I had many requests for this recipe for last couple of months. Many times I thought of posting my version of tomato rice, but it is way too simple and I was not sure if I wanted it here. Then I remembered my friend Poornima’s tomato rice. She used to bring it in her lunch box, when we were in Bangalore, and I used to love it very much, like all other dishes she used to carry in her box. I don’t know why I did not ask her the recipe then, or probably I had asked and completely forgotten it. So, few days ago, I called her up and asked for the recipe. She gave me many different recipes along with this, which I need to try in coming days.
Unlike my version of tomato rice, her version has many spices in it. It is a very fragrant rice with a distinct tomato flavor. The first time I made it, I went overboard with spices and it tasted like a pulav but not like tomato rice. So when I made it today, for a small get together at home, I reduced the spices, I made the rice in a thick bottomed pan (like I make any other pulavs) and did not use pressure cooker. It came out perfect, just like I remembered from Poornima’s lunchbox. Thanks a lot for the recipe dear.
It is my personal opinion that any kind of rice items work best when made in a thick bottomed pan compared to pressure cooker. One big advantage is, I can start with less water and add more if required. My aayi always made her pulavs like this. But this needs a little patience – the dish needs to be cooked on a medium or low flame and you should not mix it again and again. Let it cook undisturbed and you find the best dish with each grain separate. Though I use pressure cooker extensively in my cooking, this is one place where I always avoid it.
Check other tomato rice versions from Jai & Bee , Shyamala , Maya
Ingredients: 2 cups rice 3/4 cup onion 2 cups tomato 1/4 cup potato 2 and 1/2 tea spn chopped ginger 2 tea spn chopped garlic 1 tea spn urad dal 1/2 tea spn channa dal 4-5 cloves 1″ cinnamon 1/2 tea spn sesame seeds 3/4 tea spn coriander seeds 1/2 tea spn cumin seeds 3 red chillies 1 tea spn mustard seeds 9-10 curry leaves 1/2 tea spn cumin seeds 1 tbl spn dried coconut Ghee/oil Salt
Method: Heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon, channa dal, urad da l, coriander seeds, 1/2 tea spn cumin seeds, red chillies, coconut, sesame seeds. Fry for a min and grind to a powder. Now heat some oil and add onion, 2 tea spn ginger, garlic till onions turn brownish. Add 1 and 1/2 cup tomato, salt and cook for few minutes. Grind to a paste. Heat oil and add 1/2 tea spn mustard, 1/4 tea spn cumin seeds , 4-5 curry leaves, remaining ginger. Add rice and fry for few minutes. � Add the paste, powder and fry for few minutes. Add water (about twice the amount of rice). Now add potatoes and let it cook. When the rice is half done, add remaining tomatoes. Cook till rice is done. Heat ghee and add remaining mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves. Add the seasoning to the rice.(This second seasoning increases the aroma of the dish)
Serves : 5-6 Preparation time : 45mins
PS: The measurements given for spices and tomato are approximations only. Please change them according to individual taste.
Tasting food from friend/colleague’s lunch boxes has its own benefits. It is a way to learn new recipes for me. I tasted a very nice egg curry from my colleague’s lunchbox few days ago. I absolutely loved the taste. It brought back a lot of memories, as I used to make this delicious spicy and easy curry few years ago. I don’t know how it completely disappeared from my list.
As some of you already know, I like to make freshly ground masalas at home. My aayi gave me a very cute mortar and pestle last time when I visited India. So the powder gets ready in a few seconds. This is one flavorful, easy curry, which is a best fit for weekdays.
Ingredients: 4 eggs 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 3-4 medium sized tomatoes (blanched and skin removed) 1 tea spn chopped ginger 1 tea spn chopped garlic 1 tea spn red chilli powder 4-5 curry leaves 1 tea spn mustard seeds 4-5 coriander leaves Oil Salt Spice powder(Grind to powder) : ( Or use garam masala powder) 1 tea spn coriander seeds 1 tea spn cumin seeds 1 tea spn poppy seeds 3-4 cloves 1″ cinnamon
Method: Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves. Add ginger, garlic, onions. Â Add half of the spice powder, salt, chilli powder. Chop the tomatoes and add it to the onions and fry till the tomatoes become a paste (you can just puree it and add it to the onions). Add 1/2 cup water and cook for a min. Break the eggs and and add it to the curry. Add the remaining spice powder, close the lid and let it cook (without disturbing it). Add coriander leaves and serve.
Serves : 2-3 Preparation time : 25mins
