TOMATO AND DILL RICE

This recipe is a variation of my regular tomato rice with added dill leaves. I started using dill leaves after reading so many dill recipes from the blogs. My first attempt with dill leaves did not go that well, I added it in a simple dhal and we found that the flavor of the leaves was too overpowering in the dish. Since then I had not used these leaves. Recently my friend made a different dish for us with dill. She made stuffed cabbage rolls for us and the stuffing that my friend used was like our regular tomato rice with dill leaves. We have been hooked on to this dish since then. I have been making the rice without stuffing them into cabbage leaves..that’s too tedious for me :( Dear friends, if any if you like dill leaves in pulav or rice varieties, then this dish is for you! Go ahead and try this dish, this combination is simply awesome.

As I was searching for the nutritional value of these leaves, I found some interesting facts about them in www.lifestyle.iloveindia.com which I wanted to share here:
• It helps in the secretion of bile and digestive juices, which further aid easy digestion. It helps stimulates the appetite as well.
• Dill provides great relief to those suffering from diarrhea, dysentery and menstrual disorders.
•• Dill shares similarity with garlic, in preventing bacterial overgrowth. The volatile oil of dill shows bacateriostatic effects.
• The herb is rich in calcium, which lowers the bone loss, particularly after menopause and in some conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
• Dill helps in increasing the amount of urination and thereby, aids the body in getting rid of toxic elements.

These pretty leaves are healthy too, so here goes the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
1. Cooked brown rice, 1 cup.
2. Ripe Roma tomatoes, medium-size, 3.
3. Red onions, medium-size, 2.
4. Fresh dill leaves, 1 small bunch.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1teaspoon.
6. Green chilies, 1-2.
7. Chili powder, ½ teaspoon.
8. Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon.
9. Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon.
10. Mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon.
11. Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
12. Curry leaves and cilantro for garnishing.
13. Salt as per taste.

PREPARATION:
Cook the rice separately and let it cool. The rice should not be mushy. Wash the dill leaves and dice the leaves finely. Dice the onion and tomatoes and slit the green chilies into 2. Heat a pan with 2 teaspoons of oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the fennel seeds and fry for 2 seconds. Add the onions and curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes until the onions turn translucent. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, chopped dill leaves, and green chilies and sauté for a few more minutes until everything is blended. Add the chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and salt and mix well. Cook closed under low flame for 5 minutes until the raw smell of the spices goes. Now add chopped cilantro and rice and mix everything. If needed, 1 tablespoon of ghee can also be added. Let it sit under low flame and switch off the stove. Serve hot with raita or any spicy side dish.

Variation: A teaspoon of garam masala can also be added along with the other powders while cooking.