Tomato rice

Ingredients

 4 Roma tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 green chilli
1 sprig curry leaves
3 Tbsp mint leaves finely chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Chana daal(Bengal gram)
1/4 tsp urad daal(Black gram)
1/8 tsp hing
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 Tbsp oil
2 cups of Sona masoori rice
3 cups water
Salt to taste

Recipe

In a rice cooker, cook 2 cups of rice in 3 cups of water. Keep aside.

Heat a pan on medium , add oil .

Once oil is hot, add chana daal.vFry till the color changes to light brown.

Add urad daal,cumin seeds, mustard seeds. Wait till they splutter then add curry leaves and hing.

Add chopped onion, fry till translucent. 

Add chopped garlic,slit green chilli,cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and fry for 1/2 a minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook on medium heat till the tomatoes are soft and paste like.

Add tomato paste and saute till the raw smell is gone. 

Add sugar,salt and cooked rice.

Finally add garam masala, mint leaves and cilantro.Mix well

Serve hot.

Fresh homemade White Bread

Ingredients

3 cups King Arthur Bread flour
2-1/4 tsp Active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Honey
1 cup warm water
1 Tbsp light olive oil
1/2 cup warm milk

serving:makes 1 loaf

Recipe

In large bowl, add the yeast and warm water,honey and mix.

Leave alone for 2-3 minutes.the mixture should become frothy.

Add salt,milk, oil and mix well.

Add the bread flour slowly and keep mixing with a wooden spoon.

Finally after mixing in 3 cups of flour, the dough should be a little sticky and it will become difficult to mix with a spoon.

Time to use hands. Add 1 tsp flour over the dough and Knead the dough for 5 minutes. 

While Kneading if the dough feels sticky, add 1 tsp flour.

I usually knead it in the mixing bowl. You can put it on the counter and knead if you are not comfortable.

After 5 minutes the dough should be soft to touch.

Drizzle some oil on top,cover and leave it in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

After 1 hour,knead the dough for a minute and take the dough out from mixing bowl.

Spray the loaf pan with oil.

Put the dough in the pan  cover and again leave it in the warm spot to rise for 20-25 minutes.

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Take the pan out of oven, and transfer the bread loaf to a cooling rack immediately. Be careful while handling the hot pan.

Once completely cooled cut slices of bread.

To store, wrap it in a cling wrap and aluminum foil.

Put it in a microwave(switched off) and use as needed. 

Tomato Mozzarella and Basil pesto Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices fresh homemade bread(Recipe here)
2-3 Mozzarella Slices(Do not use the shredded one)
2 Tbsp Basil Pesto (Recipe here)
1 medium Roma Tomato slices
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top

Recipe

Spread basil pesto on both slices of bread.

Layer mozzarella slices and tomato slices on top of the pesto.

Place the other slice of bread on top of the tomatoes to make a sandwich.

Grill the Sandwich. Once the bread is toasty and warm with golden grill marks,it is done.

Drizzle Extra virgin olive oil on top and serve hot.

Basil Pesto

Ingredients

1 bunch basil leaves
Handful of pine nuts
1/4 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of half lemon
2 cloves garlic
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

serving:
This recipe makes  1 cup basil pesto.

Recipe

Separate the Basil leaves from the stems.

Process the leaves in a blender along with Pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese and extra virgin olive oil.
Once the desired consistency is achieved, add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Can be stored in the refrigerator in a tight lid glass jar for future use.

This can be used in pasta,sandwiches, vinaigrette.

Corn and Cheese Toast

Ingredients

2 Slices whole grain bread (or any bread on hand)
2 slices American cheese
1 cup Fresh corn(frozen is fine too)
Salt
Pepper
Sriracha sauce/hot sauce(optional)

Recipe

Take the corn and boil it in water for a minute.
Drain water and keep aside.
Take one bread slice, and cover the surface with boiled corn.
Put one cheese slice on top.
Toast it using a toaster oven till the cheese melts and the bread is crisp.(It took me 2 minutes)
Take it out of the toaster oven, season with salt and pepper.
Top it with Sriracha sauce for extra kick(optional).
Serve immediately.