40 mins
Tomato Rice
Recipe by Mamtha Sunil Kumar
Of South Indian origin, tangy Tomato Rice makes a great one-dish meal, particularly when served with poppadums. It is a simple to prepare - puréed tomatoes are sautéed with spices and then added to rice. In my view, any kind of rice dish works best when cooked in a thick bottomed pan (as opposed to some people who use pressure cookers). One big advantage is that I can start with less water and add more if required, so my rice is never sloppy and wet. Cook rice on a medium or low flame and don't stir and mix it again and again. Let it cook undisturbed and you'll find each grain will be succulent and separate.
Tomato Chutney 
Tonnato Ingredients for Tomato Rice
If you want to know more about Indian ingredients, check our Indian Spices and our Indian Pulses, Rice and Seeds pages.
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Tomato Rice
- Wash the rice and allow to soak in fresh water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, and peel and crush (mince) the ginger. Finely chop the tomatoes.
- Melt the ghee in a large saucepan and add the whole black cardamom, chopped onions, crushed ginger, chopped garlic and finely chopped tomatoes. Sauté for one minute then stir in the chili powder and garam masala. Season to taste and continue to sauté for another three minutes.
- Drain the rice, add it to the pan and mix well. Pour in the water, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the water has been absorbed. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.
MAMTHA SUNIL KUMAR'S HOT TIP:
If you prefer, you can cook steamed rice and the masala separately and mix together when both are cooked. The result is maybe no quite as good, but it's a close approximation.
What To Eat Tonight
Many people think that Japanese recipes are complex and need expert tuition. Not necessarily so! Our range of recipes are so easy.
No mess, no fuss, just throw it in the oven and leave it alone till it's ready to eat. That's the approximate theory! How close do we get?
Not everything is right for freezing. Some foods, however, just beg to go into the freezer waiting for that moment when you need them most!
Other Rice Recipes
Lemon Rice is a typical south Indian dish with lots of nuts and colour - one you can easily put together in a hurry, or even make using leftover rice.
Idli with Coconut Chutney is a rice cake (with an accompanying coconut chutney dip) of south Indian origin and very popular throughout India.
Chinese Fried Rice is that wonderful colourful assortment of rice and vegetables. And it is just as tasty the following day as a cold rice salad.
