Recipe - Tamatar Bhat (Tomato Pilaf)

3 tablespoon Light Vegetable Oil
One half cup Finely Chopped Onion
2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 pound Red Ripe Tomatoes, Pureed
With Skin or
2 cup Canned Tomatoes pureed
One half cup Water
1 One half teaspoon Coarse Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
5 cup Cooked Rice * see note
1 To 1One half Cup Water
3 tablespoon Sweet Butter
Fried Potatoes (See Below)
Or
Grated Or Sliced Daikon
Radish For Garnish
(optional)

* preferably dayold basmati rice.

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add the onion
and cook, stirring until light brown (about 7 minutes)/ Add the coriander
and let sizzle for 25 to 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and the One half cup
water, mix well, and cook over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes or until
reduced to pulpy sauce.

2. Add salt, pepper, rice, and water. Gently mix to fold the rice into
the sauce. Add butter and fold to coat the rice evenly. Cover tightly and
steam the rice over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce is
absorbed into the rice. If you are garnishing the pilaf with fried
potatoes, you can begin making them now while the rice is cooking. Turn off
the heat, fluff the rice, and serve surrounded with fried potatoes or
grated or cut or sliced up daikon radish if desired.

Fried potatoes:

4 tablespoons light vegetable oil 1 pound potatoes, minced into 1/4inch
pieces with skin

Note: I finally added some ghee to brown the potatoes, the vegetable oil
just didn't do it alone.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until it is very hot.
Add the potatoes and cook, turning and tossing, until they are browned and
cooked (2025 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper
towels.

Note: I folded Spicy Mushrooms with Ginger and Chilies into the Pilaf. It
was very good the first day and exceptional the second day

Recipe By : Pat Gold plgold@IX.NETCOM.COM

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini