Cook Dil Se: Baked Mexican Rice with cheese pattise

Preparation time:- 35 minutes

Cooking time:-40 to 50 minutes

Serves:-4 to 6

Baked Mexican Rice with cheese patties:-

This is a really very yummy rice,i suggest everybody must try.Making of this dish required lots of efforts but the end product will take away all the pain. This is an yummy vegetable rice,topped with cheese patties,covered with yummy tomato gravy, topped with cheese and baked in a hot oven.It is a wonderful novelty dish though it needs lots of efforts.The only thing i have experienced while preparing this is,the amount given in the original recipe is very less i feel,so i increased the amount of some ingredients.Basically this is a Tarla Dalal's recipe but i did some variations as per my convenience and made it from the available ingredients at that time in my home. . My son really liked it and was asking me, "mamma,why don't you put this recipe on your blog?,this is really yummy! ".So here is the recipe.
Ingredients:-
For The Rice:-
1)Cooked Rice 4 and 1/2 cups(Cooking method of rice is same as i have explained in my Vegetable Biryani recipe)
2)Lengthwise chopped onion 1 number(Bigger size)
3)Red Chili Powder 2 and 1/2 teaspoons
4)Boiled Mixed vegetables 2 cups(you can use vegetables as per your choice.I have used cauliflower, broccoli,carrots,french beans,i suggest adding mexi beans or rajma if you want for a proper mexican touch)
5)Green Capsicum 1 number(Medium size and optional)
6)Oil 3 to 4 tablespoons
7)Garlic grated 1/2 tablespoon
8)Ginger Grated 1/2 tablespoon
For the Cheese Patties:-
1)Potatoes boiled and mashed 2 and 1/2 numbers (Medium size)
2)Crumbled paneer 1/2 cup
3)Plain flour 2 tablespoons
3)Chopped coriander 2 tablespoons
4)Crushed green chillies 3 to 4 numbers
5)Oil for cooking 2 tablespoons
6)Salt to taste
For the Gravy:-
1)Chopped Tomatoes 5 numbers(Medium size)
2)Tomato puree 2 tablespoons(I used ready made tomato puree)
3)Chopped onion 1 number(Medium size)
4)Red chili powder 1 and 1/2 teaspoon
5)Garlic grated 1 teaspoon
6)Sugar 1/2 teaspoon
7)Oil 2 tablespoons
8)Pinch of carom seeds or Oregano
9)Salt to taste
For baking:-
Grated Mozzarella cheese 6 tablespoons or as much as you want
Method:-
1)For The Rice:-
1)Heat oil in a deep pan or wok,fry onions for 2 minutes
2)Add ginger and garlic grated or paste ,add green capsicum,fry for another 2 to 3 minutes
3)Add in red chili powder and boiled vegetables and fry for 2 to 3 ,minutes
(Boil the vegetables in salted water and do not over boil them,the vegetables should be cooked and firm,so won't get break when mixing with the rice.)
4)Add rice and salt mix thoroughly.
2)For The Cheese Patties:-
1)Mix potatoes,paneer,coriander,plain flour, green chilies and salt mix well.take some mixture and shape into patties.Repeat for rest of the mixture.(While adding the flour ,check for the consistency of the mixture and adjust accordingly,so that the patties won't get break.To know the correct amount of flour,test by shallow frying a small patty. )
2)Shallow fry or cook on a hot tava,griddle or pan, using little bit oil.(Like how we shallow fry normal patties)
3)For The Tomato Gravy:-
1)Heat oil in a wok,fry the onions for 2 to 3 minutes,add in garlic grated,fry again for 1 minute.
2)Add the tomatoes,fry for 2 minutes, add in tomato puree,fry for 2 minutes ,add in carom seeds or oregano,chili powder,sugar,salt and add 1/4 cup water,mix well and cook till the tomatoes becomes soft.
3)When the tomatoes are ready turn off the heat,allow it to cool down and blend in a blender to a smooth gravy,if its too thick add little bit water again.
4)The final step now:-
1)Preheat the oven at 180 ° celsius,grease a baking dish or tray with oil or butter,spread the above cooked hot rice.
2)Arrange the shallow fried patties on top of the rice ,pour the tomato gravy on it,sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake at 180° celsius for 10 to 15 minutes
3)Serve hot with burritos or cheesy nachos topped with spicy salsa sauce.
BUEN PROVECHO!
ENJOY!