Green Gram Rice

Want a quick and filling lunch ?? - go for this simple legume n rice dish that has many a happy smiles from the kids as well as the older kid (yup i mean hubby---:P) . A bowl of boiled & frozen green grams caught my attention and I gave this humble bean a simple but delicious make-over that translated in to happy tummies and cleanly wiped plates !!! The rice also was good for lunch box which was further dressed up generously with grated cheese.Home-made chana masala powder gives the heat in the dish and the powder sees a medley of various spices like coriander & cumin seeds, mace and peppercorns (recipe shortly) 

Instead of mixing cooked rice to the legume-spice mix (like I did) , you can also let the raw rice cook in the green gram-onion- tomato mix !


What's in the dish:-

• Onions - 1 large - chopped finely
• Tomatoes - 2 small-  chopped
• Curry leaves - a few
• Green chillis - 2-  halved & slit in the middle - to taste
• Garlic Pods - 2 to 3 - chopped
• Homemade Chana Masala Powder - 1 tbsp - to taste 
• Olive Oil - 1 tsp
• Fennel Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Green Gram - 1 cup ( soaked & pressure cooked till soft)
• Cooked Rice - 1 cup- as required 
• Coriander leaves - few sprigs - chopped
• Grated Cheese - as required (for garnish) - optional

How:-

In a wok add the olive oil and let the fennel seeds crackle ! Add garlic pods and as their aroma storms the kitchen, add the curry leaves, green chillis and chopped onions. Saute till pink & fuzzy and then bring the tomatoes to the wok. Let it cook for some time before adding the chana masala powder & salt. Once the spices gets absorbed in to the onion-tomato mix, add the cooked beans and mix well. 

Let it simmer for a few minutes before adding the rice. Blend the rice well with the legume mix and switch off flame. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and grated cheese. Enjoy !

This is off to Sobha's Cook it healthy- Proteinicious