A savory, salty, nutty and tangy plate of tomato rice is true comfort food. And it is so easy to make! This south Indian style tomato rice needs just a few ingredients and it comes together in about 15 minutes in one pot with cooked basmati rice. Brown bag it, add it to a veggie bowl, make it a side, or serve on its own with poppadum or raita for a delicious dinner.
If you learn how to make delicious rice based dishes like lemon rice, turmeric rice, coconut rice, eggplant rice (vangi bath) and chickpea rice, you are always just minutes away from an easy, filling and nutritious dinner. This easy tomato rice (thakkali sadam in Tamil) is one of my favorite one-dish meals because it is one of the tastiest rice dishes I make.
Black mustard seeds, curry leaves, cashews and sambar powder (or use curry powder) add incredible, savory flavor to the rice, along with the star ingredient: ripe, red, juicy tomatoes. Cilantro. sprinkled over the rice at the end of cooking, adds a pop of fresh flavor. All weeknight meals should be this easy and this delicious!
Why you'll love this tomato rice recipe
- It is so full of flavor. There's spicy, tangy, sweet and salty here, and that bit of umami if you add the optional but highly recommended asafetida (hing), a resinous Indian spice.
- It is healthy. The tomato rice is made with basmati rice, which naturally has a lower glycemic index than other white rice varieties. Add to it the fresh tomatoes, a bit of urad dal, spices and cashews, and it is a complete, balanced meal all by itself with good amounts of heart healthy protein.
- It's easy to make. If you have pre-cooked basmati rice, this recipe comes together in one pot in under 15 minutes. The only work you need to do is chop up the onions and tomatoes.
- It's friendly to all diets. The tomato rice is gluten-free, soy-free, and you can skip the nuts if you are nut-free. Rice is gentle on the stomach so this recipe works for everyone, and kids especially love it.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked basmati rice (from 1 cup dried basmati rice). See my recipe for making the perfect basmati rice, which includes instructions for making rice on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in the microwave. You can also use store bought pre-cooked long grain rice of any variety, although you won't get the intensely aromatic flavor of basmati in the final dish.
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Or any vegetable oil, except olive oil.
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai/kadagu)
- 1 tablespoon urad dal (ulutham paruppu). This adds more protein and more nutty flavor.
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing/perungayam). This is optional, but lovely for authentic flavor and a hit of umami in this vegetarian dish.
- 2 green chili peppers. Use serrano, jalapeno or green arbol peppers, depending on availability and your preference for heat. Use only one pepper if sensitive to heat, and be sure to remove the seeds. You can use any red chilli powder, like cayenne, if you don't have green chilies. Use no more than ½ to 1 teaspoon unless you want lots of heat in the dish.
- ¼ cup raw cashews or cashew pieces. You can use peanuts, which are used traditionally. I love the softer cashews, but peanuts are just as delicious in this tomato rice.
- 2 sprigs curry leaves. Curry leaves add superb flavor to south Indian foods. Choose fresh curry leaves over dry, if possible.
- 1 medium onion
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (thakkali). Ripe and juicy tomatoes will add most flavor.
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 heaping tablespoon sambar powder
- Salt to taste.
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander leaves). For garnish.
How to make tomato rice (with step by step photos)
- Heat coconut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add to it the mustard seeds and as soon as they begin to crackle, add the asafetida, if using, urad dal, chili peppers, cashews and curry leaves.
- Saute until the curry leaves begin to get crisp and the urad dal and cashews are lightly golden, about a minute or two. Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes until translucent.
- Add the diced tomatoes along with the turmeric and sambar powder and mix. Cook the tomatoes until they have expressed all their juices but don't wait for the juices to evaporate. You want that goodness to soak into the rice and you also want the tomatoes to retain their sweetness, not turn too tangy, as they would if they cook down further.
