Tomato Rice - South Indian Style

There are more than 100 sort of South Indian rice recipes. I love all kind of South Indian rice recipes, especially Lemon rice and Tomato rice. Whenever I have leftover rice, I always go for south indian style rice. I recently tried tomato rice, and I just fell in love with it. It tastes so good. Ponni rice or long-grain rice is normally used for the preperation, but basmati rice works well, too.

Ingredients :

Basmati rice : 1 cup(cooked/leftover)
Tomato : 3-4(medium)
Corn kernels : 1/2 cup(optional)
Raw peanuts : 1/2 cup
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Red chilli powder : 1-2 tsp.
Salt to taste

Spices for tempering::::

Curry leaves : 5-6

Mustard seeds : 1 tsp.

Chana Dal : 1 tblsp.

Urad dal : 1 tblsp.

Method :

• Clean, wash and soak rice in three cups of water for twenty minutes. Drain and cook in three cups of salted boiling water till done, taking care that the grains remain separate.
• Boil the tomatoes in the pressure cooker and peel off, mash a little and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, fry raw peanuts until brown. Keep them aside. In the same pan, add chana and urad dal first, then mustard seeds and curry leaves, when seeds start to splutter and dals turn brown, add mashed tomatoes.

• Add turmeric and red chilli powder. Add cooked rice and corn kernels. Add raw peanuts, too. Season with salt. Mix well until all moisture from tomatoes dried up. Remove and serve immediately.

Linking this recipe to http://foodblognews.blogspot.com/2011/07/event-quick-and-easy-recipes.html