Ingredients and method to make the cilantro mixed vegetable rice.
1 and 1/2 cup brown basmati (or long grained white rice)
1 large red onion ( cut fine )
2 medium tomatoes cut fine
2 carrots grated fine (see notes)
1/2 cup mixed bell peppers (capsicum/ koda molagai) deseeded and cut fine (can be substituted with green peas) (see notes)
1 cup packed chopped cilantro (coriander leaves/ hara dhania/ kothamalli )
1 inch piece ginger (adrak/inji)
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
For the powder
2 tsp coriander seeds (dhania/ kothamalli virai)
1 and 1/2 tsp split black gram lentil (Udad dhal/ ulatham parappu)
1 and 1/2 tsp split chick pea lentil (chana dhal/ kadalai parappu)
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or frozen coconut thawed to room temperature)
3 dry red chillies (or according to taste)
Place rice in a bowl, fill with water swirl with hand and drain the water. Repeat this step a couple of times. Add 2 and 1/4 cup of water and allow the rice to soak for about 30 minutes. Place in pressure cooker/ rice cooker and cook until done. (The proportion of rice to water for brown basmati is usually 1 : 1.5 cups that is for every cup of rice you need 1.5 cups of water, adjust this according to the quantity of rice you are using)
Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned for the powder separately until slightly reddish. Cool and grind into a fine powder.
Wash the cilantro thoroughly and puree along with the ginger until smooth adding very little water do not make this puree watery.
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan, add onions to it and saute until onions are cooked and transparent.
Add tomatoes and stir until tomatoes are cooked, soft and mushy. Add bell pepper and grated carrot if using, the pureed cilantro and ginger, salt to taste and simmer for a few minutes until the vegetables are cooked and most of the water from the puree has evaporated. If the vegetables aren't done when the water has evaporated, sprinkle a few drops of water and allow to cook for a few more mins.
Add the powdered masala and mix well.
Add cooked rice and gently mix without breaking the rice. Adjust salt to taste, if required and mix again. Allow to heat through for a couple of mins.
Remove from heat and serve hot with any raita or plain yogurt or any gravy curry of choice.
Notes:
1 and 1/2 cup brown basmati (or long grained white rice)
1 large red onion ( cut fine )
2 medium tomatoes cut fine
2 carrots grated fine (see notes)
1/2 cup mixed bell peppers (capsicum/ koda molagai) deseeded and cut fine (can be substituted with green peas) (see notes)
1 cup packed chopped cilantro (coriander leaves/ hara dhania/ kothamalli )
1 inch piece ginger (adrak/inji)
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
For the powder
2 tsp coriander seeds (dhania/ kothamalli virai)
1 and 1/2 tsp split black gram lentil (Udad dhal/ ulatham parappu)
1 and 1/2 tsp split chick pea lentil (chana dhal/ kadalai parappu)
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or frozen coconut thawed to room temperature)
3 dry red chillies (or according to taste)
Place rice in a bowl, fill with water swirl with hand and drain the water. Repeat this step a couple of times. Add 2 and 1/4 cup of water and allow the rice to soak for about 30 minutes. Place in pressure cooker/ rice cooker and cook until done. (The proportion of rice to water for brown basmati is usually 1 : 1.5 cups that is for every cup of rice you need 1.5 cups of water, adjust this according to the quantity of rice you are using)
Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned for the powder separately until slightly reddish. Cool and grind into a fine powder.
Wash the cilantro thoroughly and puree along with the ginger until smooth adding very little water do not make this puree watery.
Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pan, add onions to it and saute until onions are cooked and transparent.
Add tomatoes and stir until tomatoes are cooked, soft and mushy. Add bell pepper and grated carrot if using, the pureed cilantro and ginger, salt to taste and simmer for a few minutes until the vegetables are cooked and most of the water from the puree has evaporated. If the vegetables aren't done when the water has evaporated, sprinkle a few drops of water and allow to cook for a few more mins.
Add the powdered masala and mix well.
Add cooked rice and gently mix without breaking the rice. Adjust salt to taste, if required and mix again. Allow to heat through for a couple of mins.
Remove from heat and serve hot with any raita or plain yogurt or any gravy curry of choice.
Notes:
The
bell pepper/ green peas/ carrots are completely optional. I just added
them for some additional nutrition, you can just as easily make this
with just the onions and tomatoes too.
For brown rice, I usually use a proportion of 1 : 1.5 ie for every 1 cup of rice, I use 1.5 cups of water. For white basmati in the pressure cooker I usually use 1.25 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
If you are using white rice for this dish, allow the rice to cool a bit before adding to the recipe, white rice breaks more easily. Brown rice seems to hold its shape so much better :)
For brown rice, I usually use a proportion of 1 : 1.5 ie for every 1 cup of rice, I use 1.5 cups of water. For white basmati in the pressure cooker I usually use 1.25 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
If you are using white rice for this dish, allow the rice to cool a bit before adding to the recipe, white rice breaks more easily. Brown rice seems to hold its shape so much better :)
