Tomato Rice with Soya nuggets

     

        
        Yay! New Year, New post. Since my resolution has ended with 2013 I am discontinuing numbering of my recipes. Also I will be discontinuing 'Final Outcome' since from now on I will be posting only the recipes which turned out good. About 10 recipes which will follow were prepared in 2013 but never made it to this space due to lack of time. This year I want to dedicate more time towards this blog. It will contain a lot more chatter, a lot more thoughts and may be a peek into my everyday life.
        This recipe is from a TV show which was shared by a friend. I made this for the 1st time sometime in November. It was so loved that I have made it several times since then.
Source: tomato rice

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Cooked Rice: 3 cups (I used brown rice)
Tomatoes: 2 chopped

Soya nuggets: Soaked in Boiling water with salt for 10-15 mins

Garlic cloves: 4-5 finely chopped

Onion: 1 chopped

Matar/Peas: 1 cup

Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp

Pavbhaji masala: 3-4 tsp

Amchur powder: 1 tsp

Red chili powder: 1 tsp

Coriander leaves for garnish.

Salt to taste

Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and garlic and saute till fragrant. Add onion and cook till onion is soft.

2. Add Tomato and Matar/peas. Add a little water. Cook till they are done.

3. Add Pavbhaji masala, amchur powder, red chili powder, soya nuggets and salt. Mix well.

4. Add cooked rice and about 2 tbsp of water and mix well.Cover and cook till water evaporates. Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves.

81. Mexican Tomato Brown Rice

Final Outcome: Very good!

This was my husbands invention. We searched several recipes and finally mashed 3-4 recipes to come up with this recipe.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
3-4 teaspoons olive oil
1 long grain cup brown rice  (optionally basmati rice)
2-3 medium sized onions, finely chopped
4-5 minced garlic
3 medium sized tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper (can mix yellow and red peppers as well)
half cup green peas
1 small carrot -- shredded
2-3 table spoons of soya granules
Finely chopped coriander
Salt to test

Spices:
5-6 spoons of taco sauce (we used taco sauce sachet from taco bell)
2-3 spoons Oregano 
2 teaspoons Black pepper

Method:
1. Cook the brown rice / long grain rice. For brown rice use about 2.5 cups of water.
2. Soak 3 table spoons of soya granules in warm water. Set it aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze all water from the granules and soak again for a few minutes. Squeeze out all the water again. 
3. Heat olive oil in a pan. After about a minute, add finely chopped onion and saute for 1 minute on a medium flame. Add a little bit of salt and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame.
4. Add the green/yellow/red peppers to the pan and saute the mixture for about 2-3 minutes. Remember not to overcook the peppers. Add the tomatoes, shredded carrot, green peas, soya granules and saute for 3 minutes. 
5.Now add salt , black pepper, coriander, oregano and the taco sauce and mix it thoroughly. Add the cooked rice and mix it thoroughly but gently. The Mexican rice is ready!

79. Brown Rice with Celery and Mushrooms

Final Outcome: Fantastic!!!

        I borrowed this recipe from pamphlet of a grocery store. I searched unsuccessfully online to include it in my post. It was a very different and yummy recipe.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
Brown Rice: 1 cup washed and set aside
Celery: 1 small bunch/ 1 cup chopped
Mushrooms: 1 pack quartered
Garlic cloves: 3-4 minced
Crushed pepper: 1 tsp
Italian seasoning: 1/2 tsp
Chili flakes: a pinch
Olive oil: 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat Oil in a deep pan. Add Onions and minced garlic. Cook for a couple of mins. Add chopped celery and cook till celery is soft.
2. Add chili flakes and quartered mushrooms. Cook for a couple of mins. 
3. Add washed brown rice and mix well. Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Add 3 cups of water and cook covered till rice is cooked.
4. Uncover and mix well. Cook for a few more mins. Serve hot.

38. Corn & Palak Pulao

Final Outcome: Good
        
        This is a very common pulao but I had never made it. There are so many such recipes (eg. Chole Bhature) which I have never cooked before. Chole Bhature is on my list, plan to make it as one of my 200 recipes.

Recipe for Corn & Palak Pulao:
Ingredients
Basmati Rice: 1cup
Palak Puree: about 4 tbsp(1 small bunch)
Corn Kernels: 1/2 cup
Cumin: 1 tsp
Black Pepper: 4-5
Bay leaf: 1
Cinnamon: 1/2 inch
Cloves:2
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Ghee:1/2 tbsp
Oil 1/2 tbsp
Salt to Taste

Method:
1. Wash Rice and keep aside. Heat Oil and ghee in a pan. Add cumin, black pepper, Bay leaf, Cinnamon, and Cloves. After they turn fragrant add ginger-garlic paste and fry for about a min.
2. Add washed rice and Palak puree. Mix well. Add Corn kernels.
3. Add Garam masala, salt . Add 1.5 cups of water (water is adjusted as we have added palak puree).
4. Cook 2 whistles and serve hot.

        I am losing momentum now. Initially sometimes I tried new recipes back to back, but now its been a week since this pulao that I have tried anything new. I need some recipes.

23. Onion Rice

Source: Self
Final Outcome: Very good

        This is rice prepared with small onions also known as pearl onions. 
Recipe:
Ingredients:
15-18 small onions peeled
1 cup rice washed
1 tbsp oil
8-10 curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
2 tsp dhania powder
1/4th cup fresh coconut (optional)
Salt
coriander leaves chopped for garnish
2-3 spoons Ghee for garnishing

Method:
1. In a pressure pan or cooker prepare seasoning with oil, mustard seeds, hing, and curry leaves. Switch off the stove.
2. Add onions to the cooker.
3. Add Turmeric powder and rice. Mix it well. Then add dhania powder, garam masala if desired. Add coconut and salt.
4. Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook 2 whistles.
5. Serve hot after garnishing with corianderr and 2-3 spoons of ghee.

             

15. Jodhpuri Vegetable Pulao

Source: jodhpuri-vegetable-pulao
Final Outcome: Very Good

        This recipe was for my husband's birthday. We decided to have normal/ regular meal that day since everyone at home was down with cold and cough. But at night I decided to make this (Birthday comes once a year even if you are sick or tired. So it has to be celebrated. As said by a great philosopher: Me:-)). It is simple but a very different kind of pulao. It contains dry fruits, some veggies and little curd. We loved it!