Tomato Rice by Shubha

Ingredients :

Basmati Rice - 2 cups

Tomato Puree - 1 can or Fresh tomatoes - 5 medium finely chopped

Roasted salted Peanuts - 1/2 cup

Onions fiely chopped - 1

Jeera - 1 tsp

Ginger, finely chopped - 2 tsp

Green chillies - 5 slit lenghtwise

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Garam masala - 2 tsp

Fresh corinader leaves

Asafoetida - a pinch

Salt and Pepper to taste

Lemon juice

Oil - 3 tsp

Method :

In a kadhai take oil. Once the oil is hot add the jeera, once that splutters add the green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and peanuts. Stir for a minute and add the onions and turmeric powder. Stir fry till the onions r transparent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they r tender. Add the garam masala and coriander powder and stir fry. At this time u can go ahead and add the asafoetida, salt and pepper. Stir fry till all the water is almost gone.

Add the rice to this mixture and stir fry for sometime. If u feel the mixture is too tight add a spoonful of oil and mix again. see that the rice is roasted a bit..:) Keep stirring so that the rice doesnt burn. Now u can put 2 cups of water to this and close with a lid and let it cook on medium low flame orelse u can just empty all this into a rice cooker (if putting in the rice cooker add a tsp of lemon juice to this. The lemon juice helps the rice to remian seperate) and let it look. Hubby did the later as its much easier. U can do either.... both the ways it will taste good..:)

Once the rice is cook but yet not mashed up, remove from flame. garnish with fresh corinader leaves and lemon juice. Mix well