Masala Rice with Capsicum and Carrots

It was a Friday night and all my fridge had was one tiny carrot and one capsicum... bored to venture out in the rain to buy more veggies, I decided to make do with what I had.... This was the first time I made masala rice and all I can say is it will soon become a regular item on my menu... so easy to make and yet so tasty and filling. You can use any vegetable you have left over, or if you have no veggies around, just make it plain, it tastes just as good....

Masala Rice with Capsicum and Carrots

Rice cooked with vegetables and a coconut-spice based masala.

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1 Capsicum / Green bell pepper
1 Carrot
1 small Tomato
6-8 Curry leaves
1 cup uncooked Rice
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tbsp Urad dal / Split black gram
1 tbsp Chana dal / Split Bengal gram
1 small stick Cinnamon
2 tbsp Peanuts
2-4 dry Red Chillies
2 tbsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Amchur
1 tsp Turmeric powder / haldi
2 tbsp grated fresh coconut(Optional)
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tbsp Ghee / Clarified butter / Oil
Salt

Method:

• Cook rice as per instructions or as you regularly do. I pressure cook it with twice the quantity of water.
• Heat 0.5 tbsp. of ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, peanuts and red chillies. Fry until the chillies crisp up and the urad dal turns light brown.
• Allow this masala to cool and then grind it to a coarse paste along with coconut.
• Julienne the capsicum and carrots or slice them finely. Chop the tomato finely.
• Heat the remaining ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds
• Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and the vegetables
• Fry until the vegetables are done and then add the ground masala and cook for 1 min
• Add the haldi and amchur and mix well
• Add the rice and mix well with the masala
• Add salt and cook for another 2 mins
• Enjoy it while it is hot