Tomato Bhaat ( Tomato Rice)

We are already on Day 6 of Blogging Marathon # 13.
Blogging Marathon # 13 is a great initiative started by the lovely and extremely enthusiastic  Srivalli which has already completed one year successfully and is now into its 13th edition.......
                                                                                                                                                                   
My Theme for Blogging Marathon # 13 is Easy Lunch Box recipes for Kids - Rice

The recipe for today is Tomato Bhaat (Tomato Rice)

Tomato Bhaat is one of my favorite rice. Although the recipe is adapted from Mrs.Jayashree Deshpande's Marathi cookbook "Hamkhaas Pakshidhi", I have modified it to suit the taste of my family. I have added turmeric powder as my family is not too keen on the blood red color of Tomato Rice :)) and I have also reduced the portion of grated coconut and sugar to be used. But if you like coconut and sugar, you may increase the quantity as per your taste and preference.I have used whole green chilles which again reduces the spiciness of this dish. One can alternatively make paste of green chillies, ginger and garlic to make the dish spicier. This rice is done directly in the pressure cooker.

Tomato Bhaat (Tomato Rice)

Recipe adapted from "Hamkhaas Paksidhi" by Jayashree Deshpande.

Ingredients -
Rice -1 cup (uncooked)
Ghee - One tablespoon

Onion - 1 (finely chopped in small pieces)

Tomatoes - 3 (boiled, peeled and pureed)
Salt as per taste
Curry Leaves  - 3/4
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon grated ginger ( Ginger paste can also be used)

1 teaspoon garlic paste ( 5/6 cloves of garlic)

1 teaspoon sugar ( More sugar can be added as per individual tastes and preferences)

2 Green chilles (whole)
Water - 2 cups 

4 teaspoon grated fresh coconut

Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -
1) Wash and drain the rice and keep it aside for atleast 30 minutes.

2) Boil the tomatoes, peel and make a puree.
3) Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
4) When the ghee gets heated, add cumin seeds.
5) Add asafoetida,curry leaves, green chillies, ginger paste & garlic paste and stir continuously.
6) Add onion and stir them till they turn translucent.
7) Then add tomato puree and keep on stirring.
8)Add uncooked rice, salt and water.

9) If the puree is very watery, adjust the water to be added in the later part accordingly otherwise the rice will be very watery.

10) Pressure cook on medium heat for 2 whistles.

11) After 2 whistles, cook on low flame for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and Tomato Bhaat (Tomato Rice) is ready.

Do check the fabulous recipes being whipped up by my fellow Marathoners

Paneer Pulav

Day 5 of Blogging Marathon # 13 is Paneer Pulav.
Blogging Marathon # 13 is a great initiative started by the lovely and extremely enthusiastic  Srivalli which has already completed one year successfully and is now into its 13th edition.......

My Theme for Blogging Marathon # 13 is Easy Lunch Box recipes for Kids - Rice

The recipe for today is Paneer Pulav


It would be a great understatement if I said that I loved Paneer. Like I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I am a great fan of Paneer and can eat it in any form.. Paneer Paratha, Paneer Tikka, Paneer Bhurji, etc.
Today's recipe is Pulav with Paneer. I think most of kids really love Paneer so making this easy and tasty dish for their lunch boxes is a great idea.
The paneer that I had purchased from the local stores was extremely soft and fresh. I grated it intending to make Paneer Bhurji but later thought of trying out Paneer Pulav. So instead of slicing Paneer into cubes and shallow frying or deep frying the paneer pieces, I have used grated paneer in this rice.

Paneer Pulav

Ingredients -
Rice -1 cup (uncooked)
Oil - One tablespoon

Onion - 1 (finely chopped in small pieces)

Tomato - 1 (peeled and finely chopped)
Paneer - 250 gms ( grated)
Salt as per taste
Curry Leaves  - 3/4
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai).
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon grated ginger ( Ginger paste can also be used)
Water - 2 cups

Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -
1) Cook the rice with double amount of water in pressure cooker.

