VEGETABLE PEPPER RICE/ காய்கறி மிளகு சாதம்

BONJOUR MES AMIS/AMIES..

I am going to share a new recipe " Vegetable Pepper Rice", which is similar to VEGETABLE FRIED RICE, but with fewer ingredients. 

Now-a-days, we are learning to cook with the minimal ingredients available at home. Usually, for preparing fried rice, we will use soy sauce and chilli sauce. But if you do not have it at home, don't worry! You can make this Pepper Rice, with the available vegetables. Black pepper powder, is said to be good for cold and cough  and has many other health benefits.

For this recipe, you will need

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice

3 cups chopped fresh vegetables of your choice / frozen vegetables

1/4 cups spring onions / onion sprouts

freshly ground pepper powder - 3 tbsp

any cooking oil - 2 tbsp

salt - as needed

For the Rice- 

Wash the rice and set aside. no need to soak. Then plug in a rice cooker, first add 1 tbsp olive oil, then 3 1/2 cups of water , 1/2 tsp salt and the washed rice. 

For the Veggies-

In a wide mouthed pan, heat 2 tbsp cooking oil and add the chopped vegetables. Saute the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes , add the required salt and close with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes. 

In the meantime, the rice will be done. Remove the rice from heat, and fluff it with a fork gently. 

In normal days, I would say, it will be best if the veggies are 3/4th cooked. But, now, I want to fully cook the vegetables.

Once the veggies are cooked, add the pepper powder and mix. Then add the rice little at at time and gently mix. Try not to break the rice. 

It is easier to mix the veggies and the rice in a wide mouthed pan.

Now sprinkle the finely chopped spring onion / scallions. Sometimes, I cut the onion sprouts and save them in the refrigerator and use them instead of spring onion. You will not see any difference in the taste. At last, you can also adjust the pepper powder and salt to your taste. You can garnish with some tomato ketchup for the kids, if they like.

You do not need any side dish for this. It is a very simple and easy to make recipe. Enjoy!!

As a variation, for those who eat eggs, you can add 2 eggs scrambled, before mixing in the cooked rice with the vegetables. While preparing scrambled eggs, add the required salt and pepper for the eggs.

Bon Appétit!!