Bell Pepper Rice

"Fun in the Sun" was fun alright but surprise surprise we were pleasantly happy the sun hid in the clouds. This is our annual beach trip for and specially for the kids. Usually when we adults are enjoying other vacation spots the kids are just suffering through it most of the time, this time they were happy too. We had a kitchen in the hotel room so a quick lunch with a potato fry, chicken gravy or chickpeas was just 15 minutes, I learnt my lesson and now carry a electric rice cooker and a bottle of pickles if we are leaving home for even a few days. Few years ago we had taken a vacation to Montana and Wyoming by way of Yellow Stone National Park for about a week, though I was kind of surprised to see Veggie Burgers along with Ostrich and Bison Burgers in the menu there was no sign of rice. I craved for rice and pickles like I have never in my whole life. No Indian restaurant in sight, we finally found rice at a restaurant as a side but it was smothered in so much butter, even after I doused it with half a bottle hot sauce it still was not hot enough.

Rice is as essential as water and air we breathe and it is rice we are celebrating as this month's JFI - Rice, brain child of Indira and hosted by Sharmi of Neivedyam.

When in doubt about what to make with a particular Veggie make a rice dish has been my motto. I had a few bell pepper fresh and bursting with flavor and so chose to make some flavored Bell Pepper Rice.

Ingredients
1. 1 1/2 Cups of Basmati rice (wash and soak in water) (3 cups of water)
2. 4 Medium Sized Bell Peppers chopped into bit sized cubes(colorful would be good, I had only green ones)
3. a handful of black eyed peas (used frozen ones)
4. 2 small tomatoes chopped fine
5. 1/2 Red Onion chopped fine
6. 3 tbsp of Yogurt
7. Seasonings: cumin, curry leaves
8. Oil + a little bit of ghee

To Powder
1. 2 tsp cumin
2. 1 tbsp coriander seeds
3. 2 Red Chillies
4. 1 tsp Peppercorn
5. few methi seeds

Dry roast the above and powder in a coffee grinder and set aside.

Method
1. In a Pressure pan heat the oil and ghee when hot add the seasonings
2. Add the onions and saute till soft, now add the tomatoes and saute till become soft
3. In a sauce pan put enough water for the rice to boil.
4. Add the bell peppers and saute a little bit, add the black eyed peas and mix well.
5. Add the yogurt and spice powders and mix well. Cook till the raw smell goes for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the rice and salt and mix well.
7. Add the boiling water and check if there is enough salt.
8. Close the lid/place the weight when the rice is mostly cooked and most of the water is gone.
9. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 4 more minutes and switch off the heat.
10. When the pressure is gone fluff the rice up.


Serve with Onion/tomato raita
1. Chop the onion and tomato fine and a green chili split in half
2. Add a little bit of oil to the pan and saute the onion and tomato till soft.
3. Cool add salt and mix with yogurt.