This is an easy way to make plain rice a little more interesting with only a little bit of extra work. The tomato juice and turmeric give it a beautiful orange color and the extra spices add depth to the flavor.
Ingredients
2 tomatoes or 1 cup of tomato juice
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
salt to taste
• for the spice powder
2 teaspoons of oil
2 dried red chilies
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons dried chickpeas (chana dal)
1 teaspoon dried urad dal
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 tablespoons grated coconut
• for tempering
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 tablespoons broken cashews
a few curry leaves, if available
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 or 2 green chilies, chopped fine
Method
1. Cook the rice as you normally would.
2. While the rice is cooking, fry the spice powder spices in the oil and grind to a fine powder.
3. Puree the tomatoes and pour into a saucepan, or simply use tomato juice.
4. Add the salt and turmeric powder and spice powder and cook over a medium heat until the tomato juice thickens a little.
5. Heat the oil for tempering in a saucepan with a lid.
6. Add the mustard seeds, cashews and curry leaves (if available.) Be careful as the mustard seeds will spatter.
7. When the mustard seeds finish popping, immediately add the onion and chilies and cook until the onion is soft and golden.
8. Add the rice and tomato juice mixture to the cooked onions. Mix well and serve.
