Zucchini Rice

A yummy and healthy way to have your rice cooked with Zucchini (also known as Courgette), popularly known as Tori/Turai in India…
Health Check – The zucchini fruit is low in calories (approximately 15 food calories per 100 g fresh zucchini) and contains useful amounts of folate (24 mcg/100 g), potassium (280 mg/100 g) and vitamin A…

Ingredients
1 cup Basmati Rice (serves 3-4 people)
1 medium sized Zucchini, washed and shredded (Cut its edges but do not peel off the skin)
1 Onion chopped into big pieces
1 tomato
2 tablespoon vegetable oil/Ghee/Butter
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 red chillies
2-3 Bay leaves
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, Optional (if you want to make it more spicy)
Pinch of turmeric powder
½ lemon
Coriander leaves
2 cups water

Cooking Method
1. Wash and soak the rice for 15-20 minutes prior to cooking.
2. In a deep cooking vessel/Kadai add the oil. Once the oil gets heated add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, dry red chillies and bay leaves and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
3. Now add chopped onions and stir fry them until light brown.
4. Add the chopped tomato and grated zucchini and stir fry for 1 minute.
5. Now add the basmati rice to it and mix two cups of water.
6. Add all the remaining spices – salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala and stir the rice. Also squeeze the lemon into it.
7. Cover the lid of the vessel and let the rice cook for 10 minutes. Simmer the vessel once the rice begin to boil.
8. Garnish the rice with chopped coriander (cilantro). Your yummy zucchini rice are now ready to be served. You can serve it hot with green chutney or yoghurt.