Tomato Rice
South Indian Tomato Rice comes to life in this vibrant recipe crafted by @vijayaselvaraju. Each bite carries gentle heat, fragrant spices, and the ease of a dish that belongs on the table any night of the week.
Courtesy of Vijaya Selvaraju, author of Indian Food is Easy
- 0 - 30 Minutes
- Easy
- Serves 4-6
Method
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 6 cups cooked and cooled Tilda® Pure Basmati Rice
- 1 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 Thai green chilis, cut lengthwise
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) knob ginger, finely grated
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup frozen green peas
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 2-Ingredient Onion Pachadi, for serving
- Appalams (or pappadams), for serving
How to make Tomato Rice
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To make the rice, place the rice in a bowl and start by rinsing with cold water. Gently massage the grains until the water turns cloudy. Drain the water and repeat the process until the water runs clear. Soak for 30 minutes. Boil the rice until the rice is tender and still has a bit of a bite.
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To a large pot on medium heat, add the oil and ghee. Once hot, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, and bay leaf. Toast the spices for 15 to 20 seconds or until fragrant. Add the onion, chilis, garlic, and ginger. Sauté the onion for 4 to 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
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Add the tomatoes and season with salt to taste. Increase the heat to high, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft but haven’t completely broken down. Stir in the frozen peas and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh coriander and mint. Add the cooled rice to the pot, and gently fold into the sauce, being careful not to break the grains. Continue folding until all the rice takes on an even reddish hue.
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Serve warm or at room temperature with onion pachadi and appalams (or pappadams).
Appalams (or pappadams) are dried lentil crackers that can be found at most Indian grocery stores. Simply shallow fry them in hot oil until crispy and slightly puffed or pop them into the microwave for 30 seconds on high for each side.
