Tomato Bath | One pot Spicy, Tangy Tomato Rice

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When I was working in Bengaluru, I had a colleague, her mom used to cook super delicious food. During lunch hour we all used to wait for her to open her lunch box and before she knew it would be empty. One of the dishes that I liked the most was tomato bath. Those days I was all for simple cooking as I hardly knew anything and I had a simple way of making this one pot quick tomato rice but it never tasted as good as the one she got. I pestered her to get the recipe from her mom for many days and finally got the recipe via a phone call :) Sometimes we do crazy things for food ;) It was worth the effort as the taste is beyond delicious!! The main difference was she cooked it in coconut milk along with methi (fresh fenugreek leaves) and Mint leaves. The flavor and the taste is unbeatable and the best thing is it gets done in 30 mins without much mess around.

I have saved this recipe from many years and it's still my favorite. You must try this to believe me:) Let's get cooking!

Ingredients:
Ripe tomato : 4
Rice: 2 cups (preferably long grained Basmati)
Onion: 3
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Coriander powder: 2 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder:  1 tbsp
Coriander leaves: 1 cup
Fresh Methi (Fenugreek leaves): 1 cup
Mint leaves: 1/2 cup
Coconut Milk:  2 cups
Oil/Ghee: 2 tbsp
Cinnamon stick: 1
Cardamom: 3-4
Cloves: 3-4
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in enough water for 30 mins. In the meantime slice onions, chop tomoatoes and roughly chop coriander, mint and fenugreek leaves.

2. Heat oil in the pressure cooker and add whole spices - cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Saute until the oil is fragrant.

3. Add sliced onions and saute until the onions turn golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add chopped tomatoes, all greens and spice powders - coriander -cumin powder and red chilli powder and salt .Mix and let it cook for 2 mins.

5. Add soaked rice and fry for 2 mins, add 2 cups coconut milk and 1.5 cup water and bring to boil. Adjust the seasoning and close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

6. When the pressure has released open the lid and add freshly squeezed lemon juice.

7. Mix gently and serve with chilled curd/raita.

Notes:
1. You can replace fresh fenugreek leaves with 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
2. I used store bought coconut cream, you can also grind the fresh coconut at home and squeeze the coconut milk which will even taste better:)

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Mushroom and Cheese Omelette

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Omelette is a simple and very adaptable dish. One can make it in so many ways. This mushroom and cheese omelette is my personal favorite. It's a perfect brunch idea for a lazy weekend. Mushrooms cook faster and it will not take more than 20 mins to prepare this stuffed omelette. So here is a quick, filling breakfast idea to try this weekend.

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms: 8-10

Onion: 1

Garlic :3-4 cloves

Green chillies: 2

Crushed black pepper: 1 tsp

Dried Oregano leaves: 1 tsp

Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Grated cheese: 1/2 cup

Eggs : 3

Milk: 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Olive oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat 1.5 tbsp of oil in a pan and add finely chopped garlic and green chillies. Sauté for 30 seconds.

2. Add thinly sliced onions and salt, sauté until onions turn translucent.

3. Add dried oregano and crushed pepper and mix well. Mix in sliced button mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are done. Turn off and let it cool down.

4. Once it's a bit cool, add coriander leaves and grated cheese and the mushroom topping is ready. (I used cheddar cheese).

5. For the omelette, beat the eggs in a bowl along with milk, salt, a pinch of oregano and crushed pepper.

6. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and pour the eggs, simmer the flame and cover with lid.

7. Once the egg is firm carefully flip the omelette. Flip it back after a min. Now add the mushroom and cheese masala on top and cook it covered for another minute. Turn off the flame. 

8. You can fold it and serve just the omelette or make slices and serve with bread.

Notes: 

I have used cheddar cheese, you can use any other cheese or combination of cheeses.

I usually flip the omelette but you can skip it and top with mushroom masala once the omelette is dried on top.

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Creamy Egg masala | Motte masala

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This egg masala was not a planned recipe, I started with a plan to make simple onion tomato masala with some Indian spices but ended up making this finger licking good creamy gravy that was super delicious. 

Usually when the vegetables are out of stock I cook something with eggs. This creamy egg masala is a perfect spicy dish to go with any Indian flat bread or flavored rice. I made it quite spicy but you can adjust the amount of spice according to your taste. 

So let's get started with boiling the eggs.

  

Ingredients:

Boiled Eggs: 6
Oil: 2tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Garlic: 6-7 cloves
Ginger: 1 inch
Green Chillies: 2
Medium Onion: 3
Medium Tomato: 2
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder: 1/2 tsp

Kasoori methi(dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tsp
Cooking cream: - 2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1. Boil water in a pot and add salt to it drop in eggs slowly and cook for 10-12 minutes. Drain the water from pot and pour cold water on it and peel the eggs after 5 mins, cut into half and keep aside.

2. Thinly slice onions, garlic and ginger, chop tomatoes and slit green chillies and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds. Add garlic and ginger and saute until the oil is fragrant.

4. Mix in sliced onion and green chilles and cook until the onions turn translucent. We do not need to brown the onions.

5. Add in chopped tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder and mix well. let it cook on medium flame until the oil separates.

6. Add cream and a little water (Adjust according to the gravy needed) and bring to boil.

7. Sprinkle garam masala and crushed kasoori methi and mix well. Add boiled eggs, cover and cook for 2 mins and turn off the flame. Let the flavors sync in for 5 mins.  Serve with roti/chapathi or any flavored rice. 

Notes:
1. You can skip the cream and continue with next steps for simple onion tomato gravy masala.

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Sabbasige bele palya | Dill leaves cooked with lentils

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Dill leaves Palya reminds me of my school holidays when my mother used to be busy cooking lunch. There was this warm aroma of garlic and some thing thats a bit sweetish, a bit like fennel seeds and celery that spreads to the living room.

The aroma was from this humble dish that's made with dill leaves and soaked yellow pigeon peas (Toor Daal) with onion and garlic tempering. My mother never failed to tell us how healthy and nutritious is dill leaves and paired with toor daal for protein it's a perfect recipe for building immunity. It goes extremely well with Jawar roti and chapathis. Here is the recipe from my mother.

Ingredients:

Dill leaves: 2 packed cups
Chopped medium Onion : 2
Chopped Green Chillies: 4-5
Chopped Garlic : 2 tbsp
Oil: 2 Tbsp
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Toor Dal : 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Method: 
1. Soak toor dal in warm water for 1 hour, finely chop dill leaves and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters and cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

3. Add chopped green chillies and garlic and fry until the garlic changes the color slightly.

4. Add onions and saute until translucent, add soaked dal and salt and cook until the dal is soft. It will not be mashed up but soft enough to bite.

5. Add chopped dill leaves and mix well, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the leaves are well cooked. Turn off the flame and serve hot dill palya with chapathi or jawar roti. It also tastes great with rice and rasam. 

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