- Add the cooked rice to the wok or skillet and mix gently, making sure all rice grains are coated with the tomato juices. Cover the wok and turn heat to the lowest setting. Cook for five minutes, undisturbed, so the rice absorbs the amazing flavors of the spiced tomato juices.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice stand undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
What to serve with tomato rice
- Tomato rice is a fantastic and filling meal on its own. To eat it as a south Indian would, serve it with just poppadum for a light lunch or dinner. Desi, my resident Tamilian, says his family would eat it with potato chips or banana chips.
- You can serve the tomato rice as the grain element in a veggie bowl with Indian flavors, like this curried chickpeas bowl.
Storage and freezing
- Refrigerate: The tomato rice can be stored in the fridge for three days.
- Freeze: Spread the tomato rice on a baking sheet and let it cool in the fridge. Then scoop into a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to three months.
- Reheat: The easiest way to reheat cooked tomato rice is in the microwave. Add a tablespoon of water for each cup of rice and microwave on high for 2-5 minutes. If reheating in a saucepan or skillet add a tablespoon of water for each cup of rice, cover and let the thawed rice steam over low heat for five minutes. Stir it occasionally as it reheats.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use brown rice in this recipe?
Yes, cooked brown rice -- especially cooked basmati rice -- will work very nicely in this tomato rice recipe.
I don't have sambar powder. Which spice mix can I substitute?
You can use a good south Indian style curry powder instead of sambar powder. You can use garam masala if you don't have either, but the flavors won't be quite as true to an authentic tomato rice.
What can I substitute for the curry leaves?
Curry leaves add authentic flavor to south Indian cooking, especially when paired with coconut oil. They can be hard to find outside India, however, unless you have a plant or an Indian grocery store nearby. If you can't use curry leaves, add 2 tablespoons cilantro instead, in addition to the cilantro used for garnish.
More Indian tomato recipes
Tomato Rice
This south Indian style tomato rice needs just a few ingredients and it comes together in about 15 minutes in one pot with cooked basmati rice. Brown bag it, add it to a veggie bowl, make it a side, or serve on its own with poppadum or raita for a delicious dinner.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 193kcal
Equipment
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Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (black gram lentils)
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (optional)
- 2 green chili peppers (minced. Outside India you can use any spicy pepper like serrano, jalapeno, arbol. Use only 1 if sensitive to heat, and be sure to deseed the peppers.)
- ¼ cup raw cashews (or cashew pieces. Skip if nut-free and use a tablespoon of urad dal instead)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 pounds tomatoes (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 heaping tbsp sambar powder (or curry powder)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
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Heat coconut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add to it the mustard seeds and as soon as they begin to crackle, add the asafetida, if using, urad dal, chili peppers, cashews and curry leaves.
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Saute until the curry leaves begin to get crisp and the urad dal and cashews are lightly golden, about a minute or two. Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes until translucent.
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Add in the tomatoes along with the turmeric and sambar powder and mix. Cook the tomatoes until they have expressed all their juices but don't wait for the juices to evaporate. You want that goodness to soak into the rice and you also want the tomatoes to retain their sweetness, not turn too tangy, as they would if they cook down further.
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Add the rice to the wok or skillet and mix gently, making sure all rice grains are coated with the tomato juices. Cover the wok and turn heat to the lowest setting. Cook for five minutes, undisturbed, so the rice absorbs the amazing flavors of the spiced tomato juices.
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Turn off the heat and let the rice stand undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Notes
- You can eat the curry leaves, especially if you let them crisp up when you add them to the oil. You can also chop them into smaller pieces so they are easier to eat.
- If you are nut-free, increase the quantity of urad dal to 1 tablespoon and skip the cashews. You can also add a tablespoon of chana dal instead of the cashews. Make sure you saute the chana dal until golden-brown so it softens and becomes crunchy.
- If using cilantro instead of curry leaves add it to the wok or skillet at the same time as you would add the curry leaves.
Nutrition
Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1296IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
The post Tomato Rice appeared first on Holy Cow Vegan.
The post Tomato Rice appeared first on Holy Cow Vegan.
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