Spiced Tomato Coconut Rice

Are we talking about quick cooking!? Yes, We are!

Being a south Indian all my friends ask me to cook lemon rice, curd rice, tamarind rice, coconut rice & tomato rice for them quite often. 

This time I had some time to click the pic so here comes my recipe for some 

Spiced Tomato Coconut Rice.

This serves as one of the tangy tasty filling dishes for dinner.

There are variations to this which I will keep posting. 

However, for this one all you need is:

• 1 cup dessicated Coconut
• 4 ripe medium tomatoes
• 1.5 cups rice
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 tsps  Roasted Peanuts
• 1 tsp Urad dal/White lentil
• 3 Green chillies
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder 
• 4 ground pepper
• 1 Bay leaf
• Salt as per taste
• Oil/Ghee - for cooking

Method:
Boil the rice & keep aside.
Now heat a pan & add some ghee. Throw in the mustard seeds & when they start to splutter add the urad dal. As soon as it gets golden add the green chilies & the tomatoes to it. Ensure that the tomatoes are cut very thin. It will quicken the cooking process & make it pasty very easily. Cover to cook.
The oil can be seen in the sides so it is now ready for the coconut in it. Saute & add turmeric powder, ground pepper & salt to this. Within a minute add the peanuts & the boiled rice to this & your Tomato Coconut rice is all set to be served with Garlic Rasam & Papad.

Note:
Turmeric Powder/Coconut & Peanuts are optional
You may add a dash of Ginger garlic paste if you wish
You may add curry leaves too - I didn't have fresh ones
You can carry this in your lunch box too
You cant keep this for long as coconut gets spoilt easily - not good for long journeys

Italian Spaghetti - Perfecto Primo

Love Italian food!!!

Perla, is my Italian friend. We became friends in college & I used to force her to get into the kitchen & cook some mouthwatering Italian dishes for us. This one is one of those I learnt from her.

It makes for a wonderful dinner at my home.

The Italian cuisine is considered as a prime example for a 'perfecto' cuisine, and is imitated all over the world.

Here's one of the 'Perfecto Primo' Italian recipe I cook. 

If you're wondering what primo means then it is The First Course of an Italian meal which usually consists of some hot dish like pasta, risotto or soup. 

YOU NEED:

• Spaghetti Pasta - 200 gms
• Large Ripe tomatoes - 4 nos.
• Onion - 1 no.
• Green Chillies - 5 nos.
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Red chilli sauce - as per tolerance level
• Grated Parmesan Cheese - as much as you require
• Salt
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp

METHOD
Pasta:
 Boil water in a deep stock pot, add half teaspoon oil & some salt in it. Slowly, add the pasta & keep stirring for a uniform cooking. Do not cover the pot as it might get over cooked. Cook as per instructions on the pack. When it gets cooked remove from heat & add some cold water so it stops cooking in the hot water. The pasta should be cooked yet firm. Now drain it in a colander & keep aside. Make sure you don't cover it with any lid. If your sauce is not ready keep working them with your hands to avoid clumping. If you feel it might then run some more cold water through it. It might clump only if you do not add oil during the boiling process.


Sauce:
In a skillet pour the olive oil & sauté the onions, crushed garlic until the onions are translucent. Blanch & purée the tomatoes with green chillies in a blender, add to the skillet.  Add salt & some red chilli sauce.


Mix it up:
Now, add the spaghetti pasta to this sauce & sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top. Add as much as you want unless you're on a diet :) 
Serve your Perfecto immediately!


NOTE: 

• You could use any other cooking oil instead of olive oil
• You could avoid using red chilli sauce

Do leave in a comment or write to me at relishdelish@gmail.com for any queries.

Sweet & Tangy Thick Tomato Preserve

My Grandma used to prepare this for me each time I went to Chennai during my summer vacations. She is no more! But my mother makes it every time I demand for it. This is mom made which I picked up when I had gone home to see my parents. 

It's delicious & simply irresistible!

Ingredients:

• Ripe Tomatoes - 1  kg
• Red Chilli Powder - 3 tbsps
• Jaggery - 100 gms
• Asafoetida - A pinch
• Tamarind - 25 gms
• Salt - As per taste
• Oil - 100 gms

Method:
Grind the tomatoes & the tamarind to make puree. On low flame keep a wok & pour the tomato puree, add salt, asafoetida & red chilli powder. Cover the wok with a lid for 2 minutes. Now take off the lid & pour some oil. Break the jaggery into small pieces & add it to the puree. Do not pour all the oil in one go. Slowly once in a while keep adding 2-3 spoons & cover it with a lid for a few minutes again repeat the process till all the oil is consumed. Now let it cook on low flame till it gets thick & starts leaving the wok. It should not stick to the wok. Your tomato preserve is ready within 1 hour if prepared on gas stove. In a microwave it will take around 15 minutes only.

Note:

• The red chilli powder can be used according to your tolerance to its taste
• The shelf life of this preserve is over a month
• You can use it as a jelly/jam on toast or with rolls & chappatis
• I enjoy it with Idlis & Dosas too

Tomato

Teekhi Tamatar Ki Chutney

"Incredible!" is what I call it. My entire family gets bowled over whenever I prepare this. It is best to serve it with plain food like Rice, Dal & Vegetables or any paranthas (flat breads).


Ingredients:

• Ripe Red Tomatoes - 6 Nos.
• Green Chillies - 6 Nos.
• Garlic - 10 to 15 cloves
• Coriander Leaves - Handful
• Whole Red Chillies - 2
• Mustard oil - few drops
• Salt - As per taste

Method:
Cook the tomatoes one by one directly on the flame. You could use a tawa also however it is best cooked directly over the flame. The tomato skin will blacken & get burnt but you keep turning the tomato with the help of a tong so that all sides are cooked well. When it starts shrinking & getting softer take it off the flame. Likewise cook all the tomatoes. Now in the similar fashion cook the green chillies over the flame. Be careful because if it gets completely burnt then it will lose its taste. Just let it cook till it gets a little soggy.
The same way whole red chillies are to be cooked but it will release strong smell & smoke so please cover your nose & put on your exhaust fan. You only have to heat it to make chilli flakes. Now, use a mortar & pestle to pound the Whole red chillies, garlic & coriander leaves instead of grinding it in a mixer grinder. Remove the skin from the tomatoes & now add the green chillies & tomatoes into the mortar. Continue to pound till you achieve the required consistency. If you see a few lumps of tomatoes & chillies as well as few coriander leaves it is ok. It should not be completely ground else we could have used the mixer grinder isn't it?
Add a 4-5 drops of mustard oil if you like its taste & sprinkle salt as per taste.


Note:
1. You need not put any oil if you wish not to
2. The no. of chillies will completely depend on your liking
3. You can use a mixer grinder however the consistency & taste will vary
4. It is best served with plain food to add punch in the taste