2) When rice is cooked, separate and allow it to cool.
3) Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan ( kadhai)
4) When the oil gets heated, add mustard seeds.
5) After they start to splutter, add cumin seeds,asafoetida,curry leaves& ginger and stir continuously.
5) Add onions and stir them till they turn translucent.
6) Then add tomatoes and keep on stirring.
7)Add cooked rice, grated paneer and salt.

8) Stir continuously for 10 minutes and turn off the heat.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve it..... Paneer Pulav is ready.

Do check the fabulous recipes being whipped up by my fellow Marathoners

Carrot Capsium Rice

We are back with recipe 4 for Day Four of Blogging Marathon # 13 , a fabulous initiative started by the lovely and extremely enthusiastic  Srivalli which has already completed one year successfully and is now into its 13th edition.......

My Theme for Blogging Marathon # 13 is Easy Lunch Box recipes for Kids - Rice


The recipe for today is Carrot Capsicum Rice

Carrot Capsicum Rice is visually very appealing and I am sure not just the kids even the adults would love to eat it :) I have not added turmeric powder so essentially the color of the rice remains white and the colors of carrots and capsicum come out very strongly.
I have used a different method of this rice. Instead of pressure cooking the rice first and then adding the tempering and vegetables, I have directly done the cooking of vegetables along with uncooked rice in the pressure cooker. I have used khadha masala (whole spices) such as cloves, cinnamon and black pepper and avoided using green chilli or red chilli powder.

Carrot Capsicum Rice

Ingredients -
Rice -1 cup (uncooked)
Oil - One tablespoon

Carrot - 2 ( peeled and finely chopped)

Capsicum - 2 (finely chopped)

Onion - 1 (finely chopped in small pieces)

Potato - 1 (peeled and finely chopped)
Salt as per taste
Curry Leaves  - 3/4
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai).
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
Water - 2 cups

Black Pepper / Kali Miri- 7/8
Cloves/ Lavang - 4 / 5
Cinnamon/Dalchini - 1 inch stick

Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -
1) Wash and drain the rice and keep aside for 30 minutes.

2) In a pressure cooker, add oil.
3) When the oil is heated, add mustard seeds.
4) After they start to splutter, add cumin seeds,asafoetida,curry leaves and stir continuously.
5) Add cloves, cinnamon and black pepper.
6) Keep on stirring continuously and add onion.
7) After onions turn translucent add potato and carrot and capsicum and stir well
8) Add uncooked rice and salt.
9) Stir and mix well.

10) Add water and pressure cook for medium flame for 2 whistles.

11) Cook on low flame for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Carrot Capsicum Rice is ready to be devoured  after garnishing with some lovely & fresh coriander leaves.

Here's taking a look at what my fellow Marathoners are upto

Lemon Rice

Blogging Marathon # 13 continues in all its glory on the third day......

Like I mentioned earlier, Blogging Marathon is a fabulous event started by the lovely and extremely enthusiastic  Srivalli and this is its 13th edition.......

My Theme for Blogging Marathon # 13 is Easy Lunch Box recipes for Kids - Rice 

When one is thinking of easy lunch box recipes for kids, there are couple of things to be considered.
First the dish should be visually appealing to the kids and should also be tasty without being spicy or oily.

Today's dish is Lemon Rice. Now, Lemon Rice is traditional South Indian dish, which can be made using leftover rice as well as cooked fresh rice. It is tasty and very easy to make.

Ingredients -
Rice -1 cup (uncooked)
Lemons - 2
Oil - One tablespoon
Salt as per taste

2 red chillies
Curry Leaves  - 3/4
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai).
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1/4 turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon - grated ginger
Peanuts - 10/12 (roasted)
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon channa dal ( roasted)
Water - 2 cups
Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -
1) Pressure cook the rice with double amount of water.
2) After rice is cooked, separate it and allow it cool.
3) In a heavy bottom pan (kadhai) add oil.
4) When the oil is heated, add mustard seeds.
5) After they start to splutter, add cumin seeds,asafoetida,curry leaves,red chillies and ginger.Stir continuously.
6) Add urad dal and channa dal and stir well.
8) Keep on stirring continuously and add turmeric powder and roasted peanuts.
9) Fry the peanuts well and turn off the heat.
9) Add lemon juice and mix well.
10)Add cooked rice and salt.
11) Stir and mix well.



