Spinach - Tomato Rice

During one of the previous marathons, Valli had asked the marathoners to create a facebook page for their blogs if they haven't done it already. Somehow I did not create one though I have a facebook account. I did it this week at last. Feel free to like it. :) :)
Today is the last day of blogging marathon#10. I chose "preparing ready mixes" for the first week and "lunchbox" theme for the second week. Here is a recap of what I posted so far during this marathon.

Mix for Pesara Sunnundalu / Moongdal Laddu
Instant Homemade Vermicelli Kheer Mix
Instant Homemade Sambhar Mix
Instant Homemade Idli Mix
Instant Homemade Upma Mix
Instant Homemade Dosa Mix
Instant Homemade Rasam Mix

Tomato Bhath
Avocado Rotis-Lauki Subzi
Quinoa-Masoordal Soup
Mixed Vegetable-Soy Chunks Curry
Spinach - Chickpea Wraps
Beans Koora & Palakoora Pappu

I started with a tomato rice recipe for this week's lunchbox theme and ending it with another tomato rice recipe. It may seem like too much in one week but trust me, they are entirely two different recipes and the two dishes are delicious in their own way.  One of my aunts prepares yummy rice dishes using koora podi (can be loosely translated as curry powder but not the one synonymous with Indian cuisine in the western world.) and I based this dish on that. Since the tomatoes are ground to a paste and fried, this dish is more like a spinach rice in tomato base. You can entirely leave out spinach if you wish and prepare it as a tomato rice and that tastes fabulous as well.

Ingredients: (6 servings)
(A)
2 cups rice (preferably sona masuri)
10 oz frozen spinach / Chopped leaves from a bunch of fresh spinach
4 tomatoes
2 onions
Salt to taste
(B)
For tadka:
3 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp peanuts
2 tsp mustard seeds
2  tsp chana dal / Bengal gram
2 tsp urad dal / split black gram
few curry leaves
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
(C)
To toast and powder: (Dry toast the ingredients, cool and powder them.)
2 Tbsp chana dal
2 Tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp coriander seeds
a few pinches of fenugreek / methi seeds
2 Tbsp grated, dried coconut
6 dried red chillies

Method:
* Cook rice adding about 4 cups of water.
* Thaw spinach if using frozen one.
* Grind the tomatoes and onions to a fine paste without adding water.
 Heat oil for tadka. Add peanuts, chanadal, urad dal and mustard seeds. When peanuts start turning golden brown, add turmeric and curry leaves. Then add the tomato - onion paste and fry until the mixture becomes a thick mass.
* Add spinach and cook for a few minutes. Then add the powder from C and salt as needed. Cook for a couple of minutes more and turn off the stove. Add the cooked rice and mix well.
* Serve warm with papad / chips.

Check here to find out what the other marathoners are cooking.

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