Tomato Rice/Tamatar Pulav

30 mins

Serves 5 people

Author: Rajni Ram

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Tomato Rice is a very simple recipe and I love making it just for this reason. It is a quick fix in many ways. Whether I have to head out in a hurry or have to fix a lunchbox in a short time, this dish is always my option. This dish also necessarily does not need a side dish to go with it. Any stir fry will do, or just by itself, it is great too. This dish has all the goodness of tomatoes, so it is rich in vitamin C, in lycopene that is good for the skin, a decent amount of fibre.

I keep my tomato rice very simple, subtly flavoured with the minimum of spices. In this dish, I don’t use any pungent spice like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, or even onion, garlic, or ginger. I just let the Tomatoes do all the talking, and the flavor is always bang on. The most concession I can make is adding fresh green peas to the rice. I don’t puree my tomatoes too, I love to keep it rustic.

While you are here do check out my other rice varieties like Lemon Rice, Coriander rice, Lobia pulav, Masala rice, Flavoured rice, Coconut rice, and more…

Here is the recipe for Tomato Rice for you

Ingredients

Tomatoes 4 big chopped fine chopped finely
Rice 1 cup pre-cooked and cooled
Cashewnuts a few
Green chillies 2 slit lengthwise
Curry leaves a few
Dry red chillies 2 broken
Chana dal(yellow gram) 1/2 tbsp
Urad dal 1/2 tbsp
Mustard 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Red chilli powder 1 tsp(add more for more spice
Coriander powder 2 tsp
Oil for sauteeing

Assemble all ingredients. Cook 1 cup rice, spread it on a plate to cool and drizzle some oil over it so that the grains do not stick.
Now in a Karahi heat oil and add the Cashewnuts to it and fry until light brown. Remove them onto a plate. Now to the same oil add the mustard seeds, Chana dal, urad dal, dry red chillies, and fry until the dals turn light brown.
Now add the slit green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for 30 secs. Now add the turmeric powder and chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute.
Now add salt, followed by red chilli powder and coriander powder, and cover the Karahi and cook until the tomatoes become mushy and the oil is released.
Remove the lid and mash the tomatoes with the back of a ladle, so that it turns saucy. Now add the rice little by little and mix well. The tomato gravy must nicely coat the rice.

Cook 1 cup rice, spread it on a plate to cool, and drizzle some oil over it so that the grains do not stick. Now in a Karahi heat oil and add the Cashewnuts to it and fry until light brown. Remove them onto a plate. Now to the same oil add the mustard seeds, Chana dal, urad dal, dry red chillies, and fry until the dals turn light brown. To this add the slit green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for 30 secs. Now add the turmeric powder and chopped tomatoes and saute for a minute. Now add salt, followed by red chilli powder and coriander powder, and cover the Karahi and cook until the tomatoes become mushy and the oil is released. Remove the lid and mash the tomatoes with the back of a ladle, so that it turns saucy. Now add the rice little by little and mix well. The tomato gravy must nicely coat the rice. Check for salt and spice and adjust if required. Put off the flame and add the fried Cashews. The yummy and tangy Tomato rice is ready.

Serving Suggestions: With any stir fry vegetable or Potato roast, Sepankazhangu(Colaccasia)roast, or just by itself.

Notes:

One can use Basmathi rice if they prefer. I have used regular raw rice.
I have kept the rice simple in flavour, if one wants onion and garlic can be added after adding the green chillies and sauteed well before adding the tomatoes.
Along with regular chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder can also be used for colour. I have used 1tsp regular red chilli powder and half teaspoon Kashmiri powder.
If the Tomatoes are too tart, add 1/2 tsp sugar to balance the tartness.

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