Lazy Cook's Lunch

As much as I love cooking, I hate doing just that. It's too boring to have just sambhar/rasam with some subzi and too strenuous to cook Shrimp Jambalaya and the likes. Plus The Mr dons the apron only on weekends. So to keep the kitchen fires burning on such zero-creativity days, I resort to masquearing our staple diet - Rice

Onion Rice
This is the simplest of the set and adds spice to an otherwise uninteresting meal.

Onions, sliced - 2
Urad Dal, Mustard seeds
Red Chillies - 3
Turmeric powder
Boiled Rice

• Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal & mustard seeds.
• Once the sputter, add the red chillies, turmeric powder and onions
• Sautee onions well until they are soft. Add salt and take off the stove.
• Now mix this with the boiled rice and serve with your choice of subzi/raita

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Tomato Rice

Known to all households I bet but I am sure there would be slight variation. This is how we make it at home and this differs even among us cousins.

Tomatoes, chopped 3
Onions, sliced 2
Garlic cloves 6-8
Turmeric powder
Chilli powder
Green chillies 2
Mustard seeds, Urad dal
Coriander leaves for garnish
Rice( basmati or whichever kind you like)

• Heat oil in a kadai and add urad dal and mustard seeds.
• Once they sputter, add the green chillies and garlic and sautee for awhile.
• Then add the onions and sautee until they are golden brown(Actually I just added that to make it sound like a Tv show. Mine never turned any darn golden colour. If i tried to hard, i had black onions!)
• Now add the tomatoes, chilli powder(less since you've lready added chillies) and turmeric powder, salt. Cook until soft.
• Once you are sure the raw smell is gone, add the cleaned rice, add water and cook the rice on medium heat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with, well whatever else you had the mind to cook :D

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Mushroom Rice

My favourite. From today atleast coz I created this recipe for lunch this afternoon :D

Mushroom, sliced - 1/2 cup
Peas - 1/4 cup
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Coconut milk - 1/2 cup
Bay leaf, cinnamon, elaichi or Shahi Biryani powder, straight off the shelf :p
Basmati rice

• Heat ghee in a large pan and fry the ginger-garlic paste for sometime.
• Next sautee the mushroom for a few minutes and then add the peas.
• Add the basmati rice, coconut milk and enough water for the rice to cook.
• Add 1tsp of biryani powder and salt, close the lid and cook the rice on medium heat.
• Remove from stove and serve with a spicy chicken curry(my next recipe) or some other vegetarian subzi :)

My Mr liked it a lot. But then again, he came home half-famished :D