Cream of the Crop Week 21: Tomato Rice

  

Recipe of the Week:  Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice by Nandita Venkatesan A warm and tangy rice dish - goes great as a side! This is also a great use of day old rice Ingredients 1 medium onion ( diced) 5-6 small tomatoes 1/2 cup dices carrots + peas ( optional) 2 cups white rice 1 green chili or jalapeno or 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder  4-5 dried curry leaves 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds. oil, salt, black pepper to taste ( obviously tastes better if you use more :) ) cilantro to garnish Step 1.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a pot. Slice the green chili or jalapeno in half and let it spurt in the oil.  Add the mustard seeds , fennel seeds, and curry leaves as well. Handy tip: Adding fennel will make it easier to digest onion. Step 2. Add the medium diced onion and let brown. If the onions are browning too fast - add salt to slow the cooking.  Step 3. Once the onions are browned - add the diced carrot and cook for 5 minutes until roasted.  Step 4. Add the finely diced tomatoes. The tomatoes will reduce very thoroughly and you want the mixture to turn into a paste - this will take 20-30 minutes roughly. Half way though, add salt to taste, black pepper, turmeric powder, and any additional red chili powder. You might want to over-season  here because you won't season after you add the rice.  Step 5. Once the tomatoes and onions have browned and look like a nice paste - add the peas and rice. Coat the rice thoroughly until there is no longer any white. Once the mixture is dried, turn off the heat and add chopped cilantro.  Nandita Venkatesan       A recent transplant to the UWS, Nandita enjoys getting involved in her neighborhood and getting outdoors. While she mostly makes Indian food, she loves making simplified versions of dishes that are easy to prepare on weekdays and incorporate local ingredients. Her go-tos are fun and tasty vegetable and lentil stews. Favorite dishes include rhubarb rice, aloo saag, cabbage kootu (a rich and thick cabbage, peas, and carrot stew).