Tomato-Sweetcorn Rice

I have  again come up with another easy to prepare lunch box recipe Tomato-Sweetcorn Rice, which is very easy and quick to prepare recipe and requires very few ingredients, which is not only tasty but also healthy. I have already mentioned the important health benefits of both tomatoes and sweetcorn in my earlier posts, but I am again discussing few health benefits of them here.

Nutritional Benefits of Tomatoes : These contain  low fat and zero cholesterol. These contain lots of vitamins,minerals,dietary fiber and especially these contain 'Lycopene' which is a flavonoid  antioxidant which acts as an anticancer agent, by eliminating the free radicals (which are the main reason for causing cancer) in the body. These also contain high amounts of Vitamin A and C which helps in protecting our eyes and skin from damage. These also contain trace amounts of Iron,folate/folic acid,potassium,calcium, thiamin, niacin , riboflavin,manganese etc.,

 

Nutritional Benefits of Sweetcorn :It  contains multiple nutrients like vitamins,minerals,proteins and also Dietary fiber. It contains both soluble and Insoluble fibers in it,which are very good for health. Insoluble fiber binds to cholesterol and prevents it from releasing into blood stream,thus decreases the risk of heart problems.Soluble fiber helps in decreasing the constipation problem. This also contain Phenolic flavonoid antioxidant,Ferulic acid which increases while cooking. Ferulic acid acts as a good anti-cancerous agent.It also contains two major phyto-chemicals Lutein and Zeaxanthin which play a great role in slowing the formation of cataract,thus helps in decreasing the risk of chronic eye diseases. Sweetcorn also contain Vitamin A, B1(thiamin) and also folate/folic acid. Adding sweet corn along with other vegetables in the diet acts as a good nutritional diet/balanced diet.

 

Preparation Time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Yield : 2

Ingredients :

Tomatoes : 5-6 ( large)

Boiled Rice : 2 cups

Boiled Sweet corn : 1 cup

Green chilies :  5

Onions : 2

Mustard seeds/sasive/avallu : 1 tbsp

Jeera/cumin seeds/jeerige : 1 tbsp

Black gram/minapappu/uddhina belle : 1 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste : 2tbsp

Salt : to taste

oil : 1 tbsp

Red chilly powder : 1 tbsp

Jeera podi/cumin powder/jeerige pudi : 1 tbsp

 

Method of Preparation :

1. First grind 3-4 tomatoes into paste in a mixer and keep aside. Chop remaining tomatoes, onions and green chilies


2. Heat a kadai and add 1 tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds/avallu/sasive and allow them to splutter, then add jeera/cumin seeds/jeerige and split black gram/minapappu/uddhina belle, fry for a minute.


3. Then add chopped onions and green chillies to it and fry until onions turn transparent.Then add ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. Then add tomato pieces and fry for a minute.


4. Then add tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes.(can add little water if required)


5. To this add red chilly powder,salt,Jeera powder/jeerige pudi and mix well.


6. Then add sweetcorn and boiled rice and mix thoroughly.


7. Dish out and serve hot.

[caption id="attachment_138" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tomato-SweetCorn Rice[/caption]

Spicy Black Pepper-Jeera Rice/Jeera-Miriyala Annam/ Jeerige-karimenasu Akki

This Spicy  Black Pepper- Jeera Rice is one of the simplest rice recipe to prepare with very few ingredients especially with very little oil and it takes very less time to prepare. This can be included in quick lunch box recipes. This spicy rice recipe is an apt choice for this cool winter season, as it  helps in keeping  common cold,cough and all other winter related problems at bay. We do suffer a lot in this season with throat infections also,the black pepper in this recipe help us from getting infections with its anti inflammatory properties. Jeeera/cumin seeds add the necessary spice to the dish.

Preparation time : 30 mins

Cooking time : 15 mins

Yield : 2

 

Ingredients :

Peppercorns/black pepper/miriyalu/kari menasu : 1 tbsp

Black pepper powder/miriyala podi/kari menasu pudi : 2 tbsp

Jeera/cumin seeds/jeerige : 1 tbsp

Jeera powder/jeerige pudi/ cumin powder : 2 tbsp

Boiled rice : 2 cups

Green chilies : 4-5 no.

Red chilies : 3-4 no.

