Yellow Pepper Rice with Peas
I remember when I felt a little sick my Mom would give me toast with strawberry jam, some cheese and a cup of milky fennel tea. For dinner she would typically make something light – rice and lentils. That is what I had today- I toasted a piece of baguette for lunch with a little strawberry jam and a slice of asiago cheese. I did make the fennel tea- the fennel aroma helps the stuffy nose. I made toor dal for dinner and was debating what kind of rice to make with the lentils. I was tired of making the same kind of rice, either plain or with onions and peas. I started to think outside the box and remembered I have peppers in the fridge. Initially I imagined cutting a yellow or orange pepper and sautéing it with onion and garlic- but then I thought- maybe I should cook them in the pan and puree them in a blender to make a sauce and cook the rice in it! That is exactly what I did. I have made cilantro rice with the same method so why not any other vegetable! It came our very well and went fabulously with the lentils. I used the yellow pepper but any pepper can be used- my daughter couldn’t guess how the rice turned yellow! This is a great side dish with a steak, chicken or even fish. You can even add grated cheese to it- spicy jack would go really well. Other vegetables can be added also, like mushrooms, asparagus or even spinach. I added raisins to my rice dish- they are optional- I know a lot of people don’t like sweet and savory flavors together. I debated if I should add raisins since my daughter is not a big fan- but I love them so much in my savory dishes that I went ahead and did it anyway. She just picked them out as she ate the rice!
- 1 yellow pepper, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chicken broth
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil. Add the cumin seeds, pepper, onion, garlic and salt. Saute on low heat and cover for 10 minutes till the mixture gets soft. Blend the onion and pepper mixture with the chicken broth till smooth.
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup frozen petite peas
- ¼ cup raisins, optional
Pour the smooth sauce back in the pot and cook on medium heat. Stir constantly and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for a minute. Next, add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat when the broth evaporates and big holes begin to form on the surface. Add salt and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the frozen peas and raisins, cover and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat.
