Tomato Rice

I am not at all a morning person. Hence cooking dal, subji and making roti’s in the morning is something I can’t do at 6 in the morning. As my husband leaves home by 7 am, so I see how I can cook something healthy yet tasty in a jiffy, every day. And I keep the masalas and the spices low during the summers. I give in during the weekends though.

Today I am sharing with you the recipe for simple Tomato Rice.

Preperation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 2

You will need:

Rice: 1 cup
Tomatoes: 1 Big (cut into 6 pieces)
Green chillies: 5 -6 slit
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tspn
Coriander pwdr: 1 ½ tsp
Oil: 1 tspn
Water: 1 3/4 cups
Salt: to taste

Method:

Step 1:
Pour the oil in the cooker and let it heat.
Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add the tomato pieces and the green chillies. Add the coriander powder and salt.
Mix well and let it cook for a couple of minutes.

Step 2:
Add the rice to this mixture and mix well.
Wait for a minute before adding water. Mix and cover with the cooker lid.
Cook for 1 whistle.

Serve with plain curds or raita.

Note: We are using only 1 ¾ cups of water because a big tomato also has water in it. If you want it spicier you can add ½ tsp red chilli powder along with coriander powder.

Methi Pulao

Methi Pulao (Fenugreek Pulao)
I love greens. I cook them in as many ways as possible. Yesterday I made Methi pulao and I am now sharing the recipe with you.

I am a miser when it comes to using oil. I use very little oil in all my cooking, except for when it is a fry. Also I cook most of my vegetables and rice items in a cooker. This ways it cooks faster and consumes less fuel. And I will need less oil too.

Preperation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Serves 2

You will need:

Basmati Rice: 1 cup
Water (to cook): 1 ¼ cup
Methi Leaves (Fenugreek leaves): 1 bunch
Tomatoes (small size): 1 diced
Green Chillies: 4-5 chopped
Oil: 1 tspn
Cumin seeds: ½ tspn
Red Chilli Powder: ½ tspn
Coriander Powder: 1½ tspn
Turmeric Powder: ¼ tspn
Salt: to taste

Method:

Step 1:
Chop off the roots of the methi.
Wash the methi well and further chop it.
Sprinkle some salt to the washed methi leaves, mix and keep it aside for 15 minutes. (This will drain out the bitterness from the leaves.)
Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it for 20 mins.

Step 2:

Add oil to a cooker.
When the oil heats up add cumin seeds and wait till it lightly changes colour / splutters.
Add the diced tomatoes, green chillies and turmeric powder and mix well.
Squeeze the water from the methi leaves and add to the cooker.
Add the coriander powder and chilli powder and mix.
Cook for a minute.
Now strain the rice and add it to the methi leaves.
Add salt and water and with the cooker lid.
Cook for 1 whistle.

Serve with cool carrot cucumber raita or pickle of your choice.

Note: Basmati rice cooks faster hence less proportion of water. If you are using regular rice, cook in 1:2 ratio (2 cups water for 1 cup rice)

Another food blog???

Of course we don’t need another food blog. We already have so many of them. The truth is I have been contemplating on starting a food blog for some time now and I couldn’t help but give in.

I am a food enthusiast. I enjoy anything that has to do with food...everyday cooking, trying new recipes, downloading recipes, watching cookery shows, shopping for my kitchen, experimenting and of course eating.

There are lots of wonderful bloggers who share with us their original creations, family recipes and secret ingredients. In this blog, my attempt is only to share with you recipes that I have enjoyed cooking, eating, watching or reading. To be more precise, this is my on-line recipe book.

BTW- Aruna, you are the inspiration behind my Kitchen Concoction. I admire your passion for cooking and commitment towards your blog.