Mustard seeds/avallu/sasive : 1 tbsp

Split Black gram/minapappu/ uddhina belle : 1 tbsp

Bengal gram/pachi senaga pappu/ kadhale belle : 1 tbsp

Salt : to taste

lemon juice :  5-6 tbsp

Oil : 1 tbsp

 

Method Of Preparation :

1. First mix lemon juice and salt to boiled rice in a bowl and keep it aside for 5 minutes.


2. Mean while heat a kadai add 1 tbsp of oil to it and after it gets heated up ,add mustard seeds/sasive/avallu to it and allow it to splutter and then add jeera/cumin seeds/jeerige to it and fry for 30 seconds.


3. Then add bengal gram/pachi senagapappu/kadhale belle and also add split black gram/mina pappu/ udhinna belle  and fry for one  minute.Then add black pepper also to it and fry for 30 seconds.


4. Then to this add sliced green chilies and red chilies and fry for one more minute.


5. Then add jeera powder and black pepper powder, 2 tbsp each to it and mix well.


6. To this mixture add boiled rice mixed with lemon juice and salt.Mix thoroughly and fry for 2 minutes.


7. Dish out and serve with plain curd or raita.

Sweet Corn Fried Rice

Sweet Corn has achieved immense popularity these days.Everyone likes it, even kids do like it so much because of their sweetness in taste. Sweet corn is a high carbohydrate containing vegetable as it contain sugars.It also contain multiple nutrients like vitamins,minerals,proteins and also Dietary fiber. It contains both soluble and Insoluble fibers in it,which are very good for health. Insoluble fiber binds to cholesterol and prevents it from releasing into blood stream,thus decreases the risk of heart problems.Soluble fiber helps in decreasing the constipation problem. This also contain Phenolic flavonoid antioxidant,Ferulic acid which increases while cooking. Ferulic acid acts as a good anti-cancerous agent.It also contains two major phyto-chemicals Lutein and Zeaxanthin which play a great role in slowing the formation of cataract,thus helps in decreasing the risk of chronic eye diseases. Sweetcorn also contain Vitamin A, B1(thiamin) and also folate/folic acid. Adding sweet corn along with other vegetables in the diet acts as a good nutritional diet/balanced diet.

In this recipe I have made a few changes to make it more healthier.I am not using Ajinomoto,as it is harmful to health and it has been banned permanently  in some places also. I am using olive oil,which is used for cooking here,instead of  other cooking oils as it is low in calories compared to other oils.

Preparation Time : 30 minutes

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Yield : 2

Ingredients :

Boiled and cooled Basmati/normal rice : 3 cups

Boiled Sweet Corn : 1 cup

Finely Chopped Vegetables (carrot,beans, or any other vegetables as per your wish) : 1 cup

Boiled Green Peas : 1/4th cup

Chopped Capsicum : 1/3 cup

Chopped Spring Onion Greens : 1/2 cup

Finely chopped garlic : 2 tsps

Green chilies sliced : 3-4

Black pepper powder : 1 tbsp

Soy Sauce (optional) : 1 tbsp

Tomato Sauce (optional) : 1 tbsp

Green chilly Sauce (optional) : 1 tbsp

Olive oil : 2 tbsps

Ghee : 1 tbsp (for cooking rice)

Salt : to taste

Vinegar : 1/2 tbsp

 

Method of Preparation :

1. Soak Basmati/normal rice for 15-20 mins and boil it by adding enough water and a tbsp of oil/ghee. Then cool it, preferably in a wide plate.


2. Heat oil in a large  kadai, and then add finely chopped garlic and saute it for few minutes.Then add all the chopped vegetables, Capsicum and green peas and toss on a high flame for a minute. Then add chopped spring onion greens and toss for one more minute and finally add sweet corn and toss for half minute.


3. Add salt and black pepper powder and mix well.Then add boiled and cooled rice to it and mix well.


4. Then add soy sauce, tomato sauce, green chilly sauce and mix well.


5. Then add vinegar and toss for a minute. Garnish with chopped spring onion greens and sweet corn.

 

Note : vegetables should be chopped finely. any vegetable can be added basing on your taste

Garlic can be avoided, if needed.

Cooked rice should be cooled,so that the grains will be separate.

Adding of ghee while cooking rice not only keep grains separate but also gives a nice aroma to the rice.

Serve with raita or any gravy curries.

[caption id="attachment_44" align="aligncenter" width="286"] Sweetcorn-fried rice[/caption]