Spicy Tomato Rice!

Tomato rice was the only dish I could cook well when I came to this country. Every other day it was tomato rice for lunch. I realized after I started getting better at cooking I never made this rice since the year 2007.. I decided to retry it again today and see how it tasted after some years of cooking experience. And yes , it tasted a lot better than what it used to three years back. :)

You will need:

2 cups cooked white rice
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
3 dry red chillies
1 tsp mustard and cumin for tampering
1 tsp chana dal and urad dal
1 chopped green chilli
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp grated ginger
salt to taste

Method:

First cook the rice in rice cooker and keep it aside for it to cool.

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pot and add the red chillies and then add mustard and cumin . Allow it to splutter then add the chana dal and urad dal and stir till they turn brownish in colour. To this add chopped ginger, chopped green chilli and chopped onions , salt and cook till the onions get transparent. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook it till it is half done , then add the garam masala powder and mix well. Finally mix in the cooked rice . Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Spicy tomato rice is ready to be relished!!! It can be eaten as it is or can be eaten with raita or yogurt!

Capsicum sabzi with gram flour!!!!

This is supposed to a very famous mangalore dish. I tried it at one of my Konkani friend's house. I had invited a friend over last Sunday for lunch when I decided to try making this. I was nervous as I was making it for the first time and I was cooking for someone other than for myself and my husband. But it came out real good, my friend loved it !!!

You will need:
4 Capsicums ( bell peppers- mix the different colored peppers)
3/4 cup gram flour( basan)
2 green chillies
Mustard and jeera for tampering
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
Salt to taste
1 tsp
Red chilli powder if you prefer more spice

Method:
Chop the capsicum into small pieces and keep it aside.
In a pan , heat one tsp oil and add mustard and jeera( cumin) . When they start to splutter add the chopped onions and cook till it gets transparent. To this add the chopped capsicum and cook till about half done. ( cook at low flame for 5 minutes. ) once it is half cooked add the gram flour and mix it well so that all the capsicum pieces get coated well. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes till the flour gets cooked.

Capsicum sabzi is ready to be relished!!!! Goes best with rotis..

Potato and peas curry!!!

This is a delicious dish that my aunt used to cook back home. I thought of trying it out. She gave me the recipe over phone. It was very easy and took merely half hour to prepare it.

You will need:
4 medium sized potatoes
2 cups fresh green peas
1 cup finely chopped onions
2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
1 cup grated coconut
2 small tamarind pieces
4 -6 red chillies
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardomoms
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Method:
First boil and peel the potatoes and chop it into small pieces . Keep it aside.
Make a paste by grinding grated coconut, red chillies,tamarind ,turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and salt

Heat one tsp oil in a pan.. Sauté the chopped onions until transparent and add the chopped tomatoes and cook well. To this add the ground paste and add 2 cups water and cook for about 5 min . To this add the fresh green peas and cook for another 5 minutes.once the green peas get cooked add the boiled potatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Add cilantro and stir well. Add salt if required.

Potato peas curry is ready to be relished!!!it goes best with white rice or even can be eaten with rotis.