Tomato Rice - South Indian Style

Well there are different styles of making tomato rice. This one I called it the south Indian style because I did not use the ginger garlic paste or the garam masala.
Tomato rice is one of my favorite rice items however it is made.

Ingredients:

• Onion(cut length wise): 1 cup
• Tomatoes( finely chopped): 1 cup
• Tomato paste: 1 tsp
• Green chillies( cut length wise): 3
• Lime juice: 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro( finely chopped): 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves: 2
• Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
• Salt as required
• Channa dal: 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
• Peanuts: 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds: 1/2 tsp
• cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Cooked Rice: 2 cups

Seasoning:

• Oil: 3 tbsp
• Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
• Channa dal: 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves: 4
• Red chillies( broken): 2
• Asoefetida( hing): 1 pinch

Procedure:

1. First dry roast the channa dal, urad dal, peanuts and sesame seeds and grind them in a spice grinder once they are cooled.
2. Keep this spice powder aside.
3. Now add oil to a pan and add all the seasoning ingredients in the order mentioned.
4. When the seeds start spluttering, add onions and fry until they become soft.
5. Now add the tomatoes and green chillies and cook until the tomatoes become very soft and kind of become like a paste. Add little water if the tomatoes are not very juicy.
6. Now add the tomato paste and mix well.
7. Add the spice powder that you prepared earlier to the onion tomato gravy and cook until all the water/liquid is evaporated and it becomes a thick paste.
8. Now add the cooked rice, mix well and add salt and chilli powder.
9. turn off the stove and add lime juice.
10. Garnish with cilantro.

Read more »

Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

Tomatoes	3 medium - sized
Onion	1/2 Large - sized
Mint leaves	5
Garlic	1 pod
Cloves	3
Whole pepper	5
Milk	1/2 cup
All purpose flour/Maida	2 tbs
Bay leaves	2
Heavy whipping cream	2 tsp
Salt	as required
Pepper Powder	1 tsp
Unsalted Butter	1/4 stick
Sugar	1 tbsp
Bread croutons	10

Procedure:

The process involves preparing the white sauce with all purpose flour and mixing it with the pureed tomato.

Chop the tomatoes and onions into medium size pieces and pressure cook them with mint leaves, cloves, garlic, pepper corns, salt and bay leaves adding sufficient water.

Puree the above cooked contents in a blender and strain to remove the seeds and the unwanted pulp.

Boil the purree adding some water if it is toot thick.

While the tomato puree is boiling prepare the white sauce. Do not make this befor eyou have the puree ready. It forms lumps.

To prepare the white sauce, mix all purpose flour in 1/4 cup of milk.

Add butter to the pan and when the butter is melted, add the milk and the all purpose flour mixture and keep stirring.

When it becomes little thick, add it to the tomato puree mixture that is already boiling.

Add the remaining milk and the sugar to the boiling puree and adjust the salt. Once the soup gets teh required consistency turn off the stove and let it cool.

Add heaving whipping cream, pepper powder and bead croutons just before serving.

Suggestions: If you do not have the bread croutons, you can cut the bread into samll squares and deep fry them in oil or toast them in a toaster oven.

Read more »