Tasty and delicious Lemon Rice is ready to be served.Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Here's taking a look at what my fellow Marathoners are upto 

Green Peas Pulav

On Day Two of Blogging Marathon # 13 , we have simple yet extremely delicious Green Peas Pulav.

Blogging Marathon is a fabulous event started by Srivalli and this is its 13th edition.......

My Theme for Blogging Marathon # 13 is Easy Lunch Box recipes for Kids - Rice 

Today, my recipe is Green Peas Pulav.


Green Peas Pulav

Ingredients -
Rice -1 cup (uncooked)
Green Peas- 1 cup (boiled or semi boiled)
Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
Ginger - Finely shredded or cut into small pieces
Ghee- One tablespoon
Salt as per taste
2 green chillies or one teaspoon red chilli powder
Curry Leaves (optional)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai).
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder) (optional)
Water - 2 cups
Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -
1) Pressure cook the rice. Like I mentioned yesterday, the ratio of rice and water depends on the quality of rice. It is preferable to cook Basamati rice with double quantity of water.
2) After rice is cooked, separate it and allow it cool.
3) In a heavy bottom pan (kadhai) add ghee.
4) When the ghee is heated, add mustard seeds.
5) After they start to splutter, add curry leaves, cumin seeds,asafoetida and ginger.Stir continuously.
6) Add coriander powder , red chilli powder and cumin powder.
8) Keep on stirring continuously and add tomato.
9) Add cooked rice and boiled green peas and salt.
10) Stir and mix well.

Peas Pulav is ready.


Do check out what my fellow Marathoners are upto 

Mixed Vegetable Pulav

We begin Day One of Blogging Marathon # 13 today.
Blogging Marathon is a fabulous event started by Srivalli and this is its 13th edition.......

My Theme for Blogging Marathon # 13 is Easy Lunch Box recipes for Kids - Rice 

My first recipe on Day One is Mixed Vegetable Pulav

So, what happens when you have a blog and are extremely irregular in posting, the blogger site decides to take matter into hands and is perpetually down when you have to login to post :))

                                    Mixed Vegetable Pulav                                      

Ingredients -
Rice -1 cup
Green Peas- 1/4 cup (boiled or semi boiled)
Potato - 1 (peeled and chopped)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
Carrot - 1 ( finely chopped)
Few cloves of garlic
Ginger - Finely shredded or cut into small pieces
(alternatively use 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste)
Oil - One tablespoon / Ghee
Salt as per taste
2 green chillies or one teaspoon red chilli powder
Curry Leaves (optional)
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai).
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder) (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Biryani Masala ( I used Everest Biryani Masala) 
Water - 2 cups
Fresh green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method -
1) Pressure cook the rice. The ratio of rice and water depends on the quality of rice. In case of Basamati rice I add double water.
2) After rice is cooked, separate and let it cool.
3) In a heavy bottom pan (kadhai) add oil / ghee.
4) When the oil is heated, add mustard seeds.
5) After they start to splutter, add curry leaves, cumin seeds,asafoetida, ginger, garlic and onion.Stir continuously.
6) After the onion turns translucent, add turmeric powder and potato and stir continously.
7) Add coriander powder , red chilli powder, cumin powder and Biryani Masala.
8) Keep on stirring continuously and add carrot and tomato.
9) Add cooked rice and boiled green peas and salt.
10) Stir and mix well.

Mixed Vegetable Pulav is ready.
The kids would love it and it is extremely easy dish to whip up in a jiffy.

Do check out what my fellow Marathoners are upto


Coming up tomorrow is Green Peas Pulav