Thursday 11 December 2014

Microwave Carrot Rice




It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to go without posting a rice recipe in a whole week. It is as if the more I love rice and show it by 'monging" it, the more it loves me back by presenting itself to me in new ways and today it is a Carrot Rice, the microwave way.

I don't cook rice in microwave much. This recipe was told to me by my aunt and it was so simple, so elegant, so flavorful that I almost squeezed her in delight. (Yeah! I squeeze people!) It is probably the most austere of all rice recipes I know..umm.. may be it's a close competitor of my Clove Rice in that respect. You should check it out too if you like this one. 

It is carrot season and when it is carrot season you've got to use carrots. Makes sense, right? A carrot rice is possibly the most that could be done with carrots after carrot halwa, soups and salads. But knowing me, you'd probably not object if I kept Carrot Rice at the top of the list. 



Colorful rice recipes are always a winner when it comes to a get together or even for a special Sunday meal. Most of the times color to rice is imparted by use of various vegetables like bell peppers, peas, corns etc. and carrots too, like in this Colorful Bell Peppers Veg Fried Rice, but all that can become a bit a demanding especially if you are short of ingredients in your pantry. That's when comes to rescue this one ingredient that does all the work that goes into making a colorful rice. And the best part is that it actually releases its colour in the water in which it is cooked, thus giving the dish a beautiful hue without an ounce of effort.

I think this is the beginning of my microwave love for cooking rice. It is so simple and easy and light. I am going to try more simple flavors like this one. What color should I go for next? Green??






Ingredients:

Long grain Basmati rice- 1 cup, soaked in water for 20 minutes
Carrot, grated- 1 1/2 cup
Garlic, finely chopped/minced- 1 tbsp
Green chilly, slit- 1(optional)
Bay leaf- 1 nos.
Black pepper corns- 5-6 nos.
Oil- 3 tbsp
Water- 1 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Recipe:

In a medium microwave safe bowl, take oil, bay leaf and pepper corns. Microwave for 30 seconds.

Take out of the microwave and add garlic. Microwave again for 45 seconds.

Now add grated carrot, stir and microwave for 2 minutes.

Drain rice and add to bowl. Mix well and microwave for 2 minutes.

Now add water, salt and green chilly, stir well and microwave for 15 minutes uncovered, stopping and fluffing rice after every 5 minutes. Make sure their is enough space left in the bowl after adding water.

After 15 minutes, cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Take out, fluff rice and serve hot.

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