rice this way, it also dresses up the common lunch staple of dal and rice to something a little bit special. It's not at all elaborate and took under twenty minutes from start to finish and turned out to be a really nice brunch fix for me.
PHODNICHAA BHAAT - tempered, stir fried rice, MAHARASHTRIAN style
(adapted from this recipe)
I modified the recipe according to my taste and available ingredients on hand. Here is how I did it.
Chop one medium onion. Dice one medium potato . Slit two green chillies.
Heat 1 tbsp of white oil in a wok/kadhai.
Temper with 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tsp of whole cumin seeds.
Add the chopped onions and green chilly.
Fry over medium heat till onions turn pink and translucent.
Add the potatoes and stir fry.
Add a handful of peanuts and fry. (optional. I omitted)
Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of red chilly powder and salt to taste.
When the potatoes seem done, add the rice and stir fry to coat with the spices.
Cook for 3-4 minutes till the rice becomes evenly yellow.
Fluff the individual grains with a fork.
Serve hot with raita/pickle/chips/papad.
P.S. - The original recipe calls for asafoetida/hing. I omitted it. If you want to use it, add a pinch with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds as tempering.
I enjoyed my Phodnichaa Bhaat with some crispy fried Masala Appams (Rice Papad). This is a neat little discovery, and I'm guessing this recipe will gallantly come to my rescue on many more hungry afternoons of screenwriting.
P.S.P.S. - Following the success of this recipe, this again got made in the weekend for a family lunch. This time I added the hing for tempering, and also used some coriander leaves for garnish. Here is a shot straight from the kadhai.
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