Tomato Rice

Tomato rice is my back-up lunch on saturdays when i wake up and see its 11 AM. ;). And i must say thats a regular too. :P. So tomato rice, papad, raita and TV figures in our lazy saturdays.

I must give credit to S since i learnt this simple recipe from him and there was never turning back for another recipe.It always amazes me that something this simple and easy can taste so wonderful. This is also a quick lunch box item that can be made in minutes. My version uses regular ingredients and none of those extra stuff like coconut milk/curd , peanuts, mint etc is needed.


Tomato Rice

Ingredients

Serves - 2-3
Spice Level - Medium

Tomatoes - 3 large ones [chopped]
Onion - 1 large finely chopped
Green chill - 2 slit lengthwise
Masala/curry/Chilli powder - 2.5 tbspn
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder -  a pinch
Coriander leaves - a handful, washed/chopped well

bay leaves - 1
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cumin - 1 tspn
ginger-garlic paste - 1 tspn

Long grain Basmati rice  - 1.5 cups
water - 2.25 cups

Method

First wash the rice and soak in water and proceed with the following.

Heat oil in a pan. Add bayleaves , cinnamon, cloves and jeera, let them roast. Add in the onions and green chillis. Give it a stir for a minute or two. Now add the ginger-garlic paste. Saute till onions are translucent. Now throw in the tomatoes, stir it, add little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Stir it well for a minute and close the lid. Wait till the tomatoes are soft and  let out juices and it should be mashed well. This will take 10-12 minutes. Now add in the curry powder and saute till the raw smell of curry powder vanishes. This will take a minute. Now add in the corainder leaves, drain the water from the soaked rice, and add the rice too to the kadai and stir well for two minutes. Switch off flame.

Now empty the contents of the kadai in to the electric-pressure-cooker vessel, add 2.25 cups of water and salt. Add enough salt till you can taste the salt slightly in the water. That would be the right amount.Cook for 15 minutes.

Serve with papad and raita. Yumm! :)

Notes

1. Dont forget to soak the rice in water for atleast 15-20 minutes , and ensure to saute the rice along with curry mixture. This will help in  rice standing separately from each other.

2. The ratio of basmati rice to water is always 1:1.5 and not 1:2. I initially used to make it with 1:2 ratio, and ended up with rice sticking to each other or it being a tad overcooked.

3. You can skip  the bayleaf/cinnamon/cloves if you dont have them, it will pretty much be the same.

4. Adding little salt and turmeric to the tomatoes, helps them cook more easily and faster. So whenever you add tomatoes to the kadai , in any recipe, follow it up with little salt, a pinch of turmeric and stir it well to make it cook faster.


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