Cooking Basmati Rice in Rice Cooker

Good tips that worked for me are in this link.
More tips :

1. link1
2. link2 talks about cooking in zorijushi. This calls for the same method as below but for soaking in salted water.
   

• Rice to Water Ratio is 2 cup water for 1 cup rice
• Rinse/Wash rice gently and Soak rice for 10 mins and not more than 10 mins
• Optionally add a bit of spices (like 2 cardamom, 1-2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, etc.) and 1 tsp butter
  
• Cook in the regular rice cooking mode of your rice cooker
• Once cooking is done, switch cooker off and Leave closed for 10 mins
• Open after 10 mins and fluff gently with a fork. If you fluff too long after cooking it could get clumpy.
• Keep rice covered. Do not keep it in warm setting of rice cooker as it could get hard and clumpy.
  

All about Biryani

Here are some links about a popular dish in India: Biryani
This is a complete meal with protein, carbs and fat. This is a dish of Mughlai cuisine, basically developed with the persian cooks who belonged to the court of the persian Mughal kings of India.

This article talks a lot about the method of cooking Biryani and the difference between Biryani and Pulao both of which are rice dishes: link
Dum Pukht is the traditional method where an earthern pot called Handi is filled with ingredients (rice, meat or veg, spices, etc.) and sealed with dough. It is then kept on hot coals which turn the pot into an oven. The ingredients cook with their own steam which forms inside the pot and remains trapped in it due to the dough seal. Pretty neat!

More links:
wikipedia link
History of Biryani

By authentic standards my recipe for Vegetable Biryani is not a Biryani but a Pulao.
Biryani making process is a bit complex as described here

Armed with all these good information, i cannot wait to craft my own easy to make version of Biryani. I will post the recipe and the method once i figure this out.

Butternut Squash And Apple soup with Cream

I adapted this recipe from multiple sources:
Ina Garten's recipe,
Another one
Williams Sonoma recipe

The idea is somewhat simple and you can adapt it as you like it. Aromatics (diced onions, mire poix or leeks any of these will work) provide the base notes and heat. Stock provides the body. Butternut Squash (pumpkin will also do; Canned squash or pumpkin works just fine) provide the flavor and the sweetness. It is balanced by the tartness of Apples. Tart varieties like Pink Lady and Green Apple are better suited. The soup is ideal for cold months can be served with Sweet French Bread.

• Aromatics - 2 cups
  
• 1 can of butternut squash (or you can roast the squash in the oven and take the meat of the vegetable).
• 3 or 4 apples, peeled, cored, diced
• 1 carton of veg stock or broth
• 2-3 cups of water as needed to adjust the soup's consistency
• 2 cups of cream
  
• 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch saffron (optional)
• Salt and Pepper

o In a stock/soup pot, heat tbsp olive oil and add the aromatics
o when the onions/leeks are well done, add the diced apples and cook for 5 mins
o Add the stock, turn to high heat bringing to a boil and keep for 10 mins
o Add thyme, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper
o Add the squash and cook for another 5 mins
o Take off the heat, puree using immersion blender or blender, return to pot
o Add the cream (or milk) and saffron and leave in the med for 5 mins
o Add salt and simmer until you serve the soup

Ghee Rice / Simple Pulao

Another receipe from my mother.
This is a great dish to have with Vegetable Kurma

• Rice 1 cup
• Ghee 3 tbsp (Use butter if you dont have Ghee)
  
• Cashews - 6
• Raisins - 15 (optionally)
• Green Chilies - 2
• Cilantro - 1/2 cup
• Spices: 1/2 inch cinnamon bark; 2 cloves; 2 cardamoms

o Soak rice for 10 mins
o Dry heat and grind the spices
o In a wide pan heat the ghee, add spices and then the cashews and raisins
o Add chilies and then add rice and fry for 5 mins
o Add cilantro and salt and add 1 1/2 cup water and cook in pressure cooker
o If you want to cook in the wide pan, you need more water ( I will update the recipe with the rice/water ratio after testing this method)

Tomato Rice

This recipe is from my mom. This comes out much like the biryani or a spicy pulao.

• 1 lb tomatoes; diced well
  
• 1 large or 2 med onions; diced
  
• 3 green chilies (or more if you need this to be more spicy) slit into two
  
• Cilantro and Mint 1/4 cup each
• Garam masala powder 1 tsp
  
• Rice 1 cup
• Spice powder:
• 2 cloves; 2 cardamoms; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1/2 inch cinnamon bark
• Dry Heat the spices and powder them
  

o Soak rice for 10 mins
o Add 2 tbsp oil to a wide pan and add spice powder
o And add onions and fry until onions are translucent
o Then add tomatoes and chilies and for 10 mins
o Add Rice and salt and fry for 5 mins
o Add the herbs and garam masala powder and mix well
o Add 1 cup water and cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles
o After the cooker cools, open and mix the rice well and leave to cook in the remaining heat for 10 more mins
o If you are cooking in a wide pan instead of the cooker you need to add more water
o The key is to find the right water/rice/cooktime ratio for your cooking method so that the rice doesn't lose its texture.