I am very partial towards food recipes that are quick and easy to make. For me, anything good for a lunch-box is a favorite. Tomato rice is again one such simple recipe with very minimal cooking and effort. I normally do not add lot of spices in my rice recipes for the only reason because lot of ingredients mask the flavors and aromas of the spices we add in Indian recipes.
Also, rice dishes are very versatile, we can add anything we want into it and it stills tastes great! This tomato rice recipe is also an easy dinner option, it is great for a quick snack or for sudden friends. I strongly recommend you to add this to your lunch-box menu and you can modify it as per your taste.
If you have been following me, you know that I am a lover of tomatoes. In fact so much that, I add them in anything and everything. My husband always complains that I cook tomatoes with every dish. Well, yes that’s true, but I mean its just tomatoes, right?? 😀
I think the tangy flavor balanced with the right amounts of salt and chili, is a very appetizing taste.
My absolute favorites using tomato —
tomato rice of course!,
tomato upma,
There are several ways in which people prepare tomato rice or tomato bath. I prefer the south Indian Andhra version of it with minimal spices. I also like to add the classic south Indian tempering so that in every bite we get the nice crunch of lentils.
If you are on the lookout for more easy rice recipes— check my link here.
For more lunch-friendly recipes—- do check link here.
Some more rice recipes that are already on the site are given below(click on the image for recipe).
Serves: 2 |
Preparation time: 5 mins Cooking time: 20 mins |
Ingredients:
Regular rice or Basmati rice – 1 cup ( I used regular for this recipe)
Tomato – 1/2 cup (roughly chopped pieces)
Onion – ½ cup (finely chopped)
Green chilli – 4-5 (slit lengthwise)
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Cloves – 4-5
Cinnamon – 1 inch piece
Green cardamom – 2-3
Peppercorns – 4-5
Bay leaf – 1
Salt – to taste
Water – 1 + 3/4 cups
Oil or ghee – 1 tbsp (ghee gives a lovely flavor)
Procedure:
- Soak the rice in 1 + 3/4 cups water for 30 mins.
- Heat a pan with ghee and add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom , peppercorns and bay leaf. Fry till you get nice aroma.
- Then add the onions and green chili and fry till onions turn slightly brown.
- Then add the tomato and fry till it becomes soft.
- Now add the soaked rice(only add the rice, preserve the water) to the tomatoes and fry for about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add this rice to the water preserved from the soaked rice.
- Add salt and pressure cook the rice till completely done.
- Serve with either raita or chips.
Variations:
- I added south Indian tempering – fry in oil, cashew nuts, peanuts, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing!
- Add soy chunks to the rice before pressure cooking it and also some nuts and coriander as garnish.
- You can also make a paste of tomato and fry it along with